Welcome to Fantasy Friday everyone. (click here for the rules.) This week’s post is about steampunk, a topic near and dear to your hearts.
I’ve had steampunk on the brain lately for many reasons. Last week I saw a steampunk play, last month I read an awesome steampunk novel, and next week we have a bunch of steampunk lists to entertain you. We here at Fantasy are generally very pro steampunk, but I have some… let’s call them misgivings about the trend.
I think my main annoyance is that steampunk started out in literature — something I highly approve of — then moved into fashion, aesthetics, and fad-ness — something I definitely disapprove of. Call me a snob, but I feel like any cultural trend that is mostly divorced from its roots in literature is banal and the province of hipsters. But I know that’s not strictly true for steampunk. Plus, I enjoy a lot of the gadgetry, tech mods, and fashion alongside the books and stories.
Still, I firmly feel that some things, no matter how cool, should stay in literature and not go scampering off and getting cultural STDs. I’m not even sure why steampunk got let off the leash and not, say, the New Weird, or pirates, or the zombie trend. The latter two have found a lot of expression in movies, but I haven’t seen anyone dressed up in zombie chic lately.
What would New Weird clothes look like, I wonder?
Am I just being grumpy and anti-fad? Doesn’t anyone else share my misgivings? Tell me I’m not alone here.
1 • J. T. Glover said:
October 24th, 2008 at 10:18 am, permalink
Your misgivings are shared, but hey — the literature will always be there, fundamentally unadulterated by whoever dresses in goggles and waistcoats and commutes to work by airship. Just as Dracula still compels, despite the weight of countless knockoffs, derivations, and homages, so The Difference Engine will still be different, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen still extraordinary. As to New Weird clothes, they’ve been there all along!
2 • Stasha Durako said:
October 24th, 2008 at 10:54 am, permalink
>>>I’m not even sure why steampunk got let off the leash and not, say, the New Weird, or pirates, or the zombie trend.
Um… what? It WAS pirates! Steampunk is the new pirates!
All these fantasy-based trends are simply convenient rationales for the fashion people to find new ways to bring neo-romantic styles back into vogue, and I say that’s a GREAT thing. The more pre-Raphaelite everyone looks, the better.
3 • Randy Henderson said:
October 24th, 2008 at 1:00 pm, permalink
On the fashion side, it’s certainly no worse or different (or better) in my mind than all the hardcore vampire and “witchy” goths, or all the cowboys who have never herded a single cow (or ridden a horse, for that matter). I’m truly surprised Hot Topic hasn’t stocked more steampunk.
The New Weird is best found on adventurous trips to second hand stores, and doesn’t translate well to mass-produced mass-marketed off the rack products. Although the more outrageous fashion shows often feature it, it never makes it down the fashion food chain to retail.
Zombie fashion was called Grunge and Punk.
Pirate fashion might have taken hold in the “sexually ambiguous” crowd, but “metrosexual” beat it out.
Me, I’m waiting for the comeback of Caveman. Loincloths are so liberating.
On the gadgetry side, I love the aesthetic of steampunk. I’ve always loved that style. And I think the reason it is popular now, I’m sure, is in part a reaction to the homogeneous and somewhat antiseptic (predominately black and silver) plastic of every gadget from phones, to televisions, to computers, to home entertainment systems, to printers, etc. Steampunk creates a sense of uniqueness, of craftsmanship, and just seems somehow more organic, more human, not made by robots to turn us into robots.
4 • JS Bangs said:
October 24th, 2008 at 1:35 pm, permalink
Meh, I have to say that I don’t really care. Hipsters want to dress up with canes and stopwatches? No skin off my back. And I totally don’t identify with the “cultural STDs” comment.
Of course, I’m not a big cyberpunk fan either way.
5 • JS Bangs said:
October 24th, 2008 at 1:35 pm, permalink
Er, I meant steampunk. I’m not a big steampunk fan.
6 • Clint Harris said:
October 24th, 2008 at 3:09 pm, permalink
One of the things that bothers me about Steampunk is how people have boiled victorian culture down to aesthetics of brass watches, waistcoats, and corsets. Yes, Victorians wore a lot of corsets, but it was underwear. I wonder if a hundred years from now, people will be wearing thongs and packing 9mm’s holster to represent our modern times.
I’m being harsh. And broadbrushing things, but a lot of what is Victorian culture actually really sucks. Sure, they had beautiful houses, carriages, and being at the threshold of industry and invention, inspiration itself was en vogue. But, this was also the same culture that introduced the hysterectomy as a fashionable “mood stabilizer” for women. The same culture that not only flaunted the caste system, but treated people of color as less than human beings. Women were considered lewd if they rode bicycles. Children were sent into dangerous work environments because of their size, and often died.
Sure, these are the times that gave us electricity, steam powered vehicles, the beginnings of air travel, but steampunk just seems to take the best of that time and sublimate it into a concentrated form. A world of pretty underwear worn in public, top hots, monocles, walking sticks with swords inside, and things cobbled together out of wood and gears.
