Trying to explain steampunk to somebody that has never heard of it before is very difficult. You may have heard this term from time to time and still have no idea what they are referring to. Well, now is your chance to learn everything about steampunk that you ever wanted to know. Steampunk is a style of cosplay in which the cosplayers dress and speak in very specific manners. In short, steampunk refers to a specific genre of historical fiction.
Often steampunk takes a post-apocalyptic setting in the Victorian era with heavy themes of steam-powered machinery. That is a good overall view of steampunk, but it can get a lot more involved. There are even different subgenres of the steampunk cosplay. Steampunk can take the form of Medieval Steampunk, Victorian Era Steampunk, Western Steampunk and more!
For those of you who still are not able to wrap your head around this idea I can refer you to several movies that have a steampunk setting. Wild Wild West is one of the best western steampunk examples that I can give. Van Helsing, Hellboy, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, are other fantastic examples of big screen punk. We can also think of steampunk as futuristic, or advanced machines, set in a Victorian time period where steam power is still king.
Today steampunk has found its way into just about everything. After the movie popularization of steampunk we also started to see a spur of steampunk graphic novels. We even started seeing video games pick up the cause. Popular games like “Bioshock” are ridden with steampunk themes. A huge number of craftsmen have started constructing steampunk themed props. These garage mechanics have turned just about everything we use and love into a steampunk thrill. Clothes, sunglasses, jewelry, cars, and even laptops have been “victorianized”.
True steampunk enthusiasts often throw meet-ups. This is where you break out every piece of intricate steampunk attire you own, even your steampunk cufflinks. You also have to brush up on your mid-century lingo. Dressing the part is one thing, but talking the talk is a whole other beast. If you have the time to devote to learning the lingo you can have some great times. The only downpoint to this lifestyle is the cost. Most things steampunk do not come with cheap price tags. You have to keep in mind pretty much everything you are buying is 100% handmade and one-of-a-kind, so the prices reflect this.
My advice: start out slow and add to your collection over time.
