Steampunk - from a steam machine to a pen.

I will not pretend to be a professional. For my defense I have only the fascination and information that I have managed to collect over the last years. Some books and comics, thousands of photos, a few films. Not much - but it was enough to fall in love with the killing. Although I don’t transfer it to my style of dress, steampunk is my little obsession - I tell myself that if I was tall, skinny and had the resources for all these crazy gadgets, I would only wear it like that. But in fact, I really attach little weight (and from year to year less and less) to clothes. Maybe that's why I like steampunk because - after all, clothes are just fun and can’t be taken seriously.

First of all - who started

Steampunk is a trend in culture embedded in the realities of an alternative reality based on the mechanics and principle of operation of a steam engine. It's a bit like history has somehow turned off course and the technique has begun to develop in a completely different direction. Steampunk style strongly refers to the Victorian era (or - in another version - to the Wild West) - hence at first glance, it can be said that it is simply retro aesthetics. However, steampunk, although it has an impact on fashion, isn’t just a style of dress - most fans of the genre really are interested in what is behind his visual coating. This isn’t about ideology - as in the case of subcultures - but more about a common world in which fandes seem to be meeting at conventions and thematic events.

Steampunk is considered a science fiction genre. Within the works embedded in this reality, we often observe machines and other inventions unknown to us, and the interest in science as such, the desire to know the world and the need for technological development aren’t smaller or less than in the real world. The genre itself has of course its own variations - it is sometimes combined with magic-based fantasy aesthetics or even science-fiction, and for some time now the popularity of dieselpunk, set in the first half of the twentieth century (after the First World War).

The genre's sources can be found in the works of, among authors Jules Verne ("Around the World in 80 days", "Journey to the Center of the Earth", "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea") and Herbert Goerge Wells ("The Time Machine"). It isn’t difficult to guess why it gained so much popularity - bearing the subject matter and the possibility of constructing a coherent universe allowed to develop the trend while maintaining the relative realism of the presented stories and places. The emphasis on technology and mechanization gives a lot of opportunities for the enthusiasts of technical sciences, and the ability to create even the most amazing variants of reality attracts fans of history. In all this, there is also some longing for past times, behind a world ruled by principles based on tangible, visible to the naked eye, facts and discoveries - in contrast to the modern, accelerated, digital virtual reality. It might seem that the world depicted in the steampunk style is simpler, more logical and easier to understand for the average recipient.

Mom, is this steampunk?

Steampunk motifs are often used in popular culture. One element doesn’t make the genre, but the references are usually legible for someone who is familiar with the aesthetics of the trend. Of course, films or books embedded in the historical realities from which steampunk draws are a separate matter, but the difference is quite clear. If we are dealing with a fictitious (or alternative) reality that abounds in specific objects such as mechanical animals, machines with a huge number of gears based on a steam piston engine, zeppelins - we may already suspect that the author was heavily inspired by steampunk. As for the fashion specific to the genre - in addition to Victorian creations, we also have the style "a'la Indiana Jones", both in the male and female versions. This isn’t all, of course, but about it - in a moment.

What is most important in steampunk is the strong mechanization of the world. In canonical genres and condensing works, we notice - expressed more or less directly - the desire to gain control over the world around us. Sometimes in such an extreme way as in the effective animated miniature titled "Invention of love". Sensing to the position of the heroine, we observe the fate of a girl torn out of the world of nature and placed in a steampunk city, where even plants and insects consist of tiny cogs. The space that surrounds it in a new place seems beautiful, but it quickly begins to overwhelm. Breaking the bond with nature not created by the hand of a man, leads to tragic consequences, and the conclusions aren’t especially optimistic for technology fans. Because not everything can be replaced by a machine.

