Steampunk Fashion Show

photo by Janine Mary

My main purpose of attending the Steampunk World's Fair was to model for the incredibly amazing designer, KRISTIN COSTA in the fashion show. My partner in crime, Smashley was coaxed into modeling with me. There was one other woman that was roped into the experience by a friend. Suffice to say, most of the models were experienced whereas some of us were not and we managed to get up onto the catwalk, do our thing and not fall on our asses. Other models chatted away about Fashion Week and the last time they “did runway.” Um, yeah.. unless you count the fashion show I organized in high school and modeled in, I haven’t done runway work, ever. Babs from Event-ography has a magnificent gallery on flickr. One of my favorite photographers to run into at cons is Knightmare6 who uploaded the fashion show pics into a separate gallery from his other SPWF pics. Jessica Lilley's gallery is also up on flickr.

photo by Babs

My recap of the show is at my site but as you know, not all of my site is SFW but that article is.

I met some really nice models in the fashion show, especially Kat (not sure if it's Cat or Kat to be honest) who was guy secure enough to wear women's pantyhose and help me with my outfit.

Aside from the other problems this con had (and apparently there were a great deal behind the scenes), about four or five of the designers bailed on the fashion show! That's not only a disappointment to the attendees coming to watch the show but it put a considerable burden on the organizers. I understand the global attitude of the fashion designers was that this "was just a con" and not Fashion Week but unless there's an emergency, your lack of professionalism is not warranted. It may have been due to losing their vending space (see the linked article at my site) but they could have managed participating in the fashion show itself. It's the denouement of the weekend and for some attendees, it's the whole point in going.

See you in Pittsburgh!

These are the costumes that I'll be wearing in Pittsburgh: my Dark & Strange Alice in Wonderland and my Susan Storm of the Fantastic Four. You'll be able to find me at the booths of PAUL STORRIE, STORMWATCH COMICS, and JOE SINNOTT. I'll also be taking as much as it allows to walk the floor visiting other great talent like Josh Lyman, Jay Fife & his model Lola Lynn, Andy Harmon, Stauffer, and Ken Haeser.

Thanks for voting! Here are the counts:

ALICE: 24
SUE: 13
FIRESTAR: 12
POWER GIRL: 12
ACE: 7
TWILIGHT GUARDIAN: 1

Video 1 from The Anachronism

My very first steampunk event:



Hopefully I'll get the rest of the video edited soon.

Dark & Strange Alice

I actually finished my Dark & Strange Alice Liddell in time to wear it last weekend to a steampunk event. I hadn't planned on wearing it but figured, what the heck, Alice in Wonderland is from the time period of Victorian literature and the theme was Oz Meets Wonderland; so it worked out. I was one of at least four Alices.

NY Fairytale Pictures

Coincidentally there were two fairytale photoshoots going on yesterday in NYC, one in Manhattan's Central Park and one in Brooklyn's Botanic Gardens. I was at the Brooklyn gathering dressed as Alice in Wonderland. Our group was a steampunk version of the fairytale characters.

My costume was actually made by my mother when I was in college, before I took up sewing. It's been lovingly worn by several ladies of my family too. It's slightly tattered seams worked just fine for steampunk. I also felt that if Alice was a real little girl (she's based on a real little girl the author knew) she would have raided her grandmother's jewelry drawer the way I always did. I punked up my look with black tights and shoes, kept my purple hair, added heavy goth makeup and black vintage gloves ($8 find a the thrift store).

Logistical details -- the organizer of our group had gotten permission for us to be there yet we were harassed by security the entire time. Every time we moved on to a new spot, they'd approach us again. What's the point of getting permission? Apparently some of the group tried organizing a shoot at the Cloisters and were met with much distain and harassment as well. I guess the costumes just scare the hell out of some people. The passers by, however, loved us. We were approached by many people asking if we were performing and lots who had never heard of Steampunk before; I don't blame them because I didn't know there was word for it until last year. It's security and it's NY - at least they're trying to d their jobs. After 2 hrs drive, no food, sore feet and the hottest day yet, I was not in the mood for security crap. Then it took us 30 minutes to go one block trying to get home. Grrr.

Brooklyn Group's Gallery:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/1047498@N25/

Sleeping Beauty, Alice, Lion Tamer from Dumbo
Miss Muffett, Red Riding Hood, Mad Hatter, Queen of Hearts


Rapunzel and her Prince were so entertaining all day. She was totally Xena-like and had really super short spiky hair so the long detached braid was just hysterical.


Red with her hood up.


Hatter and Alice checking on Sleeping Beauty.


The Central Park group's gallery:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/knightmare6/sets/72157617315743660/

Fairytale Photoshoot in Brooklyn this Saturday

Allow me to direct your attention to the SteamFashion community at LiveJournal.com. One of the members is organizing a fairytale photoshoot at the Brooklyn Botanical gardens for this Saturday at 11 am.

I had my mum bring me the old Alice costume she made for me back in college before I was doing any sewing of my own. Lo and behold, it still fits really well.



As I said, no much in my steamy wardrobe yet. I added black gloves, black tights, a choker and put pigtails in my purpley hair. I'm off to find boots at the thrift store. It's really more of a goth take on it but for now, that's the best I can do. I hope to make my own version some day maybe with dark blue pin stripe fabric or something nifty. ;)

More Steampunk Fashion in Comics/TV

The Previews of Warren Ellis' new series has hit his website, warrenellis.com and his hundred other blogs. Ignition City is set in sci-fi 1956 where personal space travel is becoming illegal all over the world (can you imagine?). Grounded space pilot Mary Raven has to journey to Earth's Ignition City to recover her dead father's effects; she discovers a settlement of outlaws and learns more details about her father's death at the wrong end of a ray gun! Can she find Rock Raven's killer before she's thrown into the recycling chipper?

Mary's look appears simple and classic in her pilot gear. She has her necessary personal protection gun (looks more like a 6-shooter than a blaster) and leather cap with goggles for flying; classic motorcycle riding black knee high boots as well; her flowing red hair makes her all the more fabulous (Warren seems to have a thing for redheads). The cover art is inspiring and makes me want to dress up right now!








Also from the Previews Catalog, Captain Jack's manipulator/sonic screwdriver thingiemajig will be available soon.