The photos from my last pseudo-Steampunk photo shoot did not turn out that great, due to overly harsh lighting.  I don't know how to do fancy things with camera filters, but I thought I would at least play a little bit with the free filters available through GIMP, my photo program.

Red blouse by frenchi

black skirt by BCBG

edge-detect filter "Difference of Gaussians"

Kinda neat!  Like an illustration out of a vintage book.  (Don't forget to click on any image if you want to see it larger.) 

Boots by Miz Mooz

edge-detect filter "Sobol"

decor filter "old photo"

earrings by ElainaLouise on Etsy

"colorized" to custom semi-Steampunky hue

desaturated according to luminosity

colors "Retinex"

And the last one is of me, with an unadorned photo--bad lighting, no cropping.  But I wanted you to see the true colors I was wearing.  And show off our neighborhood redwoods.

If you liked any of these filters, let me know!  It was fun to play--otherwise I would likely not have posted these images, and would have waited until cooler weather next Winter to bring out this outfit again.

Sunday Pseudo-Steam, March 9, 2014

This particular Sunday I had a little bit of a steampunk Mary Poppins thing going on.  That's an excellent premise for an ensemble, and I might keep that in mind as I finish this particular look.

Blouse by frenchi, bought at the Salvation Army

Skirt by Onanya, on Etsy

Tahra boots by LaCanadienne

Jacket by Ann Taylor

Earrings by Elaina Louise Studios

Flexi-clip by Lilla Rose

I really like all of the pieces of this outfit, and yet, together they were not quite working for me.  I think the problem is the skirt.  I really enjoy this skirt, and find it is so subtly Steampunk--just right for a Real World Steampunk Wardrobe.  But with wintery things, like this corduroy jacket, the skirt is just not quite the weight.  Also, this is just too much brown in this outfit.  And I think the shape of the skirt is flattering with the cut and length of the blouse, but not so much with the skirt.  Finally, looking at this side view, I'm reminded that I must occasionally check the adjustment of the gathers in the back as well as the front when I am wearing it.  Saggy gathers are sad Steampunk. 

 
But still, not a bad try for a late-Winter Sunday. I would love to hear your thoughts--any suggestions for more Steampunky accessories that I could get away with at church?  (The little Mary Poppins fascinator I'm picturing might be just a little much. ; )

Sunday Pseudo-Steam, Feb. 2014

Yes, recently I've been having too many Real World Steampunk Wardrobe near-misses, instead of hits.  But still, I'm getting enough hits to keep me content, and besides--the fun is in the trying.  This ensemble is one of the hits;  it's nothing special, but it makes me happy when I wear it, and I received several compliments at church on the outfit, which is usually a sign I'm pulling it off.

Not sure if I'm pulling off this pose nearly as well, but again--the fun is in the trying.  Now for a more respectable pose, befitting a woman of my age and social standing:

Jacket from Sickonineteen, on Ebay

British Top by Three Dots

Skirt by Garnet Hill

Oh, how I wish I had a black corset belt to wear with this outfit--it seems in the photos like there is something missing there in the middle.  But until I do find a black corset belt I like, I can still wear the outfit as-is.

Black lantern earrings by Elaine Louise, on Etsy

Copper & wood hair sticks by Lilla Rose

Gratuitous beauty shot of the earrings. The glass beads are actually red, but they look black when not in direct sunlight.  That effect, combined with that verdigris-like texture on the unpolished bits, gives such a lovely goth feel to them.

Tights. . .possibly GAP

Mate boot by Kelsi Dagger

Do you have any favorite pseudo-Steampunk clothing bits to show me, on Pinterest or Etsy or anywhere else?  I always love to see your finds!

Real World Steampunk Wardrobe Fail No. 2

So here is my second installment in this series, of Real World Steampunk gone wrong.

This particular Sunday, sometime back in 2013, I was aiming for a kind of Adventuress look. . .

Blouse by Apt 9 at Kohl's

Silk cashmere fine-gauge sweater vest from Goodwill*

Earrings by Elaina Louise on Etsy

Corset belt by Cabi

Black knit skirt by Garnet Hill

Tights I don't remember--GAP clearance perhaps?

Boots by La Canadienne

*if the vest looks swirly, it's just your monitor flipping out over the ribbed texture.  Click on the photo to enlarge and it should look fine. 

 . . . and as you can see, pieces that seemed like potential friends just ended up not playing together nicely.

