/cgl/ - Cosplay & EGL

[Anonymous No.7442914]

Anyone have experience with non-fail steampunk-lolita cross over? Ive recently been introduced to someone from the local steampunk community by a mutual friend who only gathers "you two are both into weird fashion stuff, be friends" from the fact I dress lolita. She asked if there was much of a lolita com around where I am and after hearing about the lack thereof suggested I start joining in with the steampunk events etc instead and that shes heard of people who have done decent cross-over co-ords.

My issues are:
> My experience with steampunk is too stereotypical "glue some gears on it" mentality
> That the average age of her regularly meeting group seems to be above me by at least a decade or two (Im early 20's)
> Everyone seems to have known each other for forever

Steampunk has a reputation for being one of the far more accepting or gender/age/style differences of various subcultures... but idk /cgl/ Have you met many steam-punk aficionados? Good/bad?

TL:DR: Is steampunk/lolita up to scratch or does it tend to be itai?
Have you met those involved in steampunk and what were they like?

Thanks

[Anonymous No.7442933]

Lolita crosses well into steampunk but not steampunk into Lolita, from what I've seen. Even at conventions.

I like seeing Lolita elements in steampunk but if I did a coord like that I probably wouldn't wear it to a Lolita gathering or tag photos of it Lolita. From what I read on the web, most Lolita's don't really think steampunk x Lolita is a very good thing at all. Some brands have done steam things, with mixed reception and success.

[Anonymous No.7442932]

>>7442914
Viable visually, pic related.
They'll inside joke you into obscurity until you don't want to go anymore, but building a co-ord would be fun anyway.

[Anonymous No.7442936]

OP's New friends

[Anonymous No.7442939]

I know one person into both and she's an absolute sweetheart and cool. Steam punk lolita can be done right (ala Meta's recent release not AatP's) and sticking to simpler motifs.

My experience with other steam punk people have been less pleasant. They do typically keep to themselves, but if you show a genuine interest in the look and the craft, they are less spaghetti.

[Anonymous No.7442940]

>>7442933
Wasn't Op's problem the lack of local lolita gatherings?

I have a train print handmade skirt from some nobody on ebay, closest thing to steam-related prints Ive seen. You'd be DIY or offbrand whoring to get a cohesive look no doubt.

[Anonymous No.7442952]

>>7442940
Meta's wheel of time, aatp steam Alice, the whole line of hNaoto STEAM.
But if I were OP, I'd likely get a plain op or JSKs that I could add steampunk or Victorian accessories to but could keep Lolita when I wanted to dress Lolita.

[Anonymous No.7442958]

Op here
>>7442933
Yeah I can understand that it translates better one way than the other
>>7442936
Kind of what I'd like to avoid. Although the woman I met was very VERY well dressed Im concerned she might be the best of the bunch and the rest will be painful to look at.
>>7442939
The only other guy into the culture Ive met was the talk your ear off about historical inaccuracies type in a TV show type. I'm not sure if other than the woman I met, the group would be open to the fact I'm intentionally mixing styles not being "insert fashion here" enough.
>>7442940
Yes. Ive only found a handful of people, who barely know each other, meet maybe once every few months and spend all day discussing price/brand and how horrible whoever isnt in the room looks.

[Anonymous No.7442968]

>>7442958
>a handful of people, who barely know each other, meet maybe once every few months and spend all day discussing price/brand and how horrible whoever isnt in the room looks.
Sounds like every lolita comm ever, with the only variance being number of people involved

[Anonymous No.7442970]

>>7442952
I think it might be best just to try to accessorize up and attend once or twice to get a measure of everyone involved and then either dive in or back away respectively. if it really really sucks five minutes in pull a social awkward I-got-an-emergency text and leave. If theyll let you keep your phone on you if its not steam-cogwheels powered.

[Anonymous No.7442974]

>>7442968
I know 3 people within a days drive of me who even know what lolita is. Unless you count my aunt being like isnt that a russian sex book?

[Anonymous No.7442980]

>>7442974
Ok? I wasn't talking about you then, I was talking about people who live in real places that actually have more than 5 people and a horse as their population.

