Dark Garden corsets

I just found a stimulating site for those interested in corsetry:

Dark Garden corsetry & couture

I just love this woman's corset and skirt--would wear it in a heartbeat!

Beautifully, Effortlessly Steampunk Coat

Herringbone wool coat, by Free People--on Ebay here

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.

In Which Minnie Zephie Dresses in a Manner Unseemly to Her Age

This past year was a rather pivotal year for me, fashion-wise.  It was the year I realized that I have reached an age that requires different ways of thinking about myself and the clothes I wear.  It's not that I suddenly started feeling old, or think that I have to follow someone else's Rules for Dressing When You Have Reached Middle Age;  it's that I realized there are things that I see others wearing that I may like very much on them (Lolita skirts! Steampunky hair accessories! Anything baring or calling attention to the midriff!), but which I have never had the urge to buy for myself, because unconsciously I knew they would only look ridiculous on me.  Yes, I'm now of an age to look ridiculous in certain things--hard truth, but one I can honestly say I'm perfectly fine with, esp. since the realization of it came about in a very natural, self-honoring way.

As I started assessing my wardrobe last year for potentially increasing it's Steaminess, I started paying more attention to the things I found myself not wearing.   There were clothes in my wardrobe that had previously been favorite favorites that I just no longer reached for, that I realized I had not worn all season--I kept reaching past them in the closet, choosing other things instead.  Since the closet real-estate is at a premium around here, I took the time to evaluate why I was not wearing them, to decide if they should stay or go.  Some of the things I just did not have the right pieces to wear with--they need different footwear, like the flat-soled tall boots I've been searching for recently, or a different skirt.  Those are "problems" I can (happily) find solutions for. But there were other clothing pieces that I finally decided just seemed too. . . youthful.  They bared too much skin on my chest and upper arms--places I feel actually more youthful if I cover up.  Or they had fabrics or patterns or colors that seemed more appropriate for a 20 year old and not a 40-something.

I'm not ashamed of my age.  I think I'm rocking it quite well!  And I don't feel like I have to kow-tow to the Expectations of Others in Society.  (Clearly, or I would not be regularly sneaking Steampunk into church services.)   But.  One of the good things about getting older is that you start to understand and appreciate yourself better, and I am old enough to know I want to feel good, not only in my own skin, but in what I put on it.  I don't care what others think as much as I care about what *I* think.

And *I* think I am of an age where I want to be attractive, but attractive AS my age, not seemingly trying to be a younger age.  We've all seen older women wearing things that just didn't look right--and it's just because some styles are made for the young, and when an older woman wears them, it looks like she's not happy with her own age.  Or like she's not aware of fashion enough to know what not to wear.

Which leads us to. . . the skinny jeans. 

This is my first (and only) pair of skinny jeans.  I bought them because there were some tops/tunics I had in my wardrobe that seemed to necessitate them, and I thought I was pulling them off well enough.  (At least the teenager who was sharing the changing room mirror with me there at Ross was enthusiastic. ; ) 

I also really wanted to try a pair of skinny jeans because I find that if you want to do "everyday" pseudo-Steampunk, you have to be very careful about the silhouette you create--and as I learned back in this post, the only jean that lends itself well to the more punk aspect of Steampunk is the skinny jean.  So, I tried playing around those skinny jeans and other pieces in my wardrobe that are each vaguely Steampunky, and this is the first look I came up with:

Top by H&M, found at the Salvation Army

Vest by Jones Wear Jeans

Ancient belt, once belonging to my husband's grandpa

Jeans by Rue 21, from Ross

Marin boots by Caterpillar

Seeing as how it was still winter (northern California style), I also tried the look with a favorite Victorian-esque jacket.  But as you can see, the slight peplum shape of the jacket is just. . . odd over the long and lean jeans.  Proportions all out of whack!

Jacket by Ann Taylor LOFT

Earrings by ElainaLouise on Etsy

See--when I crop the image, the jacket over the vest looks just fine.  Picture beneath a long, full skirt in black, or grey, or a brown and color plaid--that's the shape that will look best with this jacket when I am trying to bring out the most Steampunk from it.

So, hit or miss?  I still have not decided.  I'll show you all one more attempt at pseudo-Steampunk with the skinny jeans in my next post--the update on the casual look I linked above--and would so appreciate feedback!

Sweet boot, today only on Ebay

I've never seen this one before, so had to share, even if the listing will probably be over before you see it, even if you do wear the same size of boot as me:

Steve Madden Madelyn, found here

 

Very Steampunk-compatible!

Steampunk Style for the Mini-Minnie, for March 2014

 OK, so you can probably tell by the pumpkins when these photos were really taken, and thus how long I've taken to post them.  It was a very busy Fall around here, which is why I went through a long silent spell there--but now it's Spring, with more time to sit with my tea and indulge my pseudo-Steampunk imagination. 

My middle mini-Minnie

Top and skirt by Hanna Andersson

Tights by GAP

I showed you all this outfit before, on my eldest mini-Minnie, but since then I found these fabulous striped tights, which really heighten the goth/Steampunk hints. Esp. on my own little Wednesday.

The shoes are not necessarily my favorite--oh, how perfect this look would be with short, button-detailed black leather boots.  But for practicality, almost any pair of black leather mary janes like these will work just fine with pseudo-Steampunk.

Just for fun, I decided to play with different looks in our photo-editing program:

I'm going to remember this one for how it makes the subject stand out and lends a slight ghostly feel to the image.

And here's my mini-Minnie in full Gothic glory. 

Now with a little more breathing room in my days for creativity, I would love to see what little Steampunky bits you have been finding online.  Please do share any in the comments below!

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. ; )