Some individual parts of the look I like, and some I don't; but unlike my previous Real World Steampunk Wardrobe fail, which at least had a certain cohesive retro flair, this is just too. . . incohesive.  I'm finding it hard to choose the right words for what exactly is wrong with this ensemble, but it's all just a little. . . off.

And I wore it in public, taking the photos after I was back home.

Ah, well, these are the realizations that keep me humble.    

So, let's see if we can't disscect this look and figure out where it went awry. . . .  I think the vest over the blouse is the first problem, for two reasons: first, stylistically I thought the sweater vest could be a comfortable, practical way to get a very subtle corset look.  While I think this is still true in theory, this particular vest is just ending up looking more 1960's mod than anything else--esp. when taken together with the belt and boot height and skirt length.  I do like the belt over the vest--but just not when I'm trying to channel Steampunk.  The other problem with the vest over the blouse is that the blouse has a kind of ruffle placket down the front, and it was way too lumpy under this fine-gauge of a sweater.

The hem of the blouse and the hem of the sweater vest were also pulling up as I moved, and not even nicely in unison, so I ended up with even more bunching, and unevenness, and overall awkwardness.   I don't think tucking the blouse in would have worked either, as it does not have that long of a tail.

I do like the skirt and tights together. . . and the tights and boots together. . . but the three are not just working.  See, I'd really like a fun short bustle skirt, but am afraid a) it would look too costumey and not enough "real world," and b) I am too old to get away with it.  So I love this skirt, as a subtle nod to that kind of skirt, and have worn it with other steampunky things with success--just not on this day.

In fact, now that I think about it, a different colored skirt would have made a huge impact on the success of this particular look.  If I changed only that and the bunching of the blouse, this would be a fine look--just perhaps not as pseudo-Steampunk as it was in my mind's eye.

Comments?  Suggestions?  I'd love to hear them.

In Which Minnie Zephie Demonstrates Her Success at Failure

So, it seems like a very long time since I posted any pseudo-Steampunk Sunday looks.

It's not for lack of trying.

Over the past year and a half I have been slowly acquiring new clothing items, mostly secondhand, and then trying them out in various combinations, looking to create outfits that are comfortable, practical, weather-appropriate, and just Steampunky enough to satisfy my style hankerings.

It's been easy enough to find clothing pieces that might work in a Real World Steampunk Wardrobe, like the things I find and share with you here often enough from Ebay and other places--but it is much harder to then put those gathered odds and ends into combinations with the other things I have, and get them to turn out on my body the way they look in my imagination.

Let's just say, my imagination is not the issue.  Some of the pseudo-Steampunk ensembles I have put together have made my heart sing, like this one, and especially this one. Even this one keeps turning up on Pinterest, so I know there are others besides me who can see the outfit through rose-tinted goggles.  Those are my best Real World Steampunk successes thus far--imperfect as they are--and they have only whetted my appetite for more.

But for every one outfit that has made me happy, there are likely several more that were total pseudo-Steampunk fails.

The camera is the ultimate mirror, and it does not lie.

So I thought you all might enjoy seeing some of the outfits I have tried putting together this past year that did not work.  It's a little embarrassing to show you these outfits that I tried--and, much as I hate to admit, actually wore in public. To church, no less.  But, it's all part of the learning curve, right?  Maybe you'll see in these outfits a glimpse of what I was going for, and can even offer helpful suggestions on improvements in the comments.  Or maybe you'll just think What the. . ?! and get a good chuckle at my expense.  Either way, thanks for stopping by to share in my failure.

Real World Steampunk Wardrobe Fail #1, December 2013:

Linen dress by Land's End. I realize now this might have been a red flag.

Leather belt by Cabi

Scarf I've had so long I don't remember

Earrings by Elaina Louise on Etsy

Boots by Miz Mooz

Okay then.  This would be one of those times when I tried to stretch pieces past what they were able--although they did admirably work together in a completely unintended way.  Here I was going for a steampunky "Citizen/Adventurer" kind of look, and thought I could start with a dress that was close enough and then elevate it to pseudo-Steampunk with accessories.

Well.  As you can see, the accessories were not enough.  Even my oh-so-Steampunky hot air balloon earrings could not save me.  The overall look was quite cohesive and even attractive, but much less Steampunk and way more late 70's Lady Stetson.  I had pictured the scarf wrapped around my neck as a kind of Victorian cravat, but I think it turned out to be the wrong shape for that.  I may also have been running late to church and thus may have haphazardly flung it around my neck, mistakenly assuming it's a scarf, what could go wrong.

