Best steampunk costume advice, a la Nekocon
The very first panel we went to at Nekocon was actually on a whim, because I looked at the schedule and saw the following text:
“Putting on Goggles Does Not Make You Steampunk”
Of course, this is a Major Pet Peeve of mine – people sticking on a pair of goggles and saying they’re steampunk, sticking the image of a gear or even a real gear on a brown shirt or a wallet or something and saying “hey look this is steampunk it is so cool now” – so I obviously had to go.
It was so worth it. The guy was wearing an awesome costume (which I did not get any photos of, alas) and gave some very excellent advice and personal costume-building anecdotes, as well as some in-character moments which were absolutely brilliant. Anyway, the advice was so excellent that I decided it must be shared with all of you who weren’t lucky enough to be there.
The first good bit of advice was start with a concept. Anything that would fit with the aesthetic of the Age of Steam (which is basically the entire 19th century, give or take a decades on either end) is a suitable concept. Adventurer, explorer, gentleman, wealthy aristocrat, airship captain, mechanic, watch-maker, dilettante, cowboy, samurai, Indian prince, Native American witch-doctor; you name it.
Another excellent bit of advice which you can see represented above is you DO NOT have to be British! The whole world still existed, and the English with their technology were poking their fingers into everything. Plus the Americans, and all of the other Europeans of similar technological levels. Continental Europe, African/Indian/South American colonies, the opening of Japan, China, all kinds of things.
Thirdly, you shouldn’t be afraid to start simple. You want to start your costume/character on a nice solid base, but a base which makes sense for your character concept. Find out the appropriate kind of hat, whether your character would wear a vest, a jacket, the kind of skirt/pants and boots/shoes, and start there. Start with what you have. Build your costume by adding one thing at a time; it’s a process, not just a one-shot deal.
And lastly (and in my opinion, the best bit of advice in the whole thing); everything should have a reason. If you’re wearing a locket, make up a story behind why you have it. Are you a mechanic? Have your most common repair tools with you. An adventurer/explorer? Keep a compass and your waterskin/flask on you. A cowboy-gone-samurai? …Use your imagination on that one. Basically, think before adding accessories to your outfit: “why would my character have this?” Come up with a reason, and if you can’t? Don’t use the accessory. Doing this will help make your character look and feel more cohesive, more interesting, and more real.
But don’t… please, don’t wear goggles if your character concept would not need them! Does your character fly in the skies? Aviator goggles make sense. Travel in windy or desert climes? Same thing. Do lots of welding? Welding goggles are good.
But are you a lady aristocrat, who dabbles in many things and enjoys the company of wild adventurous/inventive men and gives them money to fund their expeditions? You don’t need goggles! Don’t wear them! There are plenty of other lovely kinds of eye-wear. Round glasses, like Vash the Stampede has? Totally acceptable, very steampunk.
I think that about wraps up my summary. Feel free to drop in any other little notes, suggestions, comments, that you might have on building a steampunk costume! More info is always good.
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