The Search for a Steampunk Prom Dress

Sarafina writes,

"I'm a 17 year old girl who reads both your blogs. I'm sort of home-schooled (i.e. taking community college classes rather than high school), and this year the high school/home school dance is steampunk themed.

"... I totally don't have the funds for some crazy awesome custom made dress from Etsy (sadness), and the same goes for a leather corset, so the point of this rather rambling email is to ask you if you have any ideas for a steampunk prom dress that you would be willing to share. I have access to thrift stores in the bay area, and if it turns out well I'll share pictures. Thank you!"

I actually already responded to Sarafina's e-mail, but then I decided to go back and add visual aids to my thrift store shopping advice, which I think makes it more useful. Then I might have gotten a little carried away... so I figured I'd make the whole thing a post in the hopes that it might help someone else out there looking for a more formal steampunk look.

Keep in mind that I am in no way an expert on steampunk fashion, and I'm also the farthest thing you'll find from a steampunk purist. So please think of this advice as merely "guidelines" for the complete novice, and remember that steampunk is all about personalization, and you should always strive to make your outfit your own.

So with those caveats, here goes:


I'd start by looking for a vintage bridesmaid dress that you could modify or add to. Look for solid color jewel tones like a rich red, purple, blue, emerald, etc. (Although black is always classic, too.) Ruffles and full skirts are ideal.

(All images via Ebay. All of these dresses are pre-owned, and averaged between $20 and $30)

Then look for a second full skirt in a complementary color, and pin up the dress to show the skirt underneath. (Or put the skirt on top - whichever works.)

Example:

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You could also pair a blouse with full skirts instead of a dress, so keep an eye out for peasant-look blouses or high-necked Victorian ones.

(Again, all images via Ebay's pre-owned clothing auctions.)

Example:

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(Also note the layered/pinned skirts.)

If your skirts are short, then consider wearing some fun patterned tights: stripes are classic, as are fishnets and scrolly patterns.

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Since a corset really does add a lot to the look, you might try DIY'ing an under corset/waist cincher like I did for my own steampunk costume:

(More pics & details here.)

All you need is a little vinyl, grommets, & shoe laces or ribbon to lace it up. Total cost is less than $10 - and the best part: no sewing required! Add the under corset on top of a good ruffly dress, and that's half your outfit right there.

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Another alternative to a corset is a good vest buttoned snugly, or an extra wide leather belt.

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A nicely fitted jacket can also work wonders:

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(Look for rich fabrics like this to keep it formal.)

Steampunk is mostly about the accessories, so once you have your foundation pieces grab lots of leather belts (or one extra wide one) from the thrift store, and play with layering them low on your hips. Hang things like pouches and little bottles and old keys off them for extra detail - but don't go overboard. Keep it a little more formal by sticking with two or three items, tops.

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Also look for pocket watches (cheap ones are everywhere these days - you can get them on ebay for less than $5) which you can wear as a necklace or on your waist. If you're wearing a high-necked blouse, look for some fun jewelry or a lace handkerchief to pin at the neckline:

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A little top hat or a pair of goggles is ideal for headwear, and fortunately the little hats aren't too hard or expensive to make. (There are tons of tutorials and free patterns out there - just google "tiny hat tutorial.") Feathers look great on hats or by themselves in your hair, too.

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For your feet, leather granny shoes with low heels are perfect, or find some slim fitting boots.

(via Ebay's pre-owned auctions)

Failing that, you can also wear regular heels and make simple felt spats to fit over them (look online for patterns/ideas) to give them a more Victorian look.

For a purse, look for a pretty embroidered or satin evening bag, or make a drawstring pouch out of a nice fabric and hang it from your belt. Because this is a prom, I'd leave the steampunk weaponry at home this time, so icks-nay on the modded Nerf guns and rocket packs and such. (Save those for your next convention.)

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And, most importantly: HAVE FUN WITH IT! Remember to put a little "punk" in your steampunk: a bright color here, a crazy accessory there. Spend some time online looking at steampunk outfits for inspiration; that will be your best resource. (DeviantArt and Flickr are great for this.) You'll start to see how other people have pieced everything together, and once you break down all the layers you'll see it's not quite so daunting.



Ok, guys, so tell me: what'd I miss? Add your advice (and links to pictures) in the comments!