A guide to steampunk lolita

I love steampunk, I really do. Just check out our recently published web serial if you doubt my passion for the genre (also because it's a good read, if I say so myself). I have so many pretty steampunk clothes in my wardrobe that are waiting for their moment to shine in front of the camera. And, obviously, I love lolita fashion!

However, oftentimes the phrase “steampunk lolita” causes a knee-jerk reaction of “ita”. Much as I love steampunk lolita I can also see why. Steampunk can very easily go tacky in style, especially if you go the route of just adding cogs, a top hat, and some goggles. And while lolita isn’t hard to get right it does have its own set of aesthetic guidelines which, when bent or broken, can look rather...not good. So I thought that I’d share a bit of a ramble about how to do steampunk lolita well. I don’t tend to wear the style much myself, but writing this gave me a new surge of inspiration, so who knows what the future holds? Probably a steampunk lolita photoshoot or three!

An oldie but still a fave.

Photo of me by The Enthusiast.

So, how can you combine these two distinct fashions into something that ticks the boxes on both styles without disrupting the sensibilities of the other?

Keep the lolita silhouette

The number one rule of lolita is silhouette, so keeping that in place is a must. In realistic term, this means the vast majority of corsets (a big thing with female steampunks!) are a big no-no as they come down too low on the torso and throw off the shape of the skirt. If you must wear a corset, keep it to an underbust cincher style.

Steampunk prints

The easiest way to channel some steampunk into your lolita is to wear a steampunk printed main piece. However there aren't very many explicitly steampunk prints, though I have featured a few below. But similar themes, like books, trains, or boats can be suitable too. And if you want to go print-less, patterns like regimental stripes or tweeds are also good. Military style details, or specifically Victorian ones, can make even solid colours read a little more steampunk.

Avoid "stick-a-cog-on-it" steampunk

I try to be fairly neutral about things, but I am really not a fan of sticking a whole bunch of cogs on things to make it steampunk. Two or three, especially if they're on an item in a way that looks quasi-functional, or as deliberately decorative items, sure. But a whole lot of haphazard cogs? That rarely looks good, and definitely won't help you make a good steampunk lolita coord.

Draw on Victorian influences
Both steampunk and lolita draw on, amongst other things, Victorian influence so, when choosing the lolita items to coord with, keep this in mind. Choose a high-collared blouse rather than one with a big peter pan collar, for example.

Consider the colour palette

Generally, if you think steampunk, you think brown. Maybe with a bit of cream and some gold/copper/brass accents, but mostly brown. If there are colours, it's generally khaki green or dark jewel tones. Personally, I adore steampunk outfits that buck this trend and explore unusual combos, especially because the Victorians loved their colours, but for a melding of steampunk and lolita, it's probably best to keep to the more "traditional" steampunk colours.

Accessorise with care
In a sense, what makes a steampunk lolita coordinate different from just a classic coord is the choice of accessories. Throw on a (decent quality) top hat, wear a pair of goggles as a necklace, add leather gloves, or wear a harness over the top of it all. There are lots of options, from subtle things like a brass octopus necklace to a very distinctive top hat with goggles in lieu of a hatband. Just remember that normal lolita rules apply so keep things balanced, proportionate, and high quality. 

Sadly, steampunk lolita is not well-loved, so no matter how well you do it some people might call your resulting coordinate tacky or costume-y or, yes, ita. But I say screw that. Life's too short to only enjoy lolita fashion in subculture-sanctioned ways. So if you want to wear steampunk lolita, then wear steampunk lolita!

Of course, it also goes without saying but I want to say it here in particular – wear what you want! If you want to glue a bunch of cogs to a corset and wear it then go for it. Always do what makes you happy in fashion. I only advise against calling things something they are not; when lolita has such as specific aesthetic to it, if your steampunk look has a knee length frilly skirt but is otherwise not very lolita, just call it steampunk and enjoy yourself. I certainly do!

Lolita 52: Combining other fashions with lolita

This topic could be read two ways; what do you think of combining other fashions with lolita and also how would you combine other fashions with lolita?

For the first interpretation of the topic the short answer is I'm all for it! Getting creative with fashion, any fashion, is awesome and if you can combine two styles you love into one outfit then that's awesome. At the same time, however, sometimes things don't work well together so I also think that there's no need to force things together into an ungodly whole unless it's something you get pleasure out of doing. Often the styles that produce the best outfits when combined with lolita are fashions with more thematic elements than structural ones, such as fairy kei, Western Goth or creepy cute. It's fairly simple to carry a theme or colour scheme over into a lolita silhouette but harder to mesh the lolita shape with something that has an equally distinctive outline such as meshing traditional Japanese clothing with lolita for to create wa lolita; it can be done, but often isn't done too well.

