What is steampunk?

I keep getting asked that question. My theory is that it evolved from the goth scene. In 1994, a few goths organised a gathering of goths at the Elsinore pub in Whitby that attracted so many that it quickly became an annual event, then soon a bi-annual event called the Whitby Goth Weekend (WGW). It was so popular that it attracted not just goths, but lots of others who just loved dressing up and were able to freely parade around the streets of Whitby with so many others who were like-minded. The more exotic and fabulous the costumes the better, so that the goth origins became overtaken by all manner of “dressing-up” (much to the annoyance of ‘pure’ goths. 

At the core were costumes of the Victorian era overlaid with fantastical embellishments and gadgetry inspired by the steam powered age and the stories of Jules Verne (the giant octopus from ‘20,000 Leagues Under the Sea’ is a common icon in the steampunk world). Why the nomenclature “Steampunk”? The Ministry of Steampunk gives this explanation:

The name “Steampunk” started as a joke. There was a movement in science fiction to write in a genre known as “Cyberpunk”. When various writers began exploring similar concepts and ideas but setting them in a pseudo-Victorian world the term steampunk was jokingly coined. The name stuck but even steampunks are constantly debating “well what is steampunk?” Like all communities, however steampunk has grown and developed a life of its own.

The self-proclaimed, ‘Ministry of Steampunk’ is a group of enthusiasts who have been organising what has become the biggest annual steampunk event in the world: the annual Asylum event in Lincoln. It started in 2009, at a former psychiatric hospital (hence the name).

The Steampunk scene has grown enormously over the years and there are now events happening almost every weekend, spring to autumn, all over the UK, and increasingly around the world. Many towns and cities now have a steampunk group that meets monthly and organises their own events.

You can go to a steampunk event just wearing a Victorian costume but really