Also, I was so excited when I found this really nice quality, like-new dress on Ebay for a reasonable price, because it is linen, which is a fabric authentic to the Victorian times. I am a texture girl, and absolutely love fabrics that lend the heft and drape and visual appeal of older times.

Well.  As you can see, the main issue with the linen is the extensive wrinkling.  I was prepared for that when I purchased it--but that particular Sunday I ended up holding my young son in my lap for quite some time, and the warmth from our bodies together practically ironed a huge mark there across the front of the dress where the belt rode up under my ribcage while I was sitting.  Quite unattractive. 

Still, the look was not completely a loss. . . but I am also a little unsure how to salvage it.  The belt might work fine next time if I'm not planning on holding kids in my lap. . . and I could get a different scarf and tie it better next time. . . .  But maybe the cut of the collar will never quite look right, even if I get the scarf right. . . and maybe the hem length is just too modern. . .

At least that Sunday I had a hip and artistic young college woman compliment me on my outfit; she said the whole thing made her happy.  But I think she was clearly enjoying me being playful in a  retro kind of way--and that's just not the vibe I was after.

So there you have it--when good ideas go awry!  Please feel free to leave comments, suggestions, links to your own favorite Real World Steampunk clothes, or personal tales of fashion fails.  I'd love to hear from you.

Saturday Pseudo-Steam for May 11, 2013

A few weekends ago we had a beautiful burst of hot summery weather out here on the Bay, which was the perfect time to try out one of my newest wardrobe pieces, a pseudo-Steampunk military-esque vest:

Vest/top by Jones Wear Jeans

"Cocoa-nuts" skirt found at Clockwork Couture and tambukiki on eBay

Caterpillar "Marin" boots in "coffee"

 Earrings by ElainaLouise on Etsy

I originally planned to layer the vest over tops, but that warm summery day I got the urge to try it on its own.  I've been pondering and playing with how one might achieve a Real World Steampunk Summer Wardrobe.  Let's face it--all the most effortless steampunky clothing bits are for colder weather, like adorable boots, high-necked coats, and tights.  What does summery Steampunk even look like?

The first thing that comes to my mind is safari. So that's what I decided to play with that Saturday. . .

Shoulder bag by Coach, from all the way back in the early nineties.   I love it that the purse I've had forever is pretty steampunk-compatible.

And did you notice the boots?  Yes, I did try those Caterpillar boots in the different color, and absolutely loved them.  Unlike the dark brown Marin boots, these are beautiful leather, and I enjoy the contrasting leather, esp. the detail at the ankle, which creates interest even with boot-cut jeans. These boots are so comfortable, so well-made.  I highly recommend them!

Sandals by Pikolinos

Just for fun, I tried the same outfit but dressed up with sandals and hair back. 

So, part of the reason I pose and post is because the camera is an excellent mirror, and it is so helpful to see an outfit from a step back, so I can evaluate how the elements are really working.  Or not.

I'm still not sure what I think about this look, either the casual or dressier.  I'm thinking it looks best with the sandals. . . But can my pale, old-lady arms pull off that vest as a top?  I'd be thrilled if anyone wanted to give (kind) feedback in the comments.

Happy Saturday, everyone!

Sunday Pseudo-Steam for April 21, 2013

Skirt by Onanya, on Etsy

Jacket by GAP

"Tahra" boots by LaCanadienne

Earrings by Elaina Louise, on Etsy

After months of screen-shopping on eBay, hunting for whatever neo-Victorian treasures might be found there, I have finally begun to be tempted to buy.  One of my new acquisitions--the lightweight corduroy jacket I wore today--was an initial disappointment.  The jacket was listed as "pink," and it does look pink in photos--but when it arrived, I found it is actually icy lavender.  I never would have knowingly purchased anything in icy lavender, even at the super low price at which I snagged this jacket.

And yet, it grew on me quickly, and now that quirky color is now one of the reasons I like it so much.  Those of you who have been reading for a while might remember some of the pale pastel jackets I have posted previously;  there is something about that particular juxtaposition of steampunky style and so-not-steampunky colors.  It's unexpected.  Fresh.  Playful.  And besides, those pale pastels look amazing with the rest of the colors in the "traditional" Steampunk palette.

 
Look at the adorable lines on the back of this jacket!  And the little peplum detail!

