Steampunk Fashion Show from The World's Faire

Are you hungry for more corsets? In addition to the fabulous Steampunk fashion street style of the event, the Steampunk World's Faire hosted a formal fashion show with models showcasing the work of seven designers.

Redfield design organized the event and led the charge with vintage and period-piece inspired costume designs. Rachel Belladonna had a sweet collection of Lolita dresses. As They Sew In France (love the name) displayed Victorian and Edwardian fashion for men and women. My favorite was the collection from Midnight Orchid Designs. Designer Ginger Seibert specializes in costume design, Steampunk and belly dance garb. Her collection had some terrific silhouettes and witty fabrications. That blue dress on the right had a dramatic bustle and a corset that looked like it was pieced together with tiles on one side.

The fierce man in the top hat is "Professor Adam Smasher" of the performing duo Eternal Frontier. He and his partner Baron Von Zipple MC'd the event with humor and admiration. Just so you know, all Steampunk men are either "Professor", "Captain" or a "Baron".

Enjoy more looks from the Steampunk fashion show at our video below:

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Steampunk Street Style at The Steampunk World's Faire

Are you tired of typical street style? Do you not want to see another infinity scarf or long vest on your Instagram feed? Let's take a gander at the alternative fashion of The Steampunk World's Faire: Wonders Untold that ran over the weekend in Piscataway, New Jersey.

Steampunk started as a literary subculture until fashion enthusiasts took over. The overall aesthetic is a mix of period piece and vintage with a sci-fi twist. For women, corsets are a given. Lots of leatherwork and metalsmithing factor into the look as well. The movement prizes ornate workmanship. Air travel and seafaring themes are popular (lots of goggles and brass).

I was excited to see the percentage of guests who took the time to put together a head-to-toe look. You will see a lot of the same Steampunk Fashion fans at comic-con events. Some of the wittiest outfits also paid tribute to pop culture but re-interpreted into Steampunk. One of my favorites was the duo of Steampunk "Ghostbusters" and Batman's Scarecrow here:

For those who wanted to put together their first Steampunk look, the two hotels that hosted the convention housed pop-up shops of makers, artisans, and designers of all types selling clothing, hand-crafted gear, and accessories. There was a runway show of the top fashion designers which I will in write about in the next post.

Both my husband and I spent some cash at Da Vinci Scientifica. They make fantastic functional leather gear for events such as this. I love the wearable leather tea pouches that hold a china teacup and dainty spoon. I purchased a leather carrier containing a parasol and fan for my next event. Hubby acquired a holster for his Steampunk pistol with suspenders that were inspired by the Civil War to accommodate the weight of his gun. The makers there were terrific in helping you choose an item for your needs and confident to recommend others if they couldn't help you (rare).

Steampunk Fashion has its seasonal trends like mainstream fashion. Goggles and corsets are only the starting point. Alice in Wonderland was a huge influence this year. I saw pocket watches, rabbits, Alice and Kings and Queens of Hearts as characters. The makeovers of superheroes and villains as Steampunk characters continued to be popular. I saw historical Asian cultures influence the fashion as well, from kimonos to military armor.

Here is Hubby and me dressed up for the event:

photos by Mariana Leung

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