inspired by clothing from about 1850-1910.

scifi gadgetry made from copper/brass/wood.

Forget the fucking rules. Do what you want. I'm sick of all the "that's not lolita/something" -drama

Also forget the goddamn goggles. It's such a cliche.

And if you insist on goggles, go to a damn hardware store. Buy some 3-5 dollar welding goggles. Don't spend 25+ at an anime con.

There aren't any rules to Steampunk, and fuck the people that say there are. What most people call rules I call guidelines, but I think Steampunk costumes should be more about your own creativity and imagination than anything else.

Look awesome and vaguely Victorian with extra hardware. Done.

Though, if I may? Don't just go stapling gears to your coat. Random gears look amateurish.

>>1343770
your rage would be valid, but i've been to 3 hardware stores in my area, and can not find any welding goggles, only masks.

Steampunk is all about being anachronistic by using steam-powered machinery in some Victorian-esque era. In Disney terms, think Treasure Planet. Books, think Jules Verne. Webcomics, Girl Genius.

GEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAARS

Steampunk just makes me think of 'Wild Wild West' then I lol, then I hang my head in shame because I'm fairly sure I was the only person to like that movie.

.. I was young and impressionable. ;__;

>>1343774

This kind of thinking is why there's so much shitty pseudo-steampunk that has more to do with Hot Topic than with speculative 19th century/Victoriana fiction. Which is, look at that! --what defines steampunk--.

Period outfits have certain rules, or if you prefer, "guidelines"-- the more you deviate from them, the more your outfit will fall out of the steampunk category no matter how much you whine that it is.

AND, pulp is not steampunk. They can have similar elements, but the technology sets them apart, i.e. zeppelins vs hot air balloons and ray guns vs heat guns. Etc.

>>1343821

Are you kidding? Will Smith's narrow ass bouncing all over the place, cheap transvestite humor, and a giant STEAM-MECHA SPIDER. What's not to love?

>>1343722
>>1343831 (cont'd)

The best advice I ever got, from Kit:

"The big problem (well one of them) with a lot the steampunk outfits I keep seeing is: TOO MUCH 'STUFF'. It's messy, cluttered and lacks aesthetic cohesion. It shouldn't look like stuff was thrown at stuff.

It's a fundamental of all design: it has to work together in harmony, or on special occasion, a disharmony that creates a specific and intentional dynamic composition.

....

I think people would do better with their attire if they thought of it as actual clothing and not a dress-up costume. Clothing wears differently, you make different choices. Items and accessories have specific values and functions.

A person's attire is subject to their environmental conditions, including, social conditions. Men's attire, for example, especially in the 19th century, is subject to a specific language. What can make a character interesting is a skillful manipulation of that language to portray how a character attempts to present themselves in society. Never is this more obvious and blatant then in the rigid and judgmental 19th century society. There are books upon books to give you insights into every minutiae of this, and failing that, this is the century of the camera. There's so many photos of real people that one can study.

...Although I think using world events and politics help to describe aspects of fashion and other artistic expressions better then just fashion sources alone."

I believe in the creativity thing, it should be individual.

Just TRY to be accurate with period clothing please?

>>1343821

First off. AWW HELL NAW! you're not alone in liking that movie.

>>1343831

What does Hot Topic have to do with anything here? They don't sell anything outside of goggles that could be used in steampunk, so I hardly think the term applies. And I'm aware that my opinion is not shared with hardly anyone on /cgl/, but I still stand by it. When did all of these 'rules' enter into my fandom? I've liked this junk for awhile, and I - for one - am happy to see other people embrace it and create their own outfits and character designs. I'm not interested in telling a newbie he's got to follow a whole buncha rules. Let him do what he wants.

>>1343875

Because then you get shitty ensembles things like this.

>>1339050#1341545

There are certain things that define steampunk. There are also things that, when applied properly, can be steampunk. Just as those same things, if not properly applied, can turn the thing to shit. There are no hard and fast rules, but some period/etc propriety should still be observed.

Steampunk is a genre. As such, it DOES have elements that make or break it. Simple as that. And if we're playing the cred game, I've been into steampunk before I started calling it steampunk-- it was speculative and/or fantastical 19th century/Victorian fiction back in the day.

