Steampunk, Dieselpunk, etc.

[filfoster]

Steampunk

Like others, I deplore the nomneclature but adore the ambiance. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and the HG WELLS Timemachine movies were forerunners of Steampunk. Golden Compass is a good current example of the genre.

 

[imoldfashioned]

<p><em>
Your result for The Steampunk Style Test...
</em></p><h4>The Gadgeteer</h4><p>36% Elegant, 48% Technological, 30% Historical, 44% Adventurous and 46% Playful!</p><p style="text-align:center"><img src="http://cdn.okcimg.com/php/load_okc_image.php/images/0x0/0x0/0/6625429330628004210.jpeg" width="511" height="460" /></p>
<div><p>You are the Gadgeteer, the embodiment of steampunk technology. Ironically, many of the things that most define your style are probably too large to easily carry about, but given the opportunity you would prefer to be seen surrounded by boiler engines, gear-driven calculators, and incredible automata. Of all the steampunk fashion styles, you place the greatest emphasis on technological accessories, and you are the most likely to create elaborate gadgets that are as much a part of your outfit as your clothes. You probably have goggles, but unlike most people you consider them to be for more than decoration. Whereas most people might look odd carrying a satchel of tools around, for you they may well be essential. Above all, you remind everyone that what sets the genre apart from Victoriana is simply the level of technology.</p>
<p> </p>

I also received an absolutely lovely steampunk/deco necklace yesterday. I'll take pictures of it tonight.

 

[dhermann1]

The problem with a concept like this is that we try to bracket an era and label it, when actually technical development is a continuous stream. The original steampunk was really based on Victorian, or rather late Victorian aesthetics. But then it's easy to slide into 20's high tech aesthetics, which are similar but not quite the same.
Personally, what I want to do in my new apartment is make it look like a science fiction set from a maybe 1940 Flash Gordon episode. Not exactly like a space ship, but like I could take the elevator downstairs to the ground floor, and step into my space ship there.
So is there a name you could call that aesthetic? Deco Sci Fi Punk???
However, I must admit that the bedroom, with the deco Chinese rugs and pseudo Tiffany ceiling fan, is degenerating, or let's say evolving into full steam punk.
(I gotta clear out the boxes and clutter and post some pics already.)

 

[imoldfashioned]

Steampunkish-Decoish necklace

I bought this necklace with some Christmas money and it arrived yesterday. I really love it--the middle steampunkish bit with the gears stands proud of the decoish shield base which you can see better when you're looking at it from the side. The chain is nice but a tad too long, I'll have to have my jeweler shorten it by an inch or so, but otherwise it's perfect. I tried to take a picture of me wearing this so you could get an idea of the size but you couldn't see any detail of the piece (plus I'm having a very unphotogenic evening).

 

[imoldfashioned]

Personally, what I want to do in my new apartment is make it look like a science fiction set from a maybe 1940 Flash Gordon episode. Not exactly like a space ship, but like I could take the elevator downstairs to the ground floor, and step into my space ship there.
So is there a name you could call that aesthetic? Deco Sci Fi Punk???
However, I must admit that the bedroom, with the deco Chinese rugs and pseudo Tiffany ceiling fan, is degenerating, or let's say evolving into full steam punk.
(I gotta clear out the boxes and clutter and post some pics already.)

I'd love to see pics of your place all done up--I remember sighing over it when you posted photos of it while empty during the buying process.

 

[MrBern]

The problem with a concept like this is that we try to bracket an era and label it, when actually technical development is a continuous stream. The original steampunk was really based on Victorian, or rather late Victorian aesthetics. But then it's easy to slide into 20's high tech aesthetics, which are similar but not quite the same.
Personally, what I want to do in my new apartment is make it look like a science fiction set from a maybe 1940 Flash Gordon episode. Not exactly like a space ship, but like I could take the elevator downstairs to the ground floor, and step into my space ship there.
So is there a name you could call that aesthetic? Deco Sci Fi Punk???
However, I must admit that the bedroom, with the deco Chinese rugs and pseudo Tiffany ceiling fan, is degenerating, or let's say evolving into full steam punk.
(I gotta clear out the boxes and clutter and post some pics already.)

Someone in the UK did an elaborate star trek makeover of his apartment & auctioned it on ebay for big money...but later it was reported he really went bankrupt...but the results were fabulous.
Seems to me it would frighten off potential girlfriends:
http://www.uberreview.com/2006/02/man-goes-bankrupt-building-starship-voyager-home.htm

 

[Story]

One stop shopping

The Victorian style is applied to a variety of subjects from architecture to furniture, literature to music, and holidays to weddings in the Victorian era (1837-1901). Begin your Victorian era research at Victoriana.Com Study Center and shop for Victorian antiques and collectibles at the online antique store.

Victorian Directory: No more hunting through hundreds of entries on internet search engines to find a Victorian product or service. This directory divides the 19th century into categories such as Victorian Weddings, Victorian Fashions, Victorian Decorating, Victorian Photography, Civil War, Wild West, Regency Era, Victorian Architecture, Victorian House Restoration, plus more. Each category provides links to a variety of companies, dealers, services, clubs/societies, craftspeople and others specializing in Victorian era lifestyles, decorating and restoration.

www.victoriana.com

 

[Lefty]

There's a show called Make on my local PBS station at this moment and they just finished a 5 minute segment on steampunk.