Personally, the only real mash-up of another fashion I've done with lolita is steampunk. Now, before you imagine a horror of cogs and cheap corsets know that I am, as much as one can be, as very practical person when it comes to steampunk. I hate when people just stick a cog on something and all it done. Whenever I do steampunk, which to be completely honest is only really ever for photoshoots or events, I try to make sure that the outfits make at least a little sense and convey a certain sense of character. And as such, the Victorian-esque aesthetic some lolita clothes can have really lends itself well to combining with my personal steampunk aesthetic.

The photo above (which was taken, and harness made, by my lovely boyfriend James aka The Enthusiast) is my favourite lolita x steampunk look because I think it melds both together really well. It fits better into the steampunk aesthetic than the lolita one but I don't think it is un-lolita at all. The silhouette and modesty are both still there, just the accessories are different.

I also tend to use my lolita items, particularly blouses, in steampunk looks as well, like in the picture below, which is again credit to The Enthusiast. This is my dark green F+F blouse.

So that's how I combine other fashions with lolita. Do you ever merge another style into our lolita fashion or do you prefer to keep things separate?

Review #21: Lyris Design

On November 15, 2013 [does this sound like the opening to a vintage murder mystery, or what?] I won a $150 voucher for Lyris Design. So I commissioned a steampunk vest and wanted to review the process and the product for my readers. I shall do so in timeline form, because I feel like it and because otherwise this could potentially get very confusing...

15-16 November. Giveaway winner [haha me!] was announced on the Lyris Design facebook page and the owner, Carly, sent me a nice message explaining that the voucher was valid for one year, and to let her know what kind of thing I would like to have custom made. I messaged back with two different ideas - a skirt and a vest. Since the vest is what I ended up getting, that's what we'll focus on. It's a variation of this 1898 jacket from what is apparently a tennis outfit, basically nixing the sleeves in favour of tiny cap sleeves.

17 November. Carly got back to me with a few more questions so she could give me a quote, I replied, and she quoted me $280 for the vest, which meant with the voucher I would be paying $130.

I should mention here that normally I wouldn't commission something like this. I think the price is really reasonable, especially considering all the trimming and the fact that the price included posting me not one, not two, but three calico mock ups to test the fit, but I normally veer away from spending this much on a single item of clothing. As such, this is actually the first thing that's ever been tailor made for me [other than stuff I've made myself or that my mum has done!] so, though my experience with Lyris Design was super positive, it's still experience one of one with custom made items. Not that it really affects my opinion or changes my awesome experience, but I am just putting it out there.

18-20 November. I confirmed that I would like to get the vest and asked for payment information and what measurements I'd need to give. Carly sent back a document with what measurements she needed. On the 20th I sent back my measurements and mentioned that I'd be offline until the 27th.

27 November. Right on the day I was meant to get internet back Carly sent me links to a bunch of different trim and button options to choose from.

1-3 December. When I finally got back online and checked everything out I told Carly which trim and buttons I preferred. She confirmed my choices and checked my address to send out the mock-up and gave me a list of things to check when I received it.

9-10 December. I got the mock up on the 9th, complete with a handwritten note on some lovely paper and fabric samples for the vest and it's lining. James took some photos for me on the 10th to show Carly the fit and I messaged back with those and a description. It was a bit tight across the bust, I couldn't raise my arms in the sleeves [and also wanted to make them smaller for aesthetic reasons] and it was a bit large around the hips, but the length, waist and neckline were perfect.

11 December. Carly sent back some follow up questions and said she would do a second mock-up ASAP to ensure we got the fit right.

18 December. Shhhh... so it took me ages to reply! I have a bad habit of ignoring messages when things get a bit hectic, so it took me a while to give Carly the information she needed. I also apologised and said I totally understood if she wanted to leave it until after Christmas because of my delay.

2 January. Just when, after all the Christmas and New Years kerfuffle died down, I was thinking that I should send a follow up message sometime soon Carly messages saying she's sent off the second mock-up.

8 January. I got the new mock-up and it's a much better fit all around except there's a bit of extra fabric around the armhole. I also wanted the sleeves to be a bit shorter again, but Carly had definitely tweaked the pattern to fit me a lot better.

