Wtf is Steampunk?

Blueyed228

So im at work right now and this broad is performing. She is supposed to be "Steampunk". Im an old lady and have not heard of this. This is what she is wearing:

black corset, black tights, red high tops, 1 orange and 1 pink knee pad, black and hot pink striped shorts, a dog collar, goggles, and a stick on moustache.

Her back up singers are dressed similarly and girls in the crowd are wearing moustaches too.

Can someone explain this? Her music sucks too.

cupcakesfrosting

I love Steampunk. Sarah#s needs to get in here, I'm sure she can explain it way better.

ETA: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steampunk

Nebb

Hah that sounds awesome

SarahPLiz

Its like Old Timey punk. Sarah#s is doing a steampunk wedding. It has to do with victorian fantasy fiction. 

Blueyed228

The song she is singing right now is called "Where was you"

Milsey32

It's April... I thought Halloween is in October? 

Steampunk, from what I know is kinda like sci-fi from back in the day when steam engines were still used ... Idk, I have an idea but I can't put it into words - Sorry 

sarah0725

It sounds to me like she doesn't know what steampunk is.

My wedding is steampunk. Basically steampunk is what would have happened if the Victorian era had gone on forever and ever, and instead of inventing electricity, we kept on making everything out of steam power. So Victorian frilly fashions mixed with goggles and brass and pipes and blimps and stuff like that. It's fun if people are actually into it.

I went to a steampunk convention once and it looked like this:



The pic in my sig is from our sorta-steampunk engagement session.

Done well, steampunk is really cool. But there's lots of lame stuff out there too.

cupcakesfrosting

We have a Steampunk "festival" every year. It's called the Handcar Regatta. It's freaking awesome.

Blueyed228

Actually I take back what I said about her music. She can really sing. And its kind of catchy. But she looks ridiculous and nothing like you described.

sarah0725

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_wtf-steampunk?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:17Discussion:8206fc03-7dd3-422f-814c-415c0371c1cbPost:8c21ee9f-6b63-4f38-9f16-de1831b51107">Re: Wtf is Steampunk?</a>:
[QUOTE]Actually I take back what I said about her music. She can really sing. And its kind of catchy. But she looks ridiculous and nothing like you described.
Posted by Blueyed228[/QUOTE]

From your description, the "steampunk" elements of her outfit would be the corset, the goggles, and the fake moustache. Older styles of facial hair are big in steampunk (guys that are really into it grow their facial hair out sometimes) and I think some girls think it is funny too. Tiny top hats also tend to show up on a lot of the girls.

I've realized that I am personally less steampunk, more interested in Victorian/Edwardian reenacting, and I've realized I can do that in the context of steampunk. So I tend to sniff at stuff that that Victorian ladies would never do, like wearing your underwear outside your clothes or otherwise dressing like a hooker on Deadwood.

Blueyed228

It just makes me feel really old not knowing what this was. Then again im the chick who wears ear plugs to work. So there is that.

sarah0725

Meh, I don't know if it's all that mainstream unless you're a geek. I only recently became aware of it myself, and only really started researching it in the context of the wedding.

Milsey32

Where do you work?!

Blueyed228

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_wtf-steampunk?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:17Discussion:8206fc03-7dd3-422f-814c-415c0371c1cbPost:f88d5dfa-c7ee-4f48-9112-c7f754d6d0eb">Re: Wtf is Steampunk?</a>:
[QUOTE]Where do you work?!
Posted by Milsey32[/QUOTE]

Tonight I am bartending at a gay nightclub.

NatesGirl16

The photog I'm considering for b-pics does Steampunk ones.  They were pretty cool, in a simultaneously beautiful and bizarre way.

DeadUtopia

It sounds like that chick from OP is doing steampunk all wrong...but steampunk is old fashioned, Victorian, dark, and mechanically influenced style. The one you described sounds emo lol

kimheartsscott

I'm just going to chime in as one more person saying, WTF?  Her outfit sounds very un-steampunk.

