Are you tired of typical street style? Do you not want to see another infinity scarf or long vest on your Instagram feed? Let's take a gander at the alternative fashion of The Steampunk World's Faire: Wonders Untold that ran over the weekend in Piscataway, New Jersey.
Steampunk started as a literary subculture until fashion enthusiasts took over. The overall aesthetic is a mix of period piece and vintage with a sci-fi twist. For women, corsets are a given. Lots of leatherwork and metalsmithing factor into the look as well. The movement prizes ornate workmanship. Air travel and seafaring themes are popular (lots of goggles and brass).
I was excited to see the percentage of guests who took the time to put together a head-to-toe look. You will see a lot of the same Steampunk Fashion fans at comic-con events. Some of the wittiest outfits also paid tribute to pop culture but re-interpreted into Steampunk. One of my favorites was the duo of Steampunk "Ghostbusters" and Batman's Scarecrow here:
For those who wanted to put together their first Steampunk look, the two hotels that hosted the convention housed pop-up shops of makers, artisans, and designers of all types selling clothing, hand-crafted gear, and accessories. There was a runway show of the top fashion designers which I will in write about in the next post.
Both my husband and I spent some cash at Da Vinci Scientifica. They make fantastic functional leather gear for events such as this. I love the wearable leather tea pouches that hold a china teacup and dainty spoon. I purchased a leather carrier containing a parasol and fan for my next event. Hubby acquired a holster for his Steampunk pistol with suspenders that were inspired by the Civil War to accommodate the weight of his gun. The makers there were terrific in helping you choose an item for your needs and confident to recommend others if they couldn't help you (rare).
Steampunk Fashion has its seasonal trends like mainstream fashion. Goggles and corsets are only the starting point. Alice in Wonderland was a huge influence this year. I saw pocket watches, rabbits, Alice and Kings and Queens of Hearts as characters. The makeovers of superheroes and villains as Steampunk characters continued to be popular. I saw historical Asian cultures influence the fashion as well, from kimonos to military armor.
Here is Hubby and me dressed up for the event:
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| photos by Mariana Leung |
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