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[Volnixshin]

Originally Posted by Ororo Monroe

What I hate is someone wearing there corset on the outside and calling it Steampunk.

This was brought up in a book I'm reading. The off worlder/other dimension guy wants the protagonist to wear her corset on her outside, to be more steampunk, and she's confounded by his request

I imagine in the beginning they put it on the outside to start a trend

[Ororo Monroe]

Originally Posted by Volnixshin

This was brought up in a book I'm reading. The off worlder/other dimension guy wants the protagonist to wear her corset on her outside, to be more steampunk, and she's confounded by his request

I imagine in the beginning they put it on the outside to start a trend

If it's anything like reenacting (1800's on), many vistors/tourist buy really nice looking items and then wear them wrong. Chemises, corsets, pettycoats...there out wear becomes there underwear and there underwear becomes their outterwear. I guess they figure something that pretty needs to be shown off. I will admit, most of the corsets from Timeless Trends I've shown to reenactors has been described as "very French". The only thing that seems to be safe are pantalets and that probably because they have a split crotch, at least if they are accurate.

[TheFontBandit]

Originally Posted by Ororo Monroe

What I hate is someone wearing there corset on the outside and calling it Steampunk.

And why can't it be steampunk? Steampunk is not solely limited to historically-accurate Victorian costuming. It's an alternate-history genre, which means we all get to write our own story on steampunk fashion.

Remember the whole "bustiers as outerwear" fad of the 80s? Who's to say that the fashion of corsets as outerwear couldn't have evolved in an alternate Victorian timeline where airship pirates sail the skies and time-travel is possible?

The main thing that drew me to steampunk in the first place was the irresistible blend of historic fashion pieces along with the open-ended capability to mix-and-match anachrostic or offbeat styles. The rise of the "steampunk fashion police" has really put me off the genre lately. Steampunk is fiction. There is no one steampunk rulebook.

[Mehdia]

Originally Posted by TheFontBandit

And why can't it be steampunk? Steampunk is not solely limited to historically-accurate Victorian costuming. It's an alternate-history genre, which means we all get to write our own story on steampunk fashion.

Remember the whole "bustiers as outerwear" fad of the 80s? Who's to say that the fashion of corsets as outerwear couldn't have evolved in an alternate Victorian timeline where airship pirates sail the skies and time-travel is possible?

The main thing that drew me to steampunk in the first place was the irresistible blend of historic fashion pieces along with the open-ended capability to mix-and-match anachrostic or offbeat styles. The rise of the "steampunk fashion police" has really put me off the genre lately. Steampunk is fiction. There is no one steampunk rulebook.

I couldn't agree with you more!

While I don't like the idea of just throwing on a corset and goggles and calling it steampunk, there are ways to use the stereotypical items and make it unique.

I'm drawn to the creative side of steampunk, so I don't like when people start saying something is or isn't steampunk. It's a genre that is what you make of it.

[TheFontBandit]

Originally Posted by Mehdia

I'm drawn to the creative side of steampunk, so I don't like when people start saying something is or isn't steampunk. It's a genre that is what you make of it.

Exactly! I think saying "Well, you can't do X or Y... and whatever you do, don't do Z" really hampers creativity. I love seeing how inventive people can be with steampunk, and I think creativity really flourishes best when you can say, "start with X and see where it takes you". It makes the whole genre more fun when it's more open-ended, rather than restrictive.

I also honestly have no real problem with people just sticking gears on things either, but I know that's a sticking point for a lot of people, too. I figure we add plenty of non-functional items to our clothing nowadays purely for aesthetic value (hello rhinestones, studs, non-functioning buttons, and superfluous zippers). So why not gears, if you like the look of them? If it were Fleur-de-Lis shaped buttons, would it be an issue? It's intriguing when people really do take into account actual mechanics and make functioning gears, but I don't think it should be a requirement.

Anyway... yeah, I'm always for just doing what appeals to you. If that's a lime-green and hot pink ensemble using Victorian silhouettes and fabric types as an inspiration, power to you! (The Nerfpunk group at last year's D*C really made me smile). I love seeing things I haven't seen before, and I'm a big fan of bright/rich colors in general. Brown hues do evoke a specific "old-timey feeling", but I'll admit I'm getting bored with a sepia steampunk wardrobe and I'm really starting to play more with color, even if it is outside the box.

[Mehdia]

Originally Posted by TheFontBandit

Exactly! I think saying "Well, you can't do X or Y... and whatever you do, don't do Z" really hampers creativity. I love seeing how inventive people can be with steampunk, and I think creativity really flourishes best when you can say, "start with X and see where it takes you". It makes the whole genre more fun when it's more open-ended, rather than restrictive.

I also honestly have no real problem with people just sticking gears on things either, but I know that's a sticking point for a lot of people, too. I figure we add plenty of non-functional items to our clothing nowadays purely for aesthetic value (hello rhinestones, studs, non-functioning buttons, and superfluous zippers). So why not gears, if you like the look of them? If it were Fleur-de-Lis shaped buttons, would it be an issue? It's intriguing when people really do take into account actual mechanics and make functioning gears, but I don't think it should be a requirement.