Fun story: When we were proposing our ideas for exhibitions in my class, one group proposed a show on steampunk art.  Their definition of steampunk art was "art with steam in it" and they showed a picture of steam as a reference to what photographic submissions from artists might look like.  The picture was a cloud of debris in New York from 9/11.

Magdala9

Steam punk is taking the technology from the Victorian age and updating it to future world.  Think Jules Verne meets Mad max.  For a recent Steampunk wedding, My DH wore a pinstriped suits with a gorgeous blue brocade vest with watch fitting cufflink, a bowler hat trimmed with copper fittings and a pair of welder goggles.  He also grew out his beard and mustache to twirling length.  

I wore a long purple full skirted dress with mutton chop sleeve jacket, victorian ivory lace boots, cobalt blue pashmina, ivory fingerless lace gloves with copper rose beading stitched around the cuts, a flamboyant wide brimmed sisal hat decorated with an oversized ivory peony on a cobalt ribbon and my grandmother's cameos.  

Keb1216

I was looking for jewerly on Etsy... and found thishttp://www.etsy.com/listing/66533790/steampunk-necklace-antique-helbros?ref=cat2_gallery_29

undyingmizery

I am so late to the steampunk thread  I am so in love with Steampunk. I make gadgets on my free time as well. There is a convention at Old Tucson here every year as the steampunk convention.

I will agree that I really don't think she knows what steampunk is supposed to look like. It's mostly brass pieces with leather.

EDIT: My wedding also has steampunk incorporated in it

undyingmizery

Cantia

Very late to this discussion (sorry!) but try this if you want to see some steampunk pictures

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8383183.stm

And accompanying article here <- clicky

Steampunk, when done right, is a lot of fun.

AngieB6

I'm in late too.... This reminds me of Will Smith's WIld WIld West movie... is that close to what Steampunk should be?

sarah0725

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_wtf-steampunk?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:17Discussion:8206fc03-7dd3-422f-814c-415c0371c1cbPost:eab878a6-118a-45c9-adcb-65b325fe9e48">Re: Wtf is Steampunk?</a>:
[QUOTE]I'm in late too.... This reminds me of Will Smith's WIld WIld West movie... is that close to what Steampunk should be?
Posted by AngieB6[/QUOTE]

That is exactly right. Wild Wild West is a steampunk movie, as are the new Sherlock Holmes movies with Robert Downey, Jr.

cupcakesfrosting

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_wtf-steampunk?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:17Discussion:8206fc03-7dd3-422f-814c-415c0371c1cbPost:a3dc3bab-3df6-43ce-9cd0-0faa8fa436ce">Re: Wtf is Steampunk?</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Wtf is Steampunk? : That is exactly right. Wild Wild West is a steampunk movie, as are the new Sherlock Holmes movies with Robert Downey, Jr.
Posted by sarah0725[/QUOTE]

Woot!

kimheartsscott

(that's me trying to convince you guys I'm not thinking about RDJ in inappropriate ways now)

Steph0871

I'll confess, Kim.

RD, Jr = nom nom nom.

kimheartsscott

Why is that a confession?  It's a stone cold FACT.

Steph0871

"cause you were trying to be all angelic by not admitting it.  I thought it was something I should be ashamed of!

Nina0528

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_wtf-steampunk?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:17Discussion:8206fc03-7dd3-422f-814c-415c0371c1cbPost:e20c9366-2c37-4283-be71-c4775599ba74">Re: Wtf is Steampunk?</a>:
[QUOTE](that's me trying to convince you guys I'm not thinking about RDJ in <strong>inappropriate ways</strong> now)
Posted by kimheartsscott[/QUOTE]

Are there any other ways to think about RDJ??

And you can add me to the list of people who love steampunk. Nothing about me is steampunk-y, but I love the concept and look. I've always loved Victorian Era things, but steampunk makes it that much better.