12-14 January. It was a really busy week so I hadn't replied back with photos when on the 12th I get a nice message from Carly just checking I'd gotten the mock-up okay. It was perfect timing, since I was planning on messaging her anyway so I quickly replied with more pictures and a description. We discussed what needed adjusting and Carly said she'd get to work on a third mock-up.

18 January. Carly messaged to let me know she had finished the newest calico and would send it on Monday [this was a Saturday] and apologised for not sending it yesterday. Any fellow Aussies reading this will remember the horrible heatwave we were having then so I didn't mind at all.

23-25 January. Got the third mock-up on the 23rd and it was pretty damn perfect. We exchanged a few messages with a final confirmation, Carly mentioned that she may not get to my vest until the end of the week as she is finishing up pieces for a fashion show and I said it's not a problem. Angeline Bubsy was walking for Lyris in the fashion show, so I was keen to see it go off well!

6 February. Carly sent me a picture of the fabric with the buttons and trim laid out on it [and I should mention that this photo is probably the most accurate to colour in this post] to confirm it's all fine before starting the trim. She managed to get a pretty good colour match with the braid and buttons! I got details for paying the balance and Carly said it should be finished by the end of the weekend.

8 February. I pay, send a message saying I've paid and Carly tells me she's finished one side of the cording. This is where I start getting rather excited!

10 February. I log onto facebook and what is at the top of my newsfeed but a picture of my awesome vest that Carly posted on her page! She also sent me a message with the picture and tells me it has been posted and to let her know if there are any issues. I sent back a really enthusiastic message because she did a really, really fantastic job and I couldn't wait to have it in my hot little hand!

13 February. It arrives! I was still dozing the the morning when James comes into our room going "package!" so I managed to wake up for it. Unwrapping pictures follow, and a first thing in the morning worn photo featuring my "I just did up 13 buttons, and I've only been awake ten minutes, I am proud of my dexterity" face.

This cute little parcel came to me inside a regular padded post satchel. The note was personalised and contained care instructions, and was printed on a nice paper.

 

So I may have let out inarticulate noises of joy when I unwrapped it. My pictures don't show how lovely this is. The workmanship is fantastic and the fabrics Carly chose are great. This is probably the best made piece of clothing I own, and I own a lot of clothing! If I were to nitpick there are a couple of places where the trimming isn't completely symmetrical, and there's one loose thread in one buttonhole that catches a bit, but like I said, that's being nitpicky. It fits wonderfully, is exactly what I asked for and is extremely well made.

So, long story short, Carly was wonderful to work with and very attentive to detail, making sure that the fit was perfect and checking that I was happy with everything before proceeding. From start to finish this commission took three months but given that I caused some delays by slow responses and there was all the joys of Christmas in the time period as well I think that that is quite a reasonable turnaround time. As far as pricing goes I think it was super reasonable, especially since she didn't charge postage on top and she sent me four packages overall! The amount of fiddly work that would go into the trim and even all the buttons of this is, well, a lot and even though I'm sure she's a very experienced pattern maker there was a lot of time spent getting the pattern right for me.

Super long story short: Lyris Design is awesome, if you want something custom made go to her!

A Complete Steampunk Lolita Wardrobe for [just over] $500

It’s been a while since my last hypothetical wardrobe post but finally, I have designed one combining two of my abiding loves: lolita and steampunk! I will be honest though, and say that since a lot of the steampunk vibe comes from accessories this is really just a classic lolita wardrobe in a steampunk inspired colour scheme. Regardless, I really love it and I hope you do too!

To reiterate my usual spiel: my definition of a “complete” Lolita wardrobe is one that can yield you a pretty unique outfit every day for a week. Also as per usual, I do not include purses or accessories for two reasons. Firstly, everyone likes different things there and secondly, most girls already have something appropriate in each department. In this wardrobe in particular, what true steampunk fan doesn’t already have something coggy, some goggles or that ubiquitous octopus jewellery?

Now, on to the wardrobe breakdown!

1 OP, 1 JSK and 1 Skirt:

Again I’ve followed my usual mantra of one plain piece and two patterned ones. The solid coloured skirt from Bodyline [$53] is anything but plain in construction, and both the Bodyline OP [$47] and the Fan Plus Friend JSK [$82] have a nice balance of construction details and patterned fabrics.

1 Neutral Blouse with Detachable Sleeves:

This ivory Bodyline blouse [$47] even has a detachable jabot. Detachable everything!

1 Contrasting Blouse or Cutsew:

This lovely, detailed long sleeve blouse from Fan Plus Friend [$60] makes me drool a little on my keyboard every time I see it, so it was the natural choice for providing extra colour and detail in this wardrobe.

