This past weekend I attending the Inagural Voyage of Z.R.A. Gaslight (aka Gaslight Gathering) in beautiful San Diego, California. It was inspiring and insightful. And FUN!
I taught my Victorian Corset Tips & Tricks class which was well-attended. Then sat on panels for both What Women Wore When and Where: Styles During the Victorian Period and Achieving the Victorian Women’s Silhouette. In addition I modeled two gowns in the Victorian Fashion Show on Mother’s Day. (From the back of the closet came my 1876 Wedding Cake Evening Gown and the 1830 Slytherin Dress.)
Here are my random observations in list form on the “Steamy” event:
- The depth of the Steampunk genre is incredible and worthy of exploring further
- Most writers of Steampunk literature and fiction are wonderfully brilliant, exceptionally articulate and can use $50 words in casual discussions (think: didactic and trope)
- All sorts of people can relate to the Steampunk genre (even if you think it’s totally not you, I assure you, you CAN find something to identify with)
- It’s all about the accessories
- There really are some Grand Geeks who live in Fandom
- A Victorian gentleman’s cane can attack an assailant, defend from a villian and complete his evening ensemble all in the same day.
- Frankenstein started it all – and that story was from a dream (and a woman!)
- Opium and laudanum are addictive drugs and can lead you to write strange tales of far away places. (However, I don’t recommend that path.)
- It’s a little bit Victorian, a little bit science, a little gothic thriller, some fantasy, a lot of reality, an interpretation of modern society, but above all imaginative
- Old CDs and zip ties make for a sturdy flying contraption
- Steampunk is a place for pure creation
- Metal findings, gears, clocks, leather & metallic paint work well in Steampunk relics
- Star Trek, Star Wars, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Sherlock Holmes, time machines, magicians, Charles Dickens, Edgar Allan Poe, Elizabeth Gaskell, Moby Dick, Doc Brown, Zombies, Ghosts and the Beatles can all be related to Steampunk
- Eye patches with or without magnification are optional
And…
15. When you observe artwork, you don’t always agree with the idea or even how it’s presented, but you can grasp the concept that is displayed and give it respect as someone’s true creative work
Jen,
Please keep Jan, 10,11 & 12 th 2014 open for the Queen Mary Steampunk Symposium, in Long Beach,CA. This will be the 3 rd year. As part of Victoria, Queen of Steam’s Court, I can say it has been a wonderful and wildly creative event. You can mix your standard Victorian pieces in with SteamPunk additions and easily swing on over the the “Steam”side.
So grab your brass goggles and Steam on over !
Baroness Johanna Lenz, governess and compainion to Victoria, and her 9 children. (mundanely, Melody Watts)
What a fun looking event. I have some friends who are really into steampunk, and I’ve hovered at the edge a bit, but I really do think I shall look into it more. Some of the contraptions are so interesting.
Welcome Birda! And I totally loved your blue gown and was very impressed when you told me you hadn’t sewn in 20 years. Very good work! It was so nice to meet you too.
Your talent and creativity is amazing, awe-inspiring. The pink/white gown you wore in the Fashion Show is breathtaking, and the Slytherin dress, incredible. All the ladies in the Show created beautiful fashion pieces from a time gone by. The blue dress I wore was my first Victorian. I now see many things to do differnt next time, and look forward to reading more of your posts and insights to help guide me along my newly begun historial sewing journey. It was an honor to be part of the Fashion Show with you.
Thank you Cathy! I’ll admit I have yet to make a “real” Steampunk outfit as I’m so rooted in “regular” Victorian. But I’m collecting fabrics and findings for my SP. It’ll be made soon!
And yes, there is definitely room for both in your costume closet. 🙂
Cheers!
I was so happy to meet you there in your pink dress. The hat too captured my heart. Then I drooled when I saw the wedding cake dress. Then I fell out of my chair at the Slytherin dress-oh my! Now I sound like a hopeless fan girl. You tugged me closer to Vicky and away from Steam. But there is room for both which is the beauty of it all!
You are most welcome, Cindy! I was happy to be a part of the whole weekend.
And thanks for the compliments!
It is so nice to finally meet you! You looked beautiful all weekend, and the pictures of the gowns I had seen on line of what you wore in the fashion show do not do justice to the gowns in person. They were breathtaking! My mother could not stop talking about your Slytherin gown all day. Thank you for all the panels you were on and for sharing your wonderful talent.