How to Look SteamPunk

SteamPunk is an amazing style, so unique and beautiful but there is rarely any guide on it. In fact, the Internet has practically nothing on the subject, only a few hidden gems.

SteamPunk looks like the Victorian age, mixed with explorers, the oil from a marvelous machine and an attempt on modern technology. I love it!!!!

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• A dress shirt. (ruffled front)
• A cumbermend.
• A jacket. (leather looks good)
• Boots.
• Goggles, a top hat, pocketwatch (optional)
• Corset.
• Ruffled Skirt.
• Fitted jacket.
• Stockings.
• Apron (optional)
• Boots or heeled shoes.
• Looking glass, telescope, fingerless gloves. (optional)
• Make-up and hair product.

1. Dress Accordingly. Remember, this is a Neo-Victorian look. The clothes maketh the man/woman/person. Try and do some research, as all good SteamPunks do, have an interest in this style and the history of these kinds of things, but also know about the clothes. It comes with the territory.
   
   Inless you are just wearing underwear, that tends to go under your clothes.
   
   I wear my underwear as outerwear, my unmentionables are very mentionable when I go out. But this is mostly a Summer look, as it gets quite nippy in England at times. So as a Lady I wear : a corset and stays, a ruffled dress shirt then I layer a battered leather waistcoat over that, either a short ruffled skirt or men's trousers. I always wear stockings, of course, and sometimes wear arm warmers. And my boots? Often a pair of walking boots or tall leather boots are found on my feet.

2. A SteamPunk Gentleman has a variety of looks to sport. I love the slightly piratical explorer look, it find it very attractive and flattering, as well as simple to wear.
   
   A Gentleman with this look is found to have : a ruffled dinner shirt with a waistcoat, a jacket, and a cumbermend and breeches. A good pair of boots finishs the look.

3. Accessories are the only way to go. I love to wear cogs from machines, usually old clocks, and various Victorian pieces.
   
   Arm yourself with a telescope, the handheld kind, ones in brass look historic and substantial. And in your pocket, a pocketwatch, again brass or copper-looking, bareing its cogs like a wayward woman bares her ankles. Arm warmers are practical in unusaul weather, easy to take off if it gets too warm.
   
   The very word in SteamPunk is : Goggles. If you can, find a pair of metal goggles, I believe that you can get them off eBay. Not the cheap plastic kind either, they tend to be round and metal. Fairly heavy too, I really want some. In a fight you can deck someone with them, they are that good.

4. Make-up is your mask. It appears that only women wear make-up in the SteamPunk world. Though I'm sure that there are exceptions, feel free to prove me wrong.
   
   Make-up comes in about two forms : Extreme CyberPunk style or a Natural Victorian look.
   
   CyberPunk is similar in style but they prefer the future to our rich, lavish past. Their make-up can look pretty damn good too.
   
   1. Apply your base, this makes your face more equal in tone. I use white because I'm pale already.
   2. Apply eyeliner, follow the shape of your eyes and extend it into cat-flicks. Remember to apply eyeliner on both lids, moving and the lower lid.
   3. Apply eyeshadow, I use a soft black, it brings out the dark brown in my eyes.
   4. Mascara.
   5. Lipstick, this is really up to you.
   
   All else fails, check out YouTube, there are alot of videos on Cyber make-up and Visual Kei make-up.

5. Natural was a highly prized look amongst the women of the past. A true Lady was pale and interesting, with a natural aura about her.
   
   1. Apply face powder that makes you look paler and more luminous. If you have to, apply a luminating base to bring out your features.
   2. Apply a soft pale powder or eyeshadow, preferably white if you are caucasian or a softer tone than your base, down the centre of your nose and blend. This should make your nose look straighter and narrower.
   3. Apply soft pale powder to the apple of your cheeks and blend, for a youthful glow.
   4. Highlight your eyebrows by darkening them with an eyeshadow that matches them, do not use a pencil inless you have no eyebrows! Make them arch and feminine.
   4. Under your eyebrows use your soft powder again to highlight your brow bone, use from your brow to your eyelids.
   5. Mascara, only enough to look natural, not laiden down with it.
   6. Apply a balm or soft lip wax to your mouth and voila!
   
   Check out what you actually look like, just apply so you look dewy, pale and interesting, you should look youthful and very fresh.

[skwerlgrrl]

on 5/19/2009 Hey thanks for including my art in your article! Brigid Ashwood www.steampunkartistry.com

[skwerlgrrl]

on 5/19/2009 Hey thanks for including my art in your article!Brigid Ashwoodwww.steampunkartistry.com