[Anonymous No.7442984]

>>7442968
Oh there's the other kind of meet typical too, ham beast replica-chans and rebel poorfag offbranders who rail against the brandwhores and skinny-chans and how horrible they are. Though they tend to meet at places with better food, lol.

I only go to the local ILD meets for photo ops and meet up to go do things with a little private group of girls aren't either of the stereotypes. I imagine most Lolitas do something similar.

Steampunk people can be really diverse groups, I've seen some really great costumers and than the gear-goggle media nerds. I second turning out to see what they are like with an alibi on tap to bolt if they are not what you are looking for.

[Anonymous No.7443034]

Quoting someone from another thread:

>Steampunks are the old-people equivalent of cosplay/lolita meets to be honest. A bunch of socially inept special snowflakes thirsty for attention with added midlife crisis.

[Anonymous No.7443089]

Can you guys share any lolita/steampunk crossovers you've come across? Good or bad.

[Anonymous No.7443099]

>>7443089

[Anonymous No.7443111]

>>7443089
I'll just drop the few collages I made on another thread.

[Anonymous No.7443113]

>>7443111
Oh I thought I had more, sorry.
Basically really western looking classic lolita in brown and co, a few steampunk gears and voila, an elegant steampunk themed lolita outfit

[Anonymous No.7443114]

>>7443099
If you think that image second from the left on the top row is even remotely lolita I'm going to have to punch you in the throat. Also most of these are hideous.

[Anonymous No.7443121]

>>7443114
They are all hideous to me, lol...that was my point. She said what we've come across, good and bad. These were ALL in the Lolita tag though and as you see, 1/2 are burando.

I wouldn't wear any of them to a dogfight. It was an image that I hoped would evoke "omg no, steampunk x Lolita is a Very Bad Idea". I hope it worked...

[Anonymous No.7443133]

>tfw got asked by a girl at a lolita 101 panel if she could use steampunk, cat ears, and show her bust in a coordinate (because she was proud of it)

The pain.

[Anonymous No.7443138]

>>7443133
The look on your face must have been priceless...
What did you tell her?

[Anonymous No.7443152]

People who wear brand know better (usually) so when one of them releases something less-than-stellar it's just kind of passed over after being complained about. But average budget lolita or beginner is faced with this kind of thing...which granted, even f+f shows styled with a blouse. But it's still overpriced fugly.

[Anonymous No.7443157]

>>7442914
I guess the better question would be 'What do you have already OP, and could you style it Steampunk?' Or buy something mainstream lolita that looks more Victorian like Mary Magdaline's St Clair OP and wear hair in ringlets.

[Anonymous No.7443178]

>>7443138
Steampunk - Not really elegant, but, can be done if you don't glue cogs to everything and go for the more Victorian side of things.
Cat Ears - Really hard to pull of properly, unless you use them in a cat-themed/cat print coord.
Bust - Unless you're going for ero (pleasedon't), lolita is generally modest.

I was being polite, since this was our first ever Lolita 101 panel, and I was dragged in to help (as one of the few lolitas there)

[Anonymous No.7443180]

>>7443152
I feel you.
I've been to so many lolita panels and read so many beginner guides and most of the time people will say what not to buy but not *why* you shouldn't buy it.
It sucks for newbies because they go out into the world and try to buy stuff with only some information that they've been spoon fed.
It's part of the reason why if I ever do a panel I'd have a more in depth explanation of what to avoid covering stuff like construction, material quality, design, etc, as opposed to just flicking through some pictures and telling people to not buy it.

[Anonymous No.7443197]

>>7443180
A lot of it is just basic common fashion sense too, which granted, if addressing t-shirt and jeans teen crowd, isn't going to help...

But taking a visibly serged Bodyline ita dress with Raschel lace and then a lined, 'buckingham cloth' AATP dress with cotton and chemical lace to let them see, feel, etc. would be so quick and easy.

Yet I've never seen it done nor have I seen an online compare, video or even a blog entry with photos covering this.

[Anonymous No.7443200]

>>7443178
The good steampunk I've seem much more resembled Full length Victorian women's things from the 1880's on. I think the short steampunk dresses either look kind of goth-y, like dancehall girles or if worn with those corset bodice with chemises, renfaire refugees.

