Accessories for the (Steampunk) Lady: for the Neck Pt 1.--the Warm

I mentioned earlier that I started noticing there was such a thing as steampunk style last year, when I was doing a lot of clothing searches on etsy, trying to find a couple of new clothing pieces for my wardrobe that were made in the US (to try to put my $ back into our own national economy, and support small industry, and to avoid overseas labor abuses).  If you want cool handmade clothes, etsy is the place to go!  A lot of the stuff there is pricey, but a lot of it is what you would expect to pay at the mall at regular price.  So, no great discounts, but at least you know what your money is supporting.

Hold on--all that is WAY too practical of an introduction for what I want to show you today, which is just pure eye-candy;  in this case, gorgeous pieces for the neck.  Ok, some of them are practical, kinda, if you need your neck really warm.  In fact, I found most of them when I was looking at scarves last year.  But I saved them to show you just because they are so cool, and so beautiful.  And they can be Steampunk, or not, depending on what they are put with. 

rust orange ruffle neck cuff by heldmyhands

Have I mentioned that I love texture?  I think this is one of the main reason Steampunk clothes appeal to me--they usually involve a play of textures:  lace worn with metal grommets, leather and buckles with velvet and brocade, satin with canvas and brass.  In my own wardrobe I have always loved contrasting (yet complimentary) textures, like black velvet against blue denim, nubby wool with wide grograin ribbon.  But thinking about my warbrobe nowadays, it is mainly practical denim and cotton knit--not much texture at all.  I think that is why I was so attracted to this collection of accessories on etsy--the knitted and knotted and felted and beaded stuff--I miss the subtle play of textures in my clothes.

Early Forest Fog neck warmer by VaVaRa

Of course, the best part about that is it will be so easy to add a little bit of texture AND steampunk style to my wardrobe with just a few select pieces!  Hmmmmmmm, I do have a birthday coming up. . . .

Crochet Pretty Flower Neckwarmer by FuzzyLumpkinCrochet

Braided Crochet Neckwarmer by FuzzyLumpkinCrochet

Cotton Spiral Sculptural Necklace by Revisions

I Ching Neckwarmer by Ellita

Fiesta Stole by Ellita

Ok, so some of these are pretty dramatic, and I would not be brave enough to wear them. But boy, are they striking. And so, so beautiful, each in their own way.

Purple Smoke Neckwarmer by WarmFlashes

leaf scarf by deniz03

comfort me with roses necklet by mermaidencreations

But I would wear several of these, including this last one--too bad California does not get cold enough.

gray black boucle capelet by knitsomestudio

And there is so, so much more I am sure I could find on etsy, the treasure-trove of handmade goodness.  But I am just posting the things I have come upon, and try to restrain myself from window shopping for hours and hours, as I am sure someone could easily do.

On the other hand, sitting down to browse with my afternoon cup of tea for a "few minutes" seems perfectly reasonable. . . .

Accessories for the (Steampunk) Lady: For the Waist

I was going to make my next post in this sequence about how steampunk styles can be subtly conveyed in every-day clothing--Steampunk Style In Real Life.  But it has proven a lot harder than I expected finding pics of women in steampunkish outfits that don't look like costumes they just wear on special "dress-up" occassions.  I think this is because we don't usually take pics of ourselves in our everyday clothes!  So that particular post I'll be working on and will save for the end of this series.

So for now, you will just have to use your imagination. Several of the outfits in the last post (esp. photos 7 and 14) I could see being worn in the real world--ok, I would wear them!  (#7 I wish I could have right. now.)  And the second from the last is adorable, and although not quite my style, if the corset was more "top" than "undergarment" looking, I could see it at casual day at work.  Well, depending upon where you work. ; )  The design foundation of Steampunk is neo-Victorianism--so take your long skirt and/or your puffy-sleeved, high-necked blouse and you have the beginning elements!  Then choose your persona in this alternate history, and make the clothing fit that story. 

And that, I think, is really what sets Steampunk attire apart from plain-old neo-Victorian--that the clothes suggest you are part of a bigger, more complex, and unexpected story.  So that is why the clothes deviate--and in most cases EXTREMELY--from the historical Victorian apparel;  because the Steampunk vision deviates from Victorian history.

Before we get on to more eye-candy, I want to address something my friend Stacy said after my last post :

I see [Steampunk] as an alternate post-Industrial Revolution option. As in, a world vastly similar to ours went through an industrial revolution during a time of more gender equality and the clothing represents the mechanical advances of the day but still remains exclusive through amazing fabrics and accoutrements that the average worker wouldn't be able to afford. Like a Hollywood meets Industrial Revolution style. . . 

Stacy, YES, that is exactly it--an alternate ending to the historical Industrial Revolution. It is looking back at our world at a particular point in time when so much change was just starting to happen, when there were so many advances in science and industry and exploration, when humans were learning to fly, to gain landspeeds never before comprehended through mechanical locomotion, etc. . . and then imagining what it would have been like if certain ideas from today had been around with that era's "advanced" technology.