2 Outerwear:

Once again I’ve chosen something “structured” and something “pretty”.  Both from Bodyline, this time around the “structured” is the green sailor jacket [$27] and the “pretty” is the simple brown bolero [$20].

2 Headpieces:

Both headwear choices come from Fan Plus Friend: a standard headbow in ivory [$7] and a lovely brown bowler hat [$13],

2 Pairs of Shoes:

One day I should probably write a post about all my shoes, because maybe then I could truly manage to convey how amazing I think shoes are, and how much they impact an outfit. But for now, enjoy the two Bodyline choices in this wardrobe: ivory Oxfords [$33] and cute brown boots [$47].

5 Items of Legwear:

My usual line for legwear is one pair of solid colour tights and a patterned or printed pair, as well as three pairs of socks: a plain neutral knee high or OTK pair, a more interesting pair of knees highs and a pair of ankle socks. However, I couldn’t find a patterned knee high sock that worked with this wardrobe, so I picked two plain pairs from Fan Plus Friend [$3] in different colours instead. The plain tights are from eBay [$5] and the lovely printed pair are by Ophanim [$27] while the cute little ankle socks are Bodyline [$1].

1 Petticoat:

As always, I haven’t included an image of the petticoat because that would be irrelevant, but I am factoring in the price as no Lolita wardrobe is complete without a petticoat! I figure that $50 is a fairly reasonable average price.

Total Cost: $525

Well....that’s not too much over budget! ^__^

And now, my favourite part... sample outfits!

A very simple outfit that lets the details do the talking.

Again, a simple outfit, but this one is better for cooler climates!

A very toned down outfit that draws attention to the print on the JSK.

This is the "uber green" outfit ^__^

Lots of detail, textures and patterns make this outfit really eye-catching.

For some reason, this one makes me think of hunting parties in old movies...

I saved my favourite for last! I would so wear this for a steampunk photoshoot!

So there you have it! As you can see, there are still a lot of interesting combinations you could come up with using this simple three colour wardrobe ^__^

As always, if there’s a particular lolita style or theme or colour palette you’d like to see my budget version of, please leave a comment letting me know. And, if you liked this and feel like checking out the previous ones, I’ve done this kind of hypothetical wardrobe for sweet, classic, gothic, sailor and bittersweet lolita.

Two quick endnotes on pricing:

The prices I’ve listed are exclusive of shipping costs, because they vary depending on your location and Bodyline is notorious for spontaneous price changes, so who knows how long things will stay as I’ve written.

Oppa steampunk style.

Op-op-op-op-op oppa steampunk style.
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I have a confession: steampunk makes me drool. It's a perfect mix of elegance and grunge, ranging from scantily clad gunslingers to head-to-toe circa 1800 style regalia. Steampunk photoshoots are so much fun, and I have photos to prove it. But such an over the top, prop and accessory heavy style can sometimes be hard to work into an everyday wardrobe without looking like you are wearing a costume. So here are my thoughts and ramblings on how to best steampunk your life, or at least, the fashion side of your life.


Feel Your Fabrics:

Picture yourself on the streets of London, 1889. What fabrics are the people wearing? The labourers  the housewives  the merchants, the militia, the servants of lords, the lords and their ladies? All their clothes would have been made from cotton, linen, wool, silk and leather - there had been experimentation with man made fibres since 1855, but synthetics were not yet prevalent by any stretch of the imagination. However, a variety of natural and chemical dyes were available so despite the trend in steampunk to stick to a neutral, earth toned palette that would not have been the case, especially amongst the wealthy.

So if you want to bring a bit of steampunk into your normal wardrobe, try to wear clothes in natural fabrics. And don't just see the word "cotton" and think of the normal, boring thin stuff you get in fabric stores. Moleskin, poplin, tarlatan and even velvet are made of cotton. Or bring a bit of good old tweed into your wardrobe. It can look a lot better than it sounds!


Steampunk Your Shirt:

T-shirts are like flags. They are a way of declaring your allegiance; be it to Team Edward, Metallica or Hello Kitty. And as steampunk continues its march into our fashion consciousness, steampunk tees are becoming increasingly easier to find. Wear them with jeans for a really simple look, or maybe for a bit more of a steampunk vibe try to use some more old style fabrics with the rest of your outfit like that tweed I mentioned earlier.

That's the wings on the back of my "Steampunk Angel" shirt. Pretty funky, aye? If your local shops don't stock enough steampunk goodness, try Threadless. They have many, many cool shirts in all different styles.


