Diary entry 20.10.10-4.01.11

I was afforded a surprisingly small amount of free time over the Christmas period in which to begin researching the world of Steampunk. However, each time i began i found myself losing hours to the subject, engrossed in reading about quirky homemade creations (I was taken aback by an unusual clock made out of wrecked car parts and other discarded items) and strikingly outlandish designs.

For all that Steampunk is often pegged as a niche, there appears to be a disproportionately large amount of content available for such a small target audience. It occurs to me that this is down to one factor; the average Steampunk partisan is not simply an impulse consumer, but a dedicated member of a community. Steampunk has grown to be much more than a throw-away trend, it can be the defining feature of a lifestyle.

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://farm1.static.flickr.com/6/11153703_08953f7fac.jpg&imgrefurl=http://thesteampunkhome.blogspot.com/2008_02_01_archive.html&usg=__vGpD-5nAZZgxt52tUI3pOKIjCGM=&h=375&w=500&sz=77&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=3u5Xqvr6qabbGM:&tbnh=143&tbnw=191&ei=VRu4TcjdB9Or8AP84rQ6&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dsteampunk%2Bhomes%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-GB:official%26biw%3D1366%26bih%3D575%26tbm%3Disch&um=1&itbs=1&iact=rc&dur=243&page=1&ndsp=21&ved=1t:429,r:6,s:0&tx=82&ty=88- Date accessed 20.10.10

 I find myself astounded by the sheer dedication, the attention to detail, and the intricacy involved in all aspects of the Steampunk genre. As an outsider looking in, it's easy to be overwhelmed by it all, there are so many facets to Steampunk-ery and all are paid equal devotion by the community.

The most intriguing point to me, given my interests as it stands, is the fashion that defines the genre - a unique blend of Victorian period with a technological twist; it is a style that finds no comparable within the mainstream culture.

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgxabiOBcftpeYc6t0Va-idCDM6VnNpPJuNnEhHHCJKg3eQdrZXxROo3QnzgElUItKmp9xXSBytmruxZPm2Fnr7Eg9UUJ6fG6kWcPj8uvt7h7-Re6Kwhp9QbfRdqRf7s8h055aVrZkTuwh/s1600/steampunk_fashion_corset.jpg&imgrefurl=http://sunflowerlogistics.com/anthologies-mom-corsetting-daughter/&usg=__RgjIX-asYwnDbYMIATf9dmENOCY=&h=800&w=600&sz=76&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=WCCt0MTTAhwyPM:&tbnh=145&tbnw=110&ei=5Ru4TdaMEMib8QPhg9Ak&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dsteampunk%2Bwomen%2527s%2Bcorset%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26hs%3Din5%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-GB:official%26biw%3D1366%26bih%3D575%26tbm%3Disch&um=1&itbs=1&iact=rc&dur=560&page=1&ndsp=26&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0&tx=101&ty=93- Date accessed 20.10.10

My main sources of research were initially drawn from other blogs - with notable mention of thesteampunkhome.blogspot.com (an already extensive compilation of steampunk culture from a personal perspective) and popular culture - for example, films such as Steamboy and Wild Wild West have adopted a touch of steampunk into their style.

http://splunge.net.au/events/kenneth-branagh-film-festival/- Date acessed 4.01.11

Further into my research, i ended up visiting Tynemouth Market on a recommendation, and it turned out to be a fantastic source of inspiration. The mystery of a small brass cog, found among a box of trinkets, invoked a sense of unknown purpose - i felt this cog had to be for something, the feeling that this cog may have been missed, and searched for, that it may continue to do the job it was created for, was astounding to me. I feel this is the very essence of Steampunk's attraction to many - It harkens to a time of technological romanticism that may have been lost in our age, the return to which has now become a fantasy to many.

The fashion of Steampunk adheres to this ethos, style and functionality combined to create pieces that are laden in pseudo-utilitarianism, but never sacrificing the unique Victorian elegance.