Let's put it this way: you want to make GOOD steampunk? Then there are certain things you need to observe, whether that be accuracy, aesthetic cohesiveness, or just making sure there's the appropriate use of goggles and/or gears. Remember that steampunk was about the inventive and innovative use of period technology, i.e. making things work in awesome ways. Gluing gears to your hat? That's NOT making things work in an awesome way. But if you build a clockwork hat, then you're getting into the right mindset.

>>1343831
>>1343846
>>1343934
>>1343868
Oh my god. THESE THESE THESE. These posts need to be stickied forever.

Some things I have found useful for ideas searching on google search for things like:

Victorian men's fashion
Fashion 1880, 1890, 1900, 1910 +photos
Industrial revolution fashion
Age of enlightment
Art nouveau +brass
(thigs ina similar nature refine as you find stuff you like)
And then a few things to remember are that this is based roughly on an actual time period. The more accurate you get to the real clothing of the time the better it will come off.

All of the trappings for most steampunks have a theoretical use, it may not be functional but it should look it. your goggles are they for wind? or for dust? for magnification of delicate work? The correction of vision at strange angles? It was a very utilitarian time.

One of the things that bothers me most is people not wearing hats with steam punk. The hat in the industrial revolution was not just a fashion statement it was a hygiene issue. Burning coal causes airborne soot. You did not want this in your hair.

The other reason I condone steampunk is that if done correctly it is a cosplay that overweight men can pull off and not look awful.

Steampunk is becoming as terrible as EGL.

Steampunk is so lame now. All the true people are into Bronze Agepunk now.

Cavepunk

>>1344044
Oh damn Cavepunk? Wow. That's rad. Got any tips on how to dress Cavepunk?

^ lulz

I'm wondering, for an Asian guy, I'd look scheisse in steampunk stuff.

>>1343836
>>1343875
I feel like I am being lied to. Other people really liked that movie? I mean really? lorz, my best friend at the time (we were both eleven) had it on tape. We watched it. A lot.

I bet if I watched it not it would be awful but eh. Will Smith.

>>1344056
No, you wouldn't. See my picture, and >>1343846

>>1343821

I loved that movie and any other movie with Will Smith in it. It was badass. I know the theme song by heart. You bet your ass that I loved... that movie.

Now, I was wondering, would it be okay designing a steampunk cowboy outfit? I think that would be awesome. But I had some faggot on OB react very negatively to me saying that. I was thinking along the lines of Briscoe County Jr. meets Gungrave meets Trigun type outfit. I wanted to use mostly blacks, greys, and reds and have some crazy gun. Maybe have those glasses Johnny Depp had in Sleepy Hollow.

>>1344181
Haha, it's so good not to feel alone. ;__;

I think somebody should cosplay Will Smith then say it's Steampunk. That would really annoy 'em.

>>1344181

Actually, it works really well. "Weird west" is a huge part/subset of steampunk; the American frontier (and Orient/Mysterious East) are definite influences on 19th century Europe.

>>1344228
>I think somebody should cosplay Will Smith then say it's Steampunk. That would really annoy 'em.

That's a retarded thing to say. Wild Wild West IS steampunk; it would annoy only those who don't actually know what the genre is composed of.

>>1343934
is really good at talking while giving no actual advice...

pro tip- use a list

>>1344181 I loved that movie and any other movie with Will Smith in it. It was badass. I know the theme song by heart. You bet your ass that I loved... that movie.

Quoted for mutha fuckin' truth. Will Smith is badass, and makes my panties wet. That man is made of pure win, and makes anything that he's in awesome.

>>1344510

I guess expecting you lazy fucks to do some personal research, or reading into what I wrote, was just too much.

Victoriana? Inventive, innovative use of period specific technology? I'm trying to give CONTEXT and IDEAS, instead of dictating the "hard and fast rules"-- observed guidelines, as stated. I'm basically giving you the meter and structure of the sonnet, and it's up to you to fill in the blanks. And to reiterate, there's hundreds of things that CAN be steampunk, but can also be badly applied so it ends up not being so. Hence my advice on getting acquainted with the costume and technology of the era-- your best bet to understanding what works and what doesn't-- and giving tips on incorporating design aspects.

A list? Here's somebody with a list: >>1344020 But again, it's about research. A list of things does nothing for you unless you know how to make the parts fit.

i can't find the other steampunk thread so I'm putting this here.

Can't find a bigger version though

>>1344048
Flintstones?

>>1343797

I got mine from Academy, "off road" or some thing like that. Replaced the elastic on the back with pleather, and it looks pretty good.

Archive this thread. Need votes.