Though I think the aesthetics are spellbinding, and I love the themes, the milieu, I think it is in the same realm as Renaissance Festivals. Fun to visit, fun to day dream about while you are there, but not something you want to base your life on. The Renaissance brought us the Black Death, the Spanish Inquisition, the Dutch slave trade, and eventually the genocide which was committed in the Americas.
Maybe it’s just me, but things aren’t as cool once you read up on the origins, I ’spose. Steampunk. Yes, fun. Pretty to look at, but not even remotely viable as a social trend. It’s just costumes and make-believe without the responsibility of knowing about its origins. but it doesn’t mean I don’t still enjoy it. And not to mention much more imaginative and optimistic than the Emo and Goth movements. And more socially acceptable than dressing up like a pirate. Which is just pathetic.
You’ve got to admit, the Victorians were aces on style and a blending of form and function that we don’t respect today. Especially the art-nouveau era. It makes you wish somebody would start designing buildings and homes just like that today, without the boring minimalist and modernist crap we have. What’s wrong with wainscot, chair rails, coved ceilings? Not a darn thing.
7 • Silviamg said:
October 24th, 2008 at 4:27 pm, permalink
I don’t mind. In Japan people walk around dressed like Lolitas and cartoons. I’d rather see people in cool waistcoats and top hats. Or dressed like in Mad Max.
8 • Silviamg said:
October 24th, 2008 at 4:29 pm, permalink
As for the trend starting in literature (I’m not sure that’s correct, but anyway), isn’t it cool that maybe it did? Don’t most fashion trends start in a visual media like movies or TV shows? So instead of the Friends haircut we’ve got people inspired by books. Not too bad I think.
9 • Cat C. said:
October 24th, 2008 at 6:51 pm, permalink
I agree with a lot of what Clint had to say @ 6. I think steampunk is cool but I think that it can tend towards wish-fufillment, almost fan-fic-y, sometimes. When it’s too much “steam” (pretty Victorian exterior) and not enough “punk” (big social/economic revolution or and upheaval of some kind) then it feels a bit false to me. I mean, yeah, it’s your perogative to pick out only the prettiest bits of the era to play with, but without some sort of substance to it, all of the brass, gears, and lace don’t mean much.
10 • Jeff VanderMeer said:
October 25th, 2008 at 10:50 am, permalink
I think the key to understanding the subculture is to realize it did not come to steampunk through the literature. instead it arose largely independent of it and is closely allied with the DIY culture. for this reason I don’t find it to be false although I understand why some might feel that way. this is all from having talked to several people in that subculture. and I see a lot of positives in a subculture that believes in recycling, green technology, etc.
11 • veejane said:
October 25th, 2008 at 12:24 pm, permalink
Funny pirates should come up. They have their own cons now, and snitty arguments about who is a real pirate and who is being slapdash and/or shallow with it.
I’m always surprised that people promulgate these named movements, and then act shocked or dismayed when general culture treats the movement as a grab-bag. Isn’t it ever thus? And isn’t, in some ways, it better to be borrowed and accessorized with than to be ignored completely?
12 • Nick Mamatas said:
October 25th, 2008 at 1:06 pm, permalink
Steampunk fashion reminds me of the Miss Universe contest. Do they still have such beauty pageants? I remember watching it when I was a kid; at the beginning of the show the Miss Countries of the world would come out in their “native dress.” So Miss Greece would wear a toga of some sort, Miss Holland an apron and wooden shoes. Miss USA would wear the native dress of the United States: a red sequined cowboy hat, a blue star-spangled bikini top. White leather short-shorts with plastic six-guns holstered on either hip, and bright red cowboy boots with fringes and what not.
You know, the same stuff the Americans who are posting on this blog are all wearing right now.
Of course, that isn’t to say that steampunk literature is all remarkably deep and committed to interrogating the discontents of early industrial capitalism through an aesthetic of liberatory appropriation and squatting, but it is naturally a bit deeper than fashion as words on a page offer a qualitatively different experience than viewing, wearing, or even constructing clothing.
Anyway, I actually find a lot of steampunk lit boring as well, because it is too much like the steampunk fashions. All goggles and airships, not enough waifs and colonialism.
13 • Randy Henderson said:
October 25th, 2008 at 2:19 pm, permalink
Steampunk is a fine example of a semi-mainstream trend in fashion and technology that developed hand in hand with a similar trend in fantasy literature.
Here are some trends inspired by fantasy literature that a few brave souls tried out, but sadly failed to inspire a large-scale following.
HERALDPUNK – Inspiration Mercedes Lackey’s Valdemar novels. Key Elements: white riding leathers. Outcome: Unfortunately, the lady who attempted to start this trend kept getting asked by pasty-faced men to spank them. Just as well — Heralds have absolutely nothing to wear after Labor Day.
AEILPUNK – Inspiration Jordan’s Wheel of Time series. Key Elements: Red-dyed hair; Desert cammo; Shoufa around the head; refusing to use a blade (uses chopstick instead to spear food). Outcome: Their fashion choice was not well received in an American airport, but their lawyers believe they will be released from Guantanamo soon. Said one, “Dude, the government has some serious Toh to us.”