Anyway... yeah, I'm always for just doing what appeals to you. If that's a lime-green and hot pink ensemble using Victorian silhouettes and fabric types as an inspiration, power to you! (The Nerfpunk group at last year's D*C really made me smile). I love seeing things I haven't seen before, and I'm a big fan of bright/rich colors in general. Brown hues do evoke a specific "old-timey feeling", but I'll admit I'm getting bored with a sepia steampunk wardrobe and I'm really starting to play more with color, even if it is outside the box.

Wow, you really do think about it a lot like I do! I'm so happy to see someone else who views steampunk the way I do. While I won't just stick gears on things, I do still use them (like on my hat for my wind-up doll and a few other things). I think they can be aesthetically pleasing if used in certain ways and not just crammed on every surface.

I am in love with the idea of doing colors in steampunk. The very first costume I made for someone that was steampunk was brown leather, off white shirt, and blood red corset and bustle. One of mine (which I've yet to finish) is charcoal gray with navy blue accents. And then most recently for a friend I did a bright red shadow stripe corset and bustle that was accented in black and silvery gray (it still needs the steam added to it, but we might go with it being a steampunk showgirl a la the Moulin Rouge). I think it's fun to play with color, theme, style, and accessories in steampunk. It's like a free for all and can come out being some of the coolest stuff ever.

[Ororo Monroe]

What I'm trying to say is that throwing a corset on and calling it Steampunk is like going to any event (Renfaire, American history, Fantasy, Sci-fi, Anime, etc.), buying things from vendors, throwing them on any sort of way, and then say "Hah, now I'm one of you." No thought, no planning, not even starting with X and seeing where it takes you. Having done Living History and having had people tear apart my impression because I don't look just like them, I'm am very reluctant to critique. However, when no thought whatsoever is applied then I kick. After all, if you are going to do something shouldn't you at least try to do it right?

[TheFontBandit]

But what is "right", in a genre that's speculative anyway? The reasoning is simple: "I like the look of this corset on the outside, so that's how I'm going to wear it". It's aesthetically-pleasing; that's the thought applied.

How is one able to tell just by looking at another person's ensemble how much "thought" or "planning" went into that outfit's design? Perhaps that costumer's thought process is just different. Besides that, is there a benchmark for exactly how much one should plan out an outfit before they're allowed to wear something they enjoy? Maybe it's not even a costume - maybe they just like the look of jeans, a tank top, and a corset. Are they harming anyone by wearing an outfit that doesn't meet some arbitrary standard for thoughtfulness?

Living history and re-enactment groups have set rules because their purpose is to recreate something that existed in the past. Steampunk is not a genre based on accuracy, and someone should be able to wear as much or as little steampunk as they like - it's a fashion sensibility just as much as anything else, and people mix-and-match fashion all the time. Mostly Lolita with a top hat and goggles? Jeans and a tank with big stompy goth boots? Sure, why not?

[Dictamnus Albus]

thats true and all but still,
you cant be wearing an "uncle sam" costume
and slap on a pair of leather goggle, and say your steampunk sam
tai, from digimon or naruto in the first 5 or so episodes, is not steampunk

or tack some small gears onto some air jordans, and call em steampunk shoes

you can have "brilliant" colours, its even period correct, but i forget the term/name of the dye type
heck go eye searing neon if you want,

you can steampunk alot, but there has to be some guideline as to what truly qualifies
as "steampunk"
most will accept that steampunk dosnt mean victorian industrialist si-fi

but like i said, you cant just slap on a corset, gears, goggles, or whatever and say its steampunk

just like i cant over dose on bronzer and claim im hispanic, as racist as that may sound

when you wear somthing for aesthetics, it should be considered "self-styled"
unless it fits into the general concensus of a certian fashion

[Volnixshin]

Sure you CAN.

It's like this:
people who dress up in lame, store sold halloween costumes, and declare themselves cosplayers, vs people who make or really put in effort for their cosplays, spending hours, and weeks on them.

I would say that's pretty comparable

[Mehdia]

Originally Posted by Volnixshin

Sure you CAN.

It's like this:
people who dress up in lame, store sold halloween costumes, and declare themselves cosplayers, vs people who make or really put in effort for their cosplays, spending hours, and weeks on them.

I would say that's pretty comparable

You said it perfectly. It's all about perspective. What might be the end all be all for one person doesn't make it the same for another. And you can't force your idea of something on someone else. It has to be what they feel is right. Sure, I get tired of seeing the generic goggles and gears, but if that's what the person wants, let them have it. I've used gears, goggles, and corsets in several steampunk costumes, but does that automatically make me look like I'm just going "Yep, steampunk" while nodding and looking smug without knowing a thing about the genre? Nope. It just means that at the time of the design, I felt it was what I wanted to use. Who knows, maybe next time I will do something totally different.