Steampunk Costuming

by Sahrye Cohen. Originally published in the March / April, 2009 issue of Finery.

Cogs, clocks, shiny brass and ingenious inventions – your imagination is the limit in steampunk costuming!

Steampunk is a sub-genre of science fiction set in an era or world where steam power is still widely used. Often this setting is Victorian or Edwardian Europe and America, although fantasy worlds reminiscent of western civilization with elements of mythology, or extraterrestrial characteristics, are also popular settings. Steampunk works are sometimes alternate-histories that prominently feature technological inventions, fictional or real, such as the computer or space travel, occurring at an earlier date. The 19th century works of H.G. Wells and Jules Verne influenced many early steampunk authors. This genre of fiction became popular in the 1980s and 1990s and is often associated with William Gibson and Bruce Sterling’s novel The Difference Engine. The graphic novel, The League of Extraordinary Gentleman, by Alan Moore and Kevin ‘Neill, with a cast of fictional Victorians and Nemo’s fantastical submarine the Nautilus, and the web comic, “Girl Genius” (http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/), which has airships, mad scientists, and clockwork automatons, can also be considered steampunk. Steampunk works can range from gaslight romances set in a smoky romanticized London to western steampunk that is a reinterpretation of the Wild West.

Due to the extensive eras and settings, steampunk costuming is both easy and exciting. Costumes can range from typical Victorian or Edwardian clothing to combinations of clothes out of a modern wardrobe. Some related modern fashion styles are goth, Neo-Victorianism, and Japanese Lolita style. The many social classes and roles in steampunk works encourage mixing and matching of historical and modern clothing, and of typically gendered clothing. Steampunk characters range from laborers on airships to high society ladies and daring adventurers in unexplored wilderness.  Basic Victorian clothes for a man might include a suit or frock coat and trousers, top hat, bowler hat, cravat or spats. A Victorian woman might wear corset and bloomers, bustle gown, crinoline, gloves, and hat. At many Bay Area events with steampunk themes, corsets with fancy fabrics and hardware are often worn as an outer layer. For those without much historical costume, steampunk outfits are easy to assemble out of your closet. Clothes that may work to create a steampunk aesthetic are vests, caps, suspenders, velvet or wool blazers, and boots. Historical patterns for Victorian gowns are available from Truly Victorian (http://www.trulyvictorian.com/), and corsets, underbust corsets, and men’s Victorian patterns are available from Laughing Moon (http://www.lafnmoon.com/). There are many costume patterns from the major manufacturers that are also appropriate for a Victorian or Edwardian appearance, as well as modern jacket and vest patterns, such as Vogue 8301 or Simplicity 2862, which are good pieces to start with in assembling a steampunk wardrobe.

Whether you are piloting an airship or putting the finishing touches on your clockwork death ray, a pair of goggles is the quintessential steampunk accessory. Accessories are where steampunk costuming really provides an opportunity for imagination. Pocket watches, parasols, gears, wrenches, shiny brass instruments, leather holsters, and ray guns are all potential accessories. Many exciting items can be found at a typical thrift store or hardware store. Options for steampunk goggles are modern welding goggles, vintage motoring goggles found on eBay.com, and beautiful handcrafted pieces on Etsy.com or made by local Bay Area artisans. Ray guns can be made by modifying Nerf and water guns as well as other easily obtainable plastic toys. Instructions for prepping and painting plastic objects to resemble steampunk or Victorian-made items can be found through an Internet search. Don’t forget a utility belt to hold your important items and keep your hands free for your next adventure.

Movies and the Internet are great places to get an idea of the range of steampunk fashion. The 2003 movie version of “The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen,” the Disney cartoon “Atlantis: The Lost Empire,” and the anime “Steamboy” are all various interpretations of steampunk. Numerous cinematic versions of Verne and Wells novels, the cancelled sci-fi chan-nel television series “The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne,” as well as “The Wild Wild West” (both the original television series and the 1999 film remake), are also stylistically steam-punk.  The fantastic creations at the Steampunk Workshop (http://steampunkworkshop.com/) and Weta Ray Guns (http://www.wetanz.com/holics/index.php?catid=4) are sure to inspire. Dark Garden (http://www.darkgarden.com/) in San Francisco makes beautiful locally produced corsets, and The Gentleman’s Emporium (http://www.gentlemansemporium.com/index.php) has a wide variety of basic Victorian and Wild West clothes for men and women. Wherever you imagination takes you in steampunk costuming, the most important things are to be creative and have fun!