steampunk in the NY Times

[rm]

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/08/fashion/08PUNK.html

On the one hand, I always groan when the New York Times covers any cultural phenomenon I have any connection with. On the other, this may be a good sign for more structured clothing in the fall season and they do get props for actually finding diverse folks to photograph for a change.

Comments

[kiji-kat.livejournal.com]

I love steampunk. It's something I'd love to dive into, but unfortunately I don't have the looks necessary to pull it off. (I'd look tremendously out of place.)

[redstapler.livejournal.com]

May I ask why you say that?

One of the things I love best about the aesthetic is that I've never seen anyone *not* pull it off.

[kiji-kat.livejournal.com]

There's a certain amount of inherent elegance in all of the people I've seen who participate in the steampunk lifestyle. They all look very poised and regal. I...am not elegant. Or poised. Or regal. That's not to say that I'm particularly uncouth or anything, it's just...well...I'm a god damn hippie. (There are a few other photos of me in that set, but as a rule, I avoid having my picture taken when possible.)

Also, it seems that steampunk fashion caters to...the vertically inclined, I guess you'd say? I've learned to bow out of the quest for fashionable and/or elegant clothing, as it's virtually impossible to find anything that properly fits me, outside of sweaters, peasant blouses and jeans. (I'm 5'4", broad backed, stocky and, er, "well endowed" for my height, apparently.) For years now, I've used "hobbit" to describe my appearance, and as we all know, there is no crying in baseball are no hobbits in steampunk.

That said, if you need someone to carry a doomsday device over ridiculously long distances on foot in order to dispose of it in a sparsely populated waste land, you know who to ask.

[redstapler.livejournal.com]

Aw, sweetie, I respectfully disagree!

I think you're gorgeous, and you'd make a dashing steampunk.

Also, to your hobbit point, I'm 5' tall, and crappy knees and feet make it mostly impossible to comfortably wear heels. Ditto the "endowments." (I've cosplayed as Power Girl!)

Don't sell yourself...ahem...short, but above all else, be comfortable in your costuming.

(Edited for properly demonstrative icon.)

[kiji-kat.livejournal.com]

I think you're gorgeous, and you'd make a dashing steampunk.

That made my day, seriously. Unsolicited compliments from strangers make me smile. :)

Also, good to know I'm not the only one who has problems with heels. I do ok as long as said heel is thick/chunky/wide, but otherwise, I wobble like a tipsy schoolmarm.

See, now you've got me wondering what kind of costumes I could get away with. Hmm...

[redstapler.livejournal.com]

I recommend a corset or bodice over a white mens' shirt, black or brown trousers, and your top hat. Just to start. ;)

Stompy boots help, too!

And omg, heels wtf. I pronate, so all heels MUST be chunky or else I'm in pain a half hour later.

[blergeatkitty.livejournal.com]

Are you kidding me? Victorian-era clothing was MADE for short people with big racks. Don't let a couple of models make you think otherwise. What did you think people looked like in the nineteenth century? Kate Moss and her ilk would have all died of consumption or something back in the bad old days, leaving only hobbits and the proper clothing to accomodate them. Shirtwaists and flowing skirts are not so different from peasant blouses when you think of it!

I am jealous of your ability to find jeans, matter of fact. I have a 35 inch inseam and no waist. If you'd like to talk about someone who can't wear Victorian garb, you can start with me. (But it srsly wouldn't stop me if I really wanted to do it. I've looked more ridiculous before and I probably will again. :))

[kiji-kat.livejournal.com]

Oh, finding jeans is a difficulty (though admittedly, not as difficult as it once was). Though I've lost weight in recent years, it seems that I just naturally have wider hips than most jean designers deem possible for the compact crowd. Most of the jeans I owned are either hemmed or frayed beneath the heels. ;)

I will have to take a closer look at Victorian fashions, as most of the photos I've seen appear sleek in the torso. Unfortunately, that's where I tend to accumulate most of my weight - breezy, flowing clothes obscures that. I haven't tucked in a shirt for years for that very reason.

Still, steampunk appeals to me on many levels. People in the article mentioned romanticism, a sense of dignity, the intersection of technology and ethical decisions...that and so much more about the movement fascinates me. Especially the music - I don't know if these bands would qualify, but I'm intrigued by groups like the Two Man Gentlemen Band and 16 Horsepower who put their own spin on Americana.

[rosepurr.livejournal.com]

Lane Bryant makes jeans that are different sizes in the hips and the waist. I swear by them.

[roadnotes.livejournal.com]

I think you'd be able to carry it off quite well. You look as if you have good posture, and that's an excellent beginning point. Head up, shoulders wide and taking up your rightful space in the universe carries a lot well. As said above, a crisp white shirt and a corset/waist cincher/wide belt would be an excellent start.

[newsbean.livejournal.com]

There are hobbits in steampunk! I must say - some of the people I love best in it are hobbits! Don't let it stop you if you want to go for it. (On the other hand, if you want to just observe, there's nothing wrong with that, either.)