>>1344514

You're my kind of chick, anon.

http://www.everything2.com/e2node/steampunk

http://etheremporium.pbwiki.com/Wiki

Steampunk can refer to a fashion, a subculture, or a literary genre. Basically it's a concept of Victorian/Edwardian sensibilities combined with anachronistic technology from the future.

Like any other fashion, steampunk is mutable. There can be all sorts of cool permutations used in it; technically, if you had awesome skillz, you could do a medieval-style steampunk outfit. I think for beginners, though, it's best to stick with a fairly standard formula or you may wind up making a mess of things. Use Victorian/Edwardian styles as your base and go from there. I don't think the clothes necessarily have to be period accurate, but they should at least look like they'd fit in. Your color scheme doesn't have to be brown or black, but it should probably be mostly subdued colors with a few bright pops thrown in if you're so inclined.

Some people recommend creating a character, others feel it's not necessary. I feel it's useful to get an idea of who you are and what you do so you can make what you wear look cohesive. That way you use things you would need, avoid things you don't, and everything looks like it makes sense as opposed to, oh, well, I have a raygun and some random gears and goggles but also a parasol and feathered hat. It's just less slapdash, you know?

But I think above all you should research Victorian and Edwardian clothing so you know what you're going for aesthetically, then go read some steampunk stories or books (which were around before the fashion came together) to get a feel for what steampunk actually means. Otherwise you're basically doing it because you saw it somewhere and it looked cool, and the uninformed inevitably wind up looking as clueless as they are.

>>1344328
Well, yes. Sane people don't get annoyed by such things anyway. :> I still think it would be amusing though.

>>1344514
Haha, I love you guys. I feel no shame now. My boyfriend can laugh at me all he likes. :O

I loved that song too. "We're goin' straight to the WILD WILD WEST".

I really want to watch it again now. DX

>>1345889

I only dislike the film for bad Will Smith drag and a rather rubbish villain. :P We both know I like WAY worse movies so I wouldn't have grounds to laugh at you. :P

The song is awesome I can't fault that, we sang it the other day at work as various people knew different bits.

"Jim West, desperado, rough rider, no you don't want nada, none of this, six gunning this"

>>1345916

"Me and Artemis Clyde Frog go save Salma Hayek from the big metal spider!"

>>1345797
>if you had awesome skillz, you could do a medieval-style steampunk outfit

Do want.

>>1345932
I've been pondering it since I'm a SCAdian anyway. One of my favorite steampunk stories is actually related to that: "The Giving Mouth" by Ian McLeod (although that's been called more steam-fantasy than steampunk).

I loved Wild Wild West and it didn't occur to me til like last week that it was steampunk......

I've been interested in this genre for a long time, though I admit I didn't know what it was actually called (Hullo Treasure Planet and Nadia!). When I saw this stuff all over /CGL/ it made me kinda 'eh' about following the trend, but in the end I decided if it was something I actually liked why should I stop myself from doing it?

So, I'm in a little bind. I have researched the genre I am wanting to do. I know the historical clothing: what they wore, fabrics used at the time, purpose of certain articles of clothing, etc. I basically have the history down.

My trouble is on applying the steam to the history. I know you don't just throw in random gears and wires and call it steampunk. So I want to learn why something is placed there, what areas are appropriate for steam and how I can make it appear those steam-upgrades are functional to the historical clothing.

Are there any tips from Steampunkers here? Links to some resources? I've used googlefu and brought up a few things, but not much.

>>1345985

The reason there's not much is because the sort of thing you're asking about is dependent almost solely on your imagination and the materials you can find.

You've got the fashion, the history, now go and dream some mad scientist dreams and hit the hardware store. It's up to you from here.

>>1345985
I'd go to Aether Emporium's fashion page:
http://etheremporium.pbwiki.com/What%20is%20Steampunk%20Fashion

Bear in mind that a lot of this isn't actually steam technology, per se; that's kind of just a catchall phrase. If you want to make things in your outfit run on steam, more power to you, although that's likely to result in some very bulky outfits. Think more in terms of clockwork and the like if you want functional pieces, but as far as I've seen people are rigging up little battery-powered electrical bits or just making things that LOOK like they work.

Working on a Steampunk Victorian Red Coat at the moment, its taken ages but hopefully will be worth the effort.

Just because you are doing "steampunk" doesn't mean you need fucking goggles. EVERY FUCKING PERSON HAS THEM AND THEY ARE LAME!