How to “Steampunk” Your Wardrobe
With the increasing popularity of sites like Pinterest, the inspiration I find for steampunk outfits has also grown. Unfortunately, my budget for awesome outfits and accessories has not. Since I am a big fan of dressing up though, I always find a way to create awesome costumes on the cheap. Below are some of my inspirations for steampunk outfits.
I find that the best thing to use when trying to save money is leverage. Repurposing items you already have in order to flaunt a new style can really save you a lot of money (and put your creativity to the test!).
When it comes to steampunk, it’s all about the details. Steampunk is usually Victorian inspired clothing, but has an industrial slant. Goggles and clockwork accessories can go a long way to making your theme apparent. Other time-appropriate items such as stove-pipe hats, corsets, and monocles are great too.
If you’re looking for corsets and fancy Victorian dresses, you might be shocked at the prices. Considering how much skin a corset doesn’t cover, you might not expect them to be so pricy. But dang they can be pretty.
But you don’t have to buy a whole new outfit. If you have the right accessories, your base can be a suit or a black dress. If you had a goth phase, a lot of that clothing can be altered (or maybe even used as is) to fit your needs.
The best way to put together a costume is to focus it around one fantastic aspect. Below are some pictures of steampunk outfits that aren’t inherently over the top.
You can’t see a lot of this outfit, but the top is pretty basic. Attention is drawn immediately to the necklace, and secondly to her goggles. While jewelry is not cheap, if you frequent thrift stores and learn to keep a keen eye, you may get lucky. Plus, if you save a lot by using clothes you already have, you might be able to splurge on a fancy accessory or two. Goggles can be found in many a workshop and be spruced up (or down) to your specifications. A similar necklace to this woman’s can be made using ribbon and a gear from a broken machine or hardware store. See if any workshops you know might be willing to give you spare parts to use.
This guy does have a lot going on, but the main attraction is his hat. The Mad Hatter himself would probably steal this. The key necklace and feathers are nice touches that could easily be procured in second-hand or craft stores.
I love so much about this outfit: the gloves, the fan, and of course, the hat. The dress is beautiful as well, and do you know how many places you can find dresses on sale? Also, for the ladies, I find that a dress can be a lot cheaper than an outfit that includes a shirt and pants, especially if you were going to throw a vest and other additions in.
The great thing about the Pinterest age is that there’s a tutorial for everything. You can make your own clothes, gloves (and out of pretty much any material), hats, fans, goggles, and jewelry. If you can think of it, there’s probably a tutorial for it. The great thing about making things yourself is that you can make it fit you and the rest of your outfit perfectly.
So whether you want an over-the-top costume for a convention or just want to shake up your wardrobe, there are a lot of affordable ways to steampunk it up.
What are your favorite steampunk accessories? I know some people will dress up as “steampunk “ versions of star wars characters and other pop culture icons. How would you go about that? Add clockwork parts to your shoes? Hair? Share your ideas in the comments!
About the Author: Marie Sumner has been obsessed with dressing up since she was a child. She spends her days going to as many anime conventions, pirate festivals, and renaissance fairs as she can. She pays for it all by writing about her experiences. You can follow her on Twitter or Google plus to see more of her writing.