Adorn With Accessories:

One of the key things that turns simple Neo Victorian into fully fledge steampunk is how you accessorise an outfit. The top hat, goggles, skeleton keys, brassy octopus iconography, unique purses, fancy cravats, cogs turned into jewellery, maybe even a little handgun or a vintage spanner strapped to your airship mechanic belt. Even if you can't wear a fully steampunk outfit you can bring a little bit of steam into your normal outfits with the right accessories.

My favourite piece of steampunk jewellery is this necklace James made for me for a steampunk party we went to. He had a matching octopus tie pin. It was fun.


Hold Onto Your Hat:

A bit of a lead on from the previous point, this idea is quite a simple one - put something on your head! Headgear is not such a huge deal in mainstream fashion, but a top hat, bowler hat, tweed cap, or bonnet can really add steampunk flair to an outfit. Obviously this only works with certain wardrobe choices - a straw half bonnet [perhaps with brocade lining and a decorative skeleton key arrangement in lieu of flowers] would look sweet with a summer dress, but ridiculous with daisy dukes and a tank top. For the gents a simple cap in a period appropriate fabric could make even jeans and a collared shirt seem a bit less off the rack and more steamy.


Almost All Out:

The final option kind of flies in the face of my previous suggestions. They were all about incorporating smaller elements of steampunk fashion into a more conventional wardrobe. Now I'm saying that another way to wear steampunk without it looking like a costume is to do the reverse - put together a proper steampunk outfit, and then peel back the accessories and features that make it more "costume"-y. Keep the corset and long skirt, but ditch the parasol, the period appropriate bonnet and the cephalopod motifs. Keep the trews, neat shirt, suspenders and waistcoat, but leave off the top hat, the goggles and the cane.


Feeling ready to bring some steampunk into your everyday? Go forth and steampunk!

Oppa steampunk style!

Review #4: Fanplusfriend, Mystere Wonderland and Corsets-Au

Today felt like Christmas. James and I have been ordering quite a few things online lately, and this morning we got three packages! So here are three reviews - photoless this time because my photos didn't come out too well.

Firstly, and for me the most exciting, was this outfit from Fanplusfriend that James got for me!

I have to say, I love military lolita. And the jacket of this outfit so so gorgeous on it's own as well! It will work for lolita, steampunk and probably straight up "normal" fashion as well. The outfit is very true to the picture and also true to size - I had to get the Lady 90, which is a tad large, but there is corset lacing at the back of the jacket so it still fits fine. I'm probably going to replace the buttons and chain with something more brassy/coppery and perhaps cover the logo on the skirt but those are personal preferences rather than design faults. The skirt and jacket are both lined, and the main fabric feels decent. I think it's a poly-cotton because it doesn't feel like proper cotton. It's all sturdily constructed but some of the sewing is a bit messy. It also came with a little beret/hat thing that is very cute but the clips were sewn on really badly - one came off in my hair! So that's a bit of a re-do. On a good note, postage was very fast. I do have to say that it seems a little basic for the price, but I think it looks fantastic and it works well on me, so I am very happy.

Recently James also ordered this Infanta dress from the eBay store Mystere Wonderland for the Soul Capture model wardrobe.

It's way too small for me so I can't say anything about the fit, but it's a really beautiful dress in person and beautifully constructed. I know you can buy Infanta from other sites seemingly cheaper, but being able to pick it up from eBay probably works out cheaper because you don't have to deal with shopping services and besides, eBay is so easy!

Lastly we received three of a bunch of corsets we ordered from Corsets-Au - these are the ones that were in stock, the rest need to be made to order. These first three included an underbust with buckles and a plain overbust in black PVC for the model wardrobe, and a gorgeous cream brocade with black trimming in my size. Since corsets are corsets I haven't tracked down the original product photos but as usual with Corsets-Au they are really well made, steel boned, quickly posted and extremely well priced. I honestly wouldn't buy a corset from any other retailer unless the design was stunning because we've never had an issue with any of their corsets, and if you trawl the clearance section you can find amazing stuff for ridiculously good prices.

So, in summary.
Fanplusfriend: Fantastic outfit that's also potentially really versatile! Maybe a tad overpriced for what it is and how it's made but still a great buy with quick postage.
Mystere Wonderland/Infanta: Beautiful dress, super easy to buy and again, quick postage.
Corsets-Au: Why would you buy steel boned corsets anywhere else? Great products for great prices and extremely fast psotage!