At best, most lolita x steampunk doesn't do either style justice and it's better keeping them separate. Yes, exceptions exist, as always, but damn few good ones and usually at considerable expense anyway.

[Anonymous No.7443210]

>>7443197
>A lot of it is just basic common fashion sense too, which granted, if addressing t-shirt and jeans teen crowd, isn't going to help...

Exactly.

If I ever do a panel I plan on taking some samples. Like you said, dresses to compare would be great along with a lace board (different quality lace on a sheet of card in order of quality that could be passed around) since they would both make for good visual and tactile teaching aids.

[Anonymous No.7443212]

>>7442914
There is a steampunk comm here as well as a separate lolita comm...and there is rarely a cross-over between the two. Some of it is age, though.

Sadly, the steampunk comm always seem to look like a mess.

I almost got Meta's time whatever to use for steampunk lolita, I think it could be very cute!
Infanta has released some that I REALLY love, as well.

The personalities in steampunk have been fine, but yes they are typically older so sometimes that is awkward.

Also, steampunk comms value similar things as traditional punk eg making your own clothing/accessories which is neat unless you suck at crafting.

[Anonymous No.7443217]

>>7443212

[Anonymous No.7443218]

>>7443217

I really want to do a steampunk lolita coord with this damn dress ugh.

[Anonymous No.7443226]

I think what throws me in a steampunk/Lolita mix is the length. Dresses did not even go above the ankle until about 1918 unless you were a performer of some kind or a child. So in a quasi-Victorian world, Lolita dresses would even more resemble children's clothes or a costume of some kind.
I like both steampunk and Lolita styles, just not combined.

[Anonymous No.7443254]

>>7443226
>Steampunk
>accurate representation of Victorian clothing

[Anonymous No.7443266]

>>7443254
>quasi-Victorian
>what is personal opinion post

[Anonymous No.7443267]

>>7443226
One of my friends is a steampunk and a lolita and her "steampunk persona" is a little steam powered doll, so it's not implausible to be honest. Also >>7443254

[Anonymous No.7445911]

>>7443111
>>7443113
>>7442932
This is the only sort of stuff I think works with lolita.

As >>7443226 says, the only way to make it work is to basically be dressing like a Victorian child with a few accessories that lean or hint towards the technological aspects... so you basically have to be able to pull off a younger Victorian girl look.

>>7443267
>steampunk persona
This shit is what makes me hate SP the most. You cannot call something a fashion if you're playing pretend, not yourself wearing clothes. That's a costume. You're wearing a costume. Don't be surprised that people don't take your "fashion" seriously. At least lolitas don't pull this ~persona~ shit (and if they do it's usually mocked, as it should be.)

[Anonymous No.7445939]

>>7445911
there's a large gap between the people who are actually interested in steampunk as fashion/subculture/etc versus the costume/persona types. The costumey types, from my experienced and seen, chased a lot of people who were actually into it as a way of creative expression out. and it's really sad.

Where I'm at it basically became the local/older ren/sca/sci-fi crowd finding another form of dress up and not interested in any of the social/technological/etc undertones of the genre. (I'd suggest looking up it's literary origins if interested.) Which is why you see a lot of just reworked historical costumes or bustle dress+goggles and it's a real shame.

That's not to say there's no place for costuming within it, it's just a lot of costumes lack concept/substance. and an over abundance of fake British accents in the states. (because clearly things are limited to britain yeah?)

Sorry for the soap boxing. In any practical advice I'd say a good steampunk look should have a balance of form and function. Make it pretty but make sense why it's there.

[Anonymous No.7445998]

>>7445939
A lot of the (older- 50's or so) folks I know who are into it are oldschool scifi fans and that's how they got into it, but just have no sense of how to dress themselves whatsoever and haven't ever participated in a specific fashion subculture before. So they see the stuff that the majority, awful SP wear and do and just go along with it.