There *can* be a little bit of the exclusivity I think you mean--in fact, those are the Steampunk "Aristrocrats"--BUT I would venture that part of the appeal of Steampunk is that it celebrates the common, everyday person who has ideas and gumption and is adventuresome and hands-on.  Which is also why a lot of steampunk clothes are more drab in color and are pretty utilitarian in fabric and style, and have so many gadgets!

In fact, the gadgets that are so much a part of steampunk clothes represent that these "characters" DO things--and creative, brave things at that. The goggles suggest aviators, or metal-workers, or driving in primative but fast vehicles. Two big Steampunk design icons are locks and keys, which I think represent secrets to be unhidden (think Sherlock Holmes) and are symbolic of (particularly for women) power over one's own freedom. Clocks (esp. their gears and cogs) are the other big design icon, and they represent not only the glory of the mechanical at its most beautiful and efficient, but also the playing with time and history that takes place within the Steampunk imagination.

But I came across a great quotation about this aspect of the fashion on a discussion board (the discussion ended back in something like 2006, so I am not bothering to link it): 
Steampunk’s not all about cogs and gears, and a lot of serious steampunks even look down on it when people stick them to things with no purpose aside from decorative. Clothing does not have to have cogs and gears on it to be steampunk. Clothing where they actually have a function (like tightening a corset) is great, but be careful about sewing a gear to something and calling it steampunk, because to a number of people it just says noob.

I completely agree.  And as I mentioned before, I prefer the outfits that look like something a "real person in a Steampunk age" would wear, and not costumes.  Outlandish is fine--as long as you can sell it. 
And here is a short but very good article (with pictures) about why Steampunk clothes can't be "too plain-old Victorian."

Still speaking of goggles and gears, one of the things you might have noticed about the steampunk emsembles in my last post is that the accessories are really what make them Steampunk!  There are certain accessories that are quintessential Steampunk:  goggles, gloves, lace, stockings, hats, chains and keys, lots of straps and buckles, belts and corsets!  For this post I will focus on the latter: steampunked waists.

KALI -Black Steampunk Burlesque Corset by olgaitaly

I must confess that I love the way corsets look.  Ultra-feminine, and yet a little tough.  Some of the ones pictured below would be adorable with jeans or a long skirt, and I imagine would nicely play up my newly deflated bosom while downplaying my four-baby belly.  You know, so I'd look kinda like this:

Innocence Custom Corset Top by aNGrYGiRLGear

(. . . momentarily sighing and gazing wistfully off into space. . . )

Ok, where was I?  Right.  Some of the corsets currently out there are true steel-boned, custom-fit pieces--the real and painful deal.  For those who like the look, but also enjoy breathing, there are other corsets and belts that have more giving structure and comfortable fabrics/leathers.

All of the belts and corsets featured here are from etsy.

Shoe Spat Hand Tooled And Studded Waist Cincher Wide Leather Belt by ContrivedtoCharm

Red Button Tab Vixen Corset by damselinthisdress

Pirate Vixen Corset by damselinthisdress

Deep Red Striped Waist Cincher Corset Belt by redcurrydesigns

Madam Joannie Brown Leather Clip Belt by AudraJean

Lola Loves Leather STEAMPUNK, PIRATE, GOTHIC Extra Wide Waist Belt by CurvyWench

Custom Neo-Victorian Steampunk copper utility corset, coutil steel boning by LillysWorkshop

Black Wide Leather Lace Up Fairytale Sweetheart Corset Waist Cincher Belt by ContrivedtoCharm

Black and White overbust corset, steel boned, custom made by corsetwonderland

Steampunk Aristocrat Tailed Bodice by taeliac

Wool Plaid and Faux Leather STEAMPUNK Extra Wide Waist Belt or Cincher by CurvyWench

There are several here I would wear around town, and feel good about, or that I would create an elegant evening look with--if I ever had the need and extra fashion funds.  My favorite of the bunch (and the most quintessential steampunk) is the "copper utility corset"--but the one I really wish I could buy is the "lola loves leather" one.

(OK, I would love to have some fun accessories like this, BUT I have written before about how having a lot of stuff SO does not fit my life values right now, or the size of my house. So I will just enjoy looking, and not actually fall into coveting!)

Oh, and you full-bodied readers--I must say after browsing through lots of pics in the last 6 months, while slim women model these items on etsy, very big women are the ones who love to wear them to Steampunk costume events!  And they usually look fabulous.  And like they are enjoying themselves immensely.  I'm just sayin.' 

Up next. . . Steampunk for the neck!

Steampunk Style, for the Lady

Photo: Kyle Cassidy

So, when I was writing a few posts back trying to give you the bare-bones gist of what Steampunk is, I know I was terribly vague, and my bits of information were incredibly disjointed and mostly abstract.  But that's because Steampunk is a very post-modern genre, and as such means different things to different folks.  Did you notice even the dictionary people had a hard time encapsulating it?  So I'm not going to bother trying to discuss the breadth and depth of it--that's what wikipedia and the internet are for, if anyone is interested!  I'm instead going to be talking about and showing you all the steampunk bits that I like. 

(and you will notice too I appear to be wavering in my capitalization--on purpose!  I'll use Steampunk when I speak of the genre (noun), and steampunk when I use the word to describe things (adjective).  Just in case you all thought I was just being lax!)   