Here I was trying to show how those fabulous earrings echo the shape and metal tone of all those tiny, functional metal buttons.  And the aubergine in the earrings' drop bead complements the purple undertone of the jacket, but warms it. 

gratuitous beauty shot of those fabulous earrings

"Cocoa-nuts" skirt, found at Clockwork Couture, and tambukiki on eBay

My Dear Husband photographer was patient while I tried the look with two different skirts.  Both work, but I like the darker brown gathered skirt best.

So now I have a second dressy pseudo-Steampunk look that I really like--and best of all, it is in colors that are perfect for the transition between winter and spring. 

Sunday Pseudo-Steam for Feb.10: Mini-Minnie

The eldest Mini-Minnie, in one of our favorite wintery neo-Victorian looks:

Top, skirt, and tights by Hanna Andersson

Shoes by Naturalizer, found on eBay

Jacket by Monsoon, found on eBay

The jacket is not really light blue, as it looks in these photos, but more of a light slate.  A lovely blue-grey velveteen with satiny trim. 

Cute and comfortable and so practical.  I would love dressing my Mini-Minnies in pseudo-Steampunk clothes all the time, because those looks are just so darned adorable.  But even more important to me is my daughters enjoying what they wear--liking the clothes themselves, and feeling the freedom to play and be little girls in whatever they have on. Esp. this one won't be a little girl for too much longer--so this outfit not only manages perfectly to bridge the stylistic gap between girlhood and being a young lady, but is something she can truly be herself in.  And that last is the ideal of my Real World Steampunk wardrobe--whether for myself or my Mini-Minnies.

Sunday Pseudo-Steam for Dec. 31, 2012

What a great way to finish 2012--with the assemblage of my best Real World Steampunk outfit to date:

~Jacket by Sickonineteen, found on eBay

~Blouse by Apt. 9, from Kohls

~corset belt by Cabi, found new on eBay

~skirt by Onanya, on Etsy

~Tahra boots by La Canadienne

Finally, a Real World Steampunk outfit I am happy with, just as it is.  But the best part of the outfit for me was how it all came together so effortlessly.  I bought all these things separately, just because I liked them so much, not purchasing them to necessarily go together--but when they all arrived I had a hunch they would go together nicely.  

 The jacket I bought for myself on eBay a few weeks before Christmas, so my Dear Husband said I should put it under the tree and wait to wear it.  Sigh.  Well, if I must. . . .  When I finally opened it, I was so pleased with the fit and look.  The only thing I'm not thrilled about is the button detail, which proudly declares "Sickonineteen" over and over and over down my front.  Since I have no desire to be celebrating "sicko" youth culture, and since I am quite a bit past 19 (and don't want to be insecure that the jacket is too youthful for me), I at least turned all the buttons so that the words are upside down and might not be as noticeable.

~The famous and fabulous golden "hot air balloon" glass bead earrings by Elaina Louise Studios, on Etsy, which were my self-picked birthday present.  Good consolation for turning one year closer to ancient.

The corset belt was under the tree too; I had been looking for a good steampunky belt online for about a month, and was so excited to find this one:

(this is the seller's photo from eBay--I don't have a better close-up myself)

The belt is real leather, and has four functional buckles in a lovely bronze--not only beautifully steampunk, but highly adjustable!  I have a naturally long torso, so the cut of the jacket would likely not look right without that wide belt, which visually bridges the gap.

The skirt is the one I have blogged about previously, and used to wear with only the front gathered up.  But after seeing the skirt in the photos from that day's Pseudo-Steam photo shoot, I decided I liked it much better gathered in both front and back.  I have been wearing that skirt for years, but this is the first time I think I have done its subtly steampunky nature justice.  And I really like the tones of brown in the belt and skirt and boots together. 

The blouse I have had tucked away in my closet for years--further proof that my neo-Victorian leanings began long before I ever heard about Steampunk.  It was exactly right under the jacket.  So, all the pieces seemed to come together on their own, and this is what I wore to church yesterday morning.  Something about the juxtaposition of the anacronistic and Divine never fails to make me smile inside.  There's nothing sacrilegious about it--how fitting to dress creatively when going before the ultimate Creative Mind, the original Maker, who is simultaneously in and out of Time.

Happy New Year to all of you who stop by, and I hope this next year brings you plenty of Good and Satisfaction, Steampunk or otherwise. : )

Sunday Pseudo-Steam for Dec. 9, 2012: Mini-Minnie

Striped turtleneck by Mini Boden

Overskirt by Jottum, found on eBay

Skirt by Oilily (worn under as petticoat), found on eBay

Tights by Hanna Andersson

Boots (waterproof leather) by Timberland