PERNPUNK – Inspiration Pern novels. Key Elements: Harps; Fur-lined riding boots, jackets and gloves; Goggles; Silver Threading; Customizing bikes and hogs into “dragons”; Iguana on the shoulder with cute strap-on wings (fire lizard). Outcome: Looked down on by “cool” bikers. Midwest and Minnesota resented being called the “cold nothingness of between” during the Pernpunk annual road trips. Fur lining gets awfully hot post-Spring. And Iguana poo on shirt — ’nuff said.
WEREPUNK – Inspiration Werewolves. Key Elements: Letting one’s nails grow long; Unibrows are a plus; Dog collars optional; and Not shaving. Anywhere. Outcome: Letters from angry commune-living eco-warriors for stealing their look. Lice.
TWILIGHTPUNK – Inspiration Twilight series. Key Elements: Complete body glitter; Humorless disposition; Accessories include clingy co-dependent love interest. Outcome: Banned by parents and roommates sick of body glitter all over furniture, towels, clothes, carpet, and car seats. Most TPs reverted back to regular emo. Some graduated to glam.
BUNNYPUNK – Inspiration Watership Down. Key Elements: Bunny ears, bunny tails, bunny makeup (as in painted nose and wiskers, most definitely NOT makeup tested on bunnies). Outcome: Sued for trademark image infringement by Playboy.
NIMHPUNK – Inspiration The Secret of Nimh. Key Elements: Mouse ears, mouse tails, rapiers, and gaudy jewelry. Outcome: This movement had a similar struggle as the Bunnypunks, but against Disney’s mouse dominance. Needless to say, Disney was far more ruthless than Playboy. The matter was not helped by the fact that the NIMHPUNK members had unthinkingly clicked the little “I Accept” box on a popup End User License Agreement window while viewing an ESPN video online. ESPN is, of course, a corporate affiliate of the Disney-ABC family, and the agreement forbade them from ever doing anything, ever, that in any way made use of anything vaguely resembling a Disney-ABC-ESPN brand or trademarked image, word, or concept without express permission. (Legal disclaimer: This was, of course, satire. By reading this, Disney and all of its corporate affiliates agree not to sue me. Mickey is great. I love Mickey. Even though he hasn’t done anything significant in decades. Not that he has to. I was NOT implying that Mickey is lazy or incredibly overrated. Really.).
SUESSPUNK – Key Elements: Big floppy red and white hats; red fish, blue fish; swooshy green or blue hairdos; annoying plastic musical instruments. Outcome: Became too much of a hassle being constantly stopped and frisked for drugs by the police. But they still occasionally dress up for Hempfest.
HEROPUNK – Inspiration Super heroes. Key Elements: Tights, capes, wearing one’s underwear on the outside of one’s pants, masks. Outcome: The pudding ain’t bad, but the electroshock sucks.
BUCKPUNK – Inspiration The classic Buck Rogers and other early Sci Fi serials. Key Elements: Bomber jackets, tight “captain’s” pants, and glossy boots; Miniskirts, bullet bras, large belts and tiaras; Arm guards; Decrypto-watches and rings; Metal clockwork robots; Toys and gadgets with sparklers. Outcome: Boys kicked out of Boyscouts of America for being gay (even though they weren’t). Girls embraced by conservative groups who misconstrued fashion choice as a return to the mythical womanly values of the 1950s – then kicked out when desire to battle space monsters discovered. But mostly, got tired of being called Steampunk, and having to explain how they weren’t.
Speaking of Buckpunk, check out these awesome rayguns from the Weta Workshop folks:
http://www.wetanz.com/holics/index.php?catid=4
14 • Randy Henderson said:
October 25th, 2008 at 2:30 pm, permalink
Yes, I know. Aiel. Seuss. I smoetimes get my leettrs mixde pu.
15 • K. Tempest Bradford said:
October 26th, 2008 at 10:33 am, permalink
It’s time to declare a winner! *drumroll*
This week’s prize goes to Clint Harris @ 6 for a well-thought-out and important (if less fun) point about Victorian culture. Nick Mamatas was a close second. And, as always, Randy amused us greatly.
Congrats, Clint! An email will wing it’s way to you soon.
16 • Randy Henderson said:
October 26th, 2008 at 1:00 pm, permalink
Yea Clint! Indeed, your observations get to what makes much of Steampuck all vapor, no power. Congrats!
17 • Clint said:
October 27th, 2008 at 1:06 am, permalink
Woo hoo! Thank you very much! As usual, that was some stiff competition. I accept my award, wearing my bikini top, sequined cowboy hat and firing caps with my plastic six shooters. Just like any other red-blooded American boy.
Randy, I’m still waiting for “Punk-Punk” to make an appearance in the mainstream.
18 • coetsee said:
December 31st, 2009 at 12:52 am, permalink
Influence can be defined as the power exerted over the minds and behavior of others. A power that can affect, persuade and cause changes to someone or something. In order to influence people, you first need to discover what is already influencing them. What makes them tick? What do they care about? We need some leverage to work with when we’re trying to change how people think and behave.
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