Photo: Skingraft

So when it comes to Steampunk fashions, again, it is almost anything goes.  Remember, this is a realm of historical fantasy,  in which the Edwardian/Victorian past mashes up with modern values and philosophies.  And too there are all the different steampunk styles, based upon the "character" you want to create with your particular look:  is your Steampunk lady a brash adventurer, or even a pirate?  Is she a scientist, either out in the field or in a laboratory?  Is she an Amelia Earhart, or a Rosie the Riveter-type mechanical genius?  Is she a librarian, or a burlesque-dancer?  Is she an Alice in Wonderland fallen down a very different rabbit hole? 

I guarantee whatever the Steampunk lady is, she is not a stay-at-home, wall-flower, intellectual-marshmallow type.

This post is about fantasy fashion that epitomizes Steampunk--in other words, Steampunk eye candy!  I'll post later about how these ideas can translate into everyday street fashion--today, it's pure fantasy.  And don't forget--there's a lot more out there than this.  I am just posting the things I like--I guess MY vision of Steampunk! 

Photo: Donna Ricci

Although I should give a caveat:  I don't necessarily like every bit of every outfit or look I'm posting here.  But in all the images here, there is something I do like very much, whether it be the fabrics, or the cut of the clothes, or one particularly striking piece, or the imagination evident, or the photography. . . you get the idea.  Oh, and I would not necessarily wear all of these myself. . . but that's the fun thing about it--imagining what I would wear!

And if you want to see commercially-available steampunk ensembles, visit The Steampunk Emporium or Clockwork Couture

Photo: Dahlia Rideout in this article

This and the other uncredited photos found here

Photo found here

So much to see. . . such creative play on the genre. . . . Steampunk fashion is so imaginative, witty, wishful, edgy, and so feminine.

Steampunk 101

I don't know why, but that cracks me up.

And really, yeah, it IS kind of like that, as I understand it. “Steampunk” has recently been added to the Oxford English Dictionary, with the definition "a genre of science fiction that typically features steam-powered machinery rather than advance technology.” Oh, but that definition does not even begin to actually explain the genre. Because Steampunk is at heart make-believe--specifically playing with historical "what ifs" and imagining alternate realities, mixing up the metal and machinery of the Industrial Revolution with modern values and even insecurities. Steampunk celebrates liberty, scientific knowledge, ingenuity and invention. Therefore, it is fascinated with apothecaries, explorers (esp. scientific), inventors and early entrepreneurs, and collectors of oddities and antiquities. Steampunk treats all people as equals, and even allows those disenfranchised by history--or contemporary culture--to be given new voice and place in "history." For example, women and black Americans who participate in Steampunk events often purposefully remake their characters as if their gender/race had not been exploited and overlooked by the white males who were the scientists, explorers, etc. of the time.

Steampunk represents a modern yearning for innocence, when there were still virgin lands to explore, when the limitations of steam engines had not yet been realized, when there were still such things as Gentlemen and Ladies. Even in its materials, the emphasis is on a sort of historical authenticity, but also a desire for what is naturally beautiful and long-lasting: dark wood, brass, copper, iron, luxurious fabrics like velvet and brocade. There is no plastic in Steampunk. I imagine I could write a whole essay on what plastic means to our society--something along the lines of how we cannot help but conform our cultural identity somewhat to the things of which our culture is made, and then cannot help but create more things from this identity. So what happens to our view of ourselves as a cultural collective when we have rejected traditional materials for man-made ones, longevity for instant gratification, the weight and strength and beauty of stone and wood for flimsy, meaningless plastic, that never decomposes, never dies, like sins that can never be forgiven?

OK, sorry, I got a little carried away there. But the ideas and implications of Steampunk I find fascinating. And appealing. So hopefully, even if you are completely confused about what Steampunk is, you got the gist: that it is a genre of ideas that is inspired by, and in turn inspires, everything from philosophy to home decor. So, Steampunk is a style choice for some, wishful thinking for others, a socio-political statement for others. It can be pure fun and whimsy--grown-ups playing dress up and getting together for geeky conventions--or it can be academic and serious, esp. in what its longings say about our view of ourselves in the modern world.

I did not even know what steampunk was until this past year, when I started looking for new clothes on etsy while simultaneously researching kitchen and bathroom fixtures and architectural possibilities for our house. Suddenly in my web browsing I kept running into things I really, really liked, and which had certain consistent themes and textures and materials and looks. And then I realized they were all part of a larger cultural movement, and then I realized--hey, I think Husband Dear and I are steampunk at heart! It is a strange thing, to think you are something unusual and original in your tastes, and then suddenly realize, no, actually, there is already a thriving subculture that you never knew existed but within which you fit perfectly.

Once I knew it existed and started looking for it on the web purposefully, my occasional searches have been fun and fascinating. I have wanted to share some of them with you for a long time, and hope to do so this week. If you have any interest in understanding more of what I mean by Steampunk, you can visit wikipedia or this New York Times article. Or just wait for me to post again!

So, Coming Next. . . Steampunk for Women!