Look, up in the sky! It’s a bird, it’s a plane… it’s Victorian? Steampunk has always had a stylistic presence that’s hard to miss at Comiccons. But like the Daleks, it relies more on creativity than big bucks to impress the audience. This year, the Steampunk 101 panel wowed its audience with its biggest reveal yet: The Steampunk style isn’t about the gizmos and flashy add-ons, it’s about individuality.
At this year’s Ottawa Comiccon 2014, members from Steampunk Ottawa gave attendees a crash course on how to be ‘punk their outfits. But rather than get into technical details, they opted to get right down to the crux of the matter. “Steampunk is about you and who you are,” the panel said to a small crowd of hopefuls.
Although Steampunk is often associated with the Victorian era circa 1837 to 1901, recently, it has expanded into a wider multicultural range that includes non-European influences. It’s typical for women to wear corsets and feathered hats reminiscent of the Victorian era, but some like to re-invent themselves as fierce warriors. Men class it up with gorgeous peacoats and electronic wiring, but in reality Steampunk can often be gender neutral. For example, both groups will often “science it up” with a mad doctor motif complete with ACME bottles strapped to their waist.
Mash-ups can also be a strong incentive to join in the fun. Steampunk has reincarnated itself in all kinds of pop culture icons such as the popular films as Star Wars and Star Trek. Or, you could just take your personal identity and Steampunk it up. Be as outrageous as you want. The style isn’t written in stone anymore; it’s about surrendering to your passions.
With so much fun, it’s hard to believe that these creative outfits can be made on the dime. At Ottawa Comiccon 2014 and other events, Steampunkers have a tendency wear flashy tops with steam tech add-ons that dazzle most nearby spectators. But as Steampunk Ottawa members explained at Comiccon, household items, hardware store merchandise and grandma’s attic could be all that you need to make your first outfit.
“You start with a basic piece from your closet and build on that,” the panel encouraged its audience.
Steampunk Ottawa and Canada supports anyone wanting to get in on the act. Local clubs hold events where attendees can start by just taking in the ambience before creating their first outfit. Given time – and some friendly persuasion – new member find themselves wearing their first top hat, corset or welders’ googles just for fun.