Here's a link to where you can watch the episode.

 

[HatSoup]

I did a search on steampunk and found some interesting stuff. The style reminds me of the Wild Wild West remake with Will Smith.

Here are some results for steampunk news.

http://www.geekologie.com/mt/mt-search.cgi?search=steampunk&IncludeBlogs=&IncludeBlogs=1

 

[MrBern]

1902 raygun

http://www.boingboing.net/2009/01/21/victorious-mongoose.html

a nice little blaster for the well dressed timetraveller

 

[SassyLindaB]

my daughter and I both love steampunk, she goes more for the tomboy style...she's 20 and still finding her true style in life, as for me...I'm a tightlacer and wear a corset nearly every day but I go more for the femme look...although I wear jeans from time to time...like when I'm teaching art

 

[Story]

Buckley Gas Engine & Tractor Engine Show - 2008

http://www.oldengine.org/members/diesel/Buckley08/Buckley08Menu1.htm

Found this while researching Lister engines, also includes a plethora of steam apparatti.

http://www.buckleyoldengineshow.org/Event-Information/Buckley-Old-Engine-Show/Attractions

To include a steam tractor restored after 41 years under water.

http://www.buckleyoldengineshow.org/Spotlight/1897-HUBER-16-H.P.

 

[Story]

Captain Nemo would be amused

from those Steampunk folk at Weta:

Good: double amputee gets prosthetic legs so she can walk. Better: double amputee gets realistic-looking mermaid tail so she can swim. Awesome: it's developed and built by Weta, the special-effects company that did all the work for the "Lord of the Rings" movies, as well as "King Kong" and "The Chronicles of Narnia" series.

Nadya Vessey's legs were amputated below the knee when she was a child due to illness. At one point, reports Stuff, a child asked her what happened to her legs and she told him she was a mermaid. The idea stuck with her, so she wrote to Weta Workshop in Wellington, New Zealand, two years ago asking for a mermaid tail. To her surprise, they said they'd do it.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10171471-1.html?part=rss&tag=feed&subj=Crave

 

[Lareesie Ladavi]

A lot of the contraptions makes me think of the movie Wild Wild West, with Will Smith.

I find it funny...This steampunk thing isn't anything new, they just slapped a commercial label on it. It's cute, but Old school goths were wearing edwardian with a punk twist, years ago.

I was wearing my father's vests and pocket watches because my father was out of work, it was called improvising. I had a friend that broke his glasses and couldn't afford new ones, so he used one lense, like a monocle, and strung it around his neck.

A lot of the big clothing lines are starting to catch onto the trend (like Lip Service), while cheesing it up. They throw some costume together and charge tons of money...Just add water... It's just a matter of time before Hot Topic catches on. Things like this that make wonder what happened to the thrill of the hunt and being creative. [huh]

 

[BruceTracy]

I worked in the Anime industry for a while, and there are quite a few Steampunk series and Manga tie-ins.

I'm more a fan of Dieselpunk myself. Same basic idea but instead of modern style technology existing during the Victorian Era it's in the 20's and 30's.

Would these be considered examples of Dieselpunk?

 

[BruceTracy]

This has probably already been mentioned, but if there were two classic authors whose work embodied the Steampunk concept (before it was even known as that) would you say they were Jules Verne and H.G. Wells? What about Mary Shelley? IMO if Frankenstein isn't considered Steampunk in it's original version it seems tailor made to be adapted to the Steampunk style (if it hasn't been already).

 

[BruceTracy]

FWIW, that one's cool.
http://www.gentlemansemporium.com/mens_victorian_outfits.php?source=google&campaign=Steampunk

They have some basic and affordable suspenders. Would you or anyone else here recommend ordering from them? Does anyone here have any experience with this site?

 

[$ally]

As a seamstress, I'm familiar with it. My take is that it was always more about the time travel/ historical fiction and gadgetry than a fashion statement/ movement. More of a comic-con, D&D, gaming, role-play type thing, that's my perception from costuming. Pretty expensive way of getting people to look at you, but hey, as long as you're paying me...

 

[$ally]

Someone in Dubai went to a lot of trouble to make steampunk sculptures of a storm trooper, Boba Fett, and the Alien:

These kids put a lot of work into their Steam Punk Ghost Busters contraptions
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnkCHhQpMU0

Most kids just glue some gears to a nerf gun and spray paint it. Which can still end up looking pretty interesting. Not knocking it.

I'm not mechanically inclined. I can see why Sprocket Heads were/are so into it though; fantasy meets science fair (Makers Faire). I like seeing their creations. The people who have come to me for costume help had tried Thread Banger type tutorials and failed. Funny that someone who can build a robot can't sew well. It gave me something to do with those muslin fitting pieces and wrecked thrift. Some second-hand items just aren't salvageable. This gives them one more run for the money.

 

[Hemingway Jones]

There's a show called Make on my local PBS station at this moment and they just finished a 5 minute segment on steampunk.

Here's a link to where you can watch the episode.

I just caught this on YouTube. I was so proud to see that fellow, who I respected for his incredible creativity, is from Massachusetts. I never realized we had such a large steampunk community here. Part of that was filmed in my neighborhood. Very cool.