Fashionably Dressed and Fabricated

Steampunk fashion is a diverse craft; anything Victorian goes. An article from the Independent lists the styles as “a variety of aesthetic symbols are associated with steampunk, including brass goggles, mechanical clocks, automatons, airships and telescopes”, while the New York Times described the fashion as “an adventurous pastiche of neo-Victorian, Edwardian and military style accented with sometimes crudely mechanized accouterments like brass goggles and wings made from pulleys, harnesses and clockwork pendants”. Another article from the Independent lists the various items to grab to get into the Steampunk style: bowler hats, military trench coats, pinstripe suits, corsets, petticoats, spats, googles, pocket watches, and a smartphone that’s been fitted with a touch of steampunk.

While harder to pull off than fashion, the steampunk movement has a keen eye for DIY crafts and handmade goods, whether they make them themselves or purchase them, as there are many eBay and Etsy listings and how-to guides guiding steampunk admirers or fanatics online. Some have capitalized on the subculture to build steampunk commissioned art pieces for thousands of dollars. Bruce Rosenbaum, the founder of ModVic, a company specializing in producing steampunk pieces, turns antiques into works of art like “a pipe organ turned into a computer display desk; a contemporary cooktop made from an old cast-iron stove; and a cool commercial ceiling fan transformed into ... a Leonardo da Vinci-inspired installation” according to The Detroit News.