Steampunk Preparation

Next up: we were invited to a Steampunk charity event. "Steampunk is a sub-genre of science fiction that typically features steam-powered machinery, especially in a setting inspired by industrialized Western civilization during the 19th century. Steampunk works are often set in an alternative history of the 19th century's British Victorian era or American "Wild West", in a post-apocalyptic future during which steam power has regained mainstream use, or in a fantasy world that similarly employs steam power. Steampunk perhaps most recognizably features anachronistic technologies or retro-futuristic inventions as people in the 19th century might have envisioned them, and is likewise rooted in the era's perspective on fashion, culture, architectural style, and art." Thank you, Wikipedia. 

I bought this prom dress at a thrift store for $20 for steampunkification. I decided to shorten the inner layers...

and..."bustle" up the top layer.

Thankfully I have this tiny wooden footstool I made in seventh grade woodshop. It's a little hard to see, but my name is routered in the top. Top-notch work.

I affixed the bustling with these big silver buttons all the way around, but my husband said it needed something more, and suggested these rows of buttons. At first I wasn't convinced, but then came around. We are a good team.

And with some mismatched gold and silver buttons on this jacket I bought for $8, I was mostly steampunk-ready.

My husband acquired this top hat, and I helped gussy it up a bit with a thrift store belt that worked quite well. Despite it being a hat from one of those pop-up Halloween stores, it's a pretty nice piece! It will definitely end up in the Halloween chest.

Somehow early-90s Navy-issue combat boots worked for steampunk quite nicely.

The goggles ended up on the hat for the evening, but mostly he was put together too!