For many years, I have been closely observing steampunk outfits, both to get ideas and inspiration for my work, but also to constantly compare myself with other enthusiasts, in order to continuously grow on a professional and cultural level. I often find that there are different results depending on the approach to the genre, but above all on the level of perception one has about it.

Leaving aside cosplay and steam versions, I have thought long and hard and always wondered what perception and representation an individual has in order to create a Steampunk-themed outfit, with the aim of providing valuable help to anyone who wants to try their hand at it.

So, let’s start with the basics.
Steampunk is a retrofuturistic vision of the Victorian era, a world where mechanical and steam technology reign supreme and where electricity has more or less a certain prominence. From here, we can find starting points in the novels of Jules Verne or some other works that came later. Let’s now try to immerse ourselves in this setting, choose a European metropolis, pass through clouds of steam to travel within a city in constant transformation. Do we want to move away from it? Let’s go exploring, because in the Victorian era, scientific research and development went hand in hand with expansionism and military expansion. Geographical exploration was paramount in the search for, and ultimately the discovery of, new exotic lands where new colonies could be established for the extraction of new resources.

Very well… but how did they dress? What were the customs? What were the attitudes and clichés of the time? Finally, who were the important and marginal figures of Victorian society?

Now we can do two things:
Create a “historical” or ‘original’ steampunk outfit by reworking the idea we had of that “Victorian Era” after “immersing” ourselves in a perfect setting.
Who do we want to represent? Which character do we want to become, or rather, what alternative life could we have had in that setting considering our real talents?

Very well, at this point let’s arm ourselves with a nice sheet of paper and a pencil to start our drawing. Let’s not leave anything out, from the objects our character would use to those that could enhance their outfit. After that, let’s start making our costume.

Can we find clothing in our wardrobe? Can we find something at flea markets or on the internet? Can we do our best with cutting and sewing?

Great, let’s move on to the next step.
Remember that a proper Steampunk outfit requires materials used in the Victorian era, or rather, natural materials: leather, cloth, wood, metals, etc. No plastic, papier-mâché, worbla, foam, rubber, etc. Let’s only use them if it’s really necessary, trying to disguise the appearance of the material itself.
Can we find accessories in our wardrobe? Can we find something at flea markets or on the internet?
Can we do some DIY at home by buying or finding materials or transforming something we already own?

Always ask for advice, don’t be afraid to compare yourself with other people, try never to settle for cheap items bought online, FIRST DEVELOP YOUR IDEA, YOUR PROJECT, avoid focusing on just one element, ask yourself this question: “Was there anything like this in the Victorian era?” (Four gears are not enough to make a steampunk outfit). Give it your all, and even if you want to rework a Victorian concept, at least as far as I’m concerned, always try to start from the basics: How did people live and dress in the Victorian era?

Without this basic concept, we cannot even pretend to rework something we don’t really know, whether it’s a historical or original outfit.