In the world of steampunks, alchemy often appears, acting as a link between realism of machines and magic. Heroes filling a stylized universe usually belong to specific types and no story within the genre can’t do without them. This is, for example, a scientist - often misunderstood and considered a madman, obsessed with the thought of creating something unique, ultimately reaching his arguments. Within the type of scientist there is also a researcher, dreaming of distant lands, a trip deep into the earth or exploring the sea depths. He is often the main - or one of the main - protagonists and has a mission in which his antagonist, usually associated with a large corporation (eg a factory), wants to take advantage of the discovery of a scientist / researcher in the implementation of evil plans . The women who accompany the heroes, they remain distinguished and elegant, are usually very resourceful and don’t stay in the shadow of men, accompanying them in dangerous travels and adventures. A great scientific discovery is of course the nucleus of only one of the steeply appearing story lines - popular motifs are also wars (often sky-high), intelligence activities, post-apocalyptic world, corporate clashes and issues related to technological and civilization development (eg railway construction).

Steampunk in contemporary culture

It is unlikely that there is someone who has contact with culture, even limited only to film and literature, and has never come across a steampunk. Distinct references to this genre appear, for example, in the popular full-length anime of the Japanese studio Ghibli - "Howl’s Moving Castle." The film, based on the book by an English writer Diana Wynne Jones, is set in an unspecified time and place, reminiscent of the Austro-Hungary from the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. We have, of course, the title castle - a strange, amorphous creation fueled by energy coming from the blast furnace, aerial clashes of flying machines and many strange gadgets of unknown use. As in the case of many steampunk works in "Howl’s Moving Castle", there is a picture of a war that, apart from traveling in time, is probably the best background to presenting the richness of motifs related to the genre. You don’t have to recommend the film here, because for anime fans it is one of the obligatory items, but it's definitely worth watching for a fabulous story and steampunk.

Howl’s Moving Castle

For fans of the genre, it is worth recommending also the comic book by Alan Moore titled "League of Extraordinary Gentlemen”, the manga of Hiromu Arakawa titled "Fullmetal Alchemist", computer games "Myst" and "Arcanum", films "Steamboy" (directed by Katsuhiro Ôtomo), "Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind” and "Laputa” (directed by Hayao Miyazaki), “The Mysterious Geographic Explorations of Jasper Morello” (directed by Anthony Lucas)," Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow "(directed by Kerry Conran) and the book" Perdido Station” Miéville's China and “The Difference Engine” by Bruce Sterling and William Gibson. The works maintained (or only referred to) in this aesthetics are, of course, much, much more. Steampunk elements also appear in productions typically directed to children, such as the "Treasure Planet”.

League of Extraordinary Gentlemen

Treasure Planet

And when it comes to fashion ...

Steampunk isn’t easy to wear. While individual elements can still be incorporated into everyday outfits, the complete styling will undoubtedly attract the attention of passers-by even in a big city. Choosing a complete outfit seems to be so complicated that one missing detail can turn it from a steampunk into - just - a strange disguise in an unfashionable version of the retro style. It takes a lot of creativity (and distance to each other) to create a complete image embedded in this aesthetics and feel comfortable with it - typical for this trend, the elements of clothing and accessories aren’t cheap, but hardly available, and finding substitutes isn’t in practice not as easy as it might seem.

Smuggling steampunk elements into everyday outfits is much more difficult than inspiring grunge or hip-hop aesthetics. A few are able to use "normal" clothes as the base of the outfit and create something special from them, but in most cases there is only longing sighs for perfectly stylized models from steampunk online stores. A great source of inspiration is the Steampunk Couture website and the character of Kato herself, managing the portal and acting as a model.

A characteristic feature of steampunk fashion are often heavy, massive shoes, corsets and various types of leather harnesses. Instead of a purse, there is a bag-kidney pouch fastened on the waist, goggles or - how to go crazy - a mask. For example, gas. Dreadlocks are welcome, and when it comes to jewelry, it is worth paying attention to specific patterns, such as gears, shears, stylized medallions and pendants, old watches on a chain, massive keys. We welcome jackets, vests, jabots and thongs, decorative cuffs, all kinds of buckles and canes or short firearms - for example, a stylish colt, a rock or hooded pistol (and that is why it isn’t a purse and a kidney - to have free hands) .