[Anonymous No.7446036]

>>7445939
I think the real problem with mixing steampunk and lolita in the end is, with steampunk you always have something you're 'dressing up as' for lack of better words. Like, you don't have to be Sir Waterchestnut The Third or whatever, but for steampunk to actually work, you have to have some kind of 'role' in the steampunk universe for your outfit to make any kind of sense (balancing form with function, a noble woman with an intricate wrist watch as her only gadget, or a very small pistol in her skirts or jacket, but no goggles, why would she wear them, she's not a worker class citizen) and lolita doesn't really exist in the fashion period (wild wild west) so it just doesn't work imo. I think Aristocrat would be much better to mesh.

but that's just my opinion. Considering how fucking terrible almost 90% of all steampunk is, even a semi cohesive outfit from someone who actually has an eye for fashion is going to work better than any of the tards running around with goggles on top hats. Seriously, who gave people this idea, you can't even use them on top of a brim in any capacity or efficiency and why would someone who wears top hats need something that would be for an engineer or a laborer anyway??

[Anonymous No.7446068]

>>7446036

I will be the first to admit that I enjoy some steampunk themed works, but steampunk as a fashion confuses me. Nothing about the steampunk world suggests that people would wear much differently from what people in the 1800s would wear. So theoretically, steampunk should basically be what people in the 1800s would wear. Then they would have to attach some kind of gadget to kind of ID themselves as engineer, scientist, etc - but what if they're a homemaker? Writer? Should they seriously lug around a steampunk typewriter? Makes no sense to me unless you are super into recreating scenes, in which steampunk would be more of a LARPing experience.

I have no idea if I'm making sense, but that's sort of my take on it. TL;DR: I think steampunk 'fashion' is a little silly and not even true to steampunk in general.

[Anonymous No.7446076]

>>7446068
I don't consider steampunk a fashion in any sense because it's not. The fashion it uses already existed. See, that's the whole point of it, if you're going to do something 'steampunk' then there's not point in just dressing edwardian. You have to have some kind of 'role' with something visible to identify you as following the steampunk aesthetic, or else, as you say, you're just dressing in a fashion that literally already existed once. So it's really all a costume in the end.

[Anonymous No.7446134]

>>7443099
I'm just gonna say this though. Aatp steam alice looks terribad on this model. Like... Seriously. I've seen it up close and it's actually really understated and pretty especially since that apron breaks up the gingham.

[Anonymous No.7446587]

>>7443226
>>7445911
Idk I've been to a lot of steampunk things and short skirts are pretty rampant in it. Theres sadly little attention paid to Victorian social conventions, other than to call each other by bullshit titles and affect fake accents. Maybe you guys just have access to amazing steampunk communities but I've been to one of the largest cons in the US several times and its pretty shit. No one cares about real Victorian fashion or history, they just try to copy what Google tells them steampunk is.

[Anonymous No.7446614]

>>7446587
that's really lame and I have zero interest in steampunk... but I know enough that you're supposed to follow the fashion of the time because.. that's like, part of the entire point.

[Anonymous No.7447681]

in my experience, steampunks are really self important and 'edgier than thou', like emo-teen mentality except in 30+ year olds wearing thrifted suits.
and even examples of 'good' steampunk looks like shit.
yes, even the burando releases with clocks in brown.

[Anonymous No.7448435]

>>7443099
I sorta know the girl second to right on top! I really like her coords

[Anonymous No.7448484]

>>7446614
I swear to you that I have, in person, witnessed this.
>at steampunk event
>one vendor has an antique Tesla wand in working condition
>its genuine, and dates to the 1890s
>more than once I overheard someone argue with him that it could not be actually Victorian
>"victorians had STEAM. Its STEAMPUNK. NO ELECTRICITY"

From what I've seen, the fashion breakdown is more like:
>actual based on historical reference clothing
>vaguely old fashioned but not actually Victorian
>ren fair level goth/metal shit
>men in kilts and cowboy hats
>girls wearing corset and miniskirt
>one completely random and alone furry for some reason
>steampunk/random character cosplay
>unrelated to steampunk in any way cosplay
>bondage shit

[Anonymous No.7449542]

[Anonymous No.7455154]

[Anonymous No.7455170]

>>7443157
>like this or

[Anonymous No.7455273]

>>7443034
I read a fun one too.

>Steampunk is what happens when goths discover the colour brown.

[Anonymous No.7456218]

>>7443111
Where are those shoes from anon?

[Anonymous No.7456415]

>>7456218
Victorian Maiden, hat and trunk too.