However, everything is beautiful, but a huge obstacle appears in front of a potential mainstream fan: where to buy all these goggles, hats, jewelry and leather buckles? In the economic version, you can use Amazon or eBay - you can find there individual pieces of clothing, which will be useful for completing the outfit, and a variety of inexpensive jewelry signed "japan style", straight from the Chinese factory. It would seem that a good starting point for the search will be Salvation Army Shop, vintage or second hand place as well but in practice it is quite difficult to find a cylinder or a leather harness there, and the few interesting specimens are more of a kind of "to wear" and not "to look at". However, this isn’t a rule, and certainly in your city you will find places where in a basket of jeans and sweaters you will find, for example, a double-breasted vest. It is also worth taking a look at your grandfather's wardrobe, or try to beg for a stylish old watch, if your grandfather has such a miracle - an old family souvenir will undoubtedly be more stylish than Asian crap. As for the goggles ... the best are for welding, so if you have a welder's friend, you can start to train smiles. If not, the motorbike goggles are also good.

If, however, you have excess cash and you don’t know what to do with it, you should look at Etsy. If you don’t have cash, you shouldn’t go there, because your heart hurts with regret. Etsy specializes in single copies (or short series) of high-quality handicrafts - often they are really beautiful, unique things with precise execution, really worth the price. The stores, which should be visited by every respectable steampunk maniac are: Catherinette Rings (jewelry and sculptures), TomBanwell (leather masks - in addition to those below, on the site you can also find masks of butterflies, cats or rabbits) and JungleTribe (brilliant sachets fastened, for example, on the thigh and gloves).

Tom Banewll

Jungle Tribe

When it comes to men's fashion, it is worth mentioning the Prada collection for fall / winter 2012, which isn’t devoid of some analogies to steampunk aesthetics. It isn’t a literal reference, but individual elements of the collection would surely fit into the thematic stylization. This year's autumn / winter show from Dolce and Gabbana also refers to some elements.

Prada Fall/Winter 2012

Dolce&Gabbana Fall/Winter 2018

There are voices that the steampunk formula in fashion has long since worn out and is no longer "cool". So is this one of those trends that has stopped being really on top before it even reached countries in Europe? While in the West Steampunk had undeniably his period of popularity, and to this day he is present in fandom, in my home country it is difficult to look out on the street of someone whose outfit fits the aesthetics of steampunk. Perhaps this is due to a poor range of home-related stores or those close to this aesthetics, but it seems more likely that Poles will not accept any kind of "disguises" that don’t even try to preserve the normality and adapt to the environment. The term "you're dressed up, not dressed" is probably the most common critique from stylists and bystanders. The only question is, isn’t every clothing a form of disguise? Are really a pair of jeans and sweater natural for man, inscribed in his genotype? Whatever the answer is, it's hard to say that steampunk is the perfect everyday fashion for everyone. Like any stylized outfit, clothes kept in this aesthetics require a specific type of personality that will bear them and a great distance to their own image.

So it seems much easier to surround with stylized objects. Although for many this is an exaggeration, there are photos on the web that have been converted into a steampunk mode of cars, computers or even iPhones. Reluctant to them traditionalists remain various decorative gadgets - old clocks, sculptures constructed of gears and other interior design elements.

And that's the way steampunk has become a totally complete trend, to which one can subordinate virtually all life in all its aspects.

Of course, I am not able to list all books, movies or comics in which there are steampunk motifs. It would be impossible to mention even a hundredth part of all this type of production. but if you know any interesting titles that you would like to share - write in the comments!

How do you think that steampunk has a chance to break into the universal mass culture and street fashion, so that it becomes no longer an alternative, but a common trend? Would you be ready to look like people in the pictures above? The question seems absurd, but don’t forget one important thing - just one blogger and a good photo session to get hundreds of her clones online. And as you know - sometimes you only need one spark to start a fire.

#writing #lifestyle #fashion

Ps. Photos I use in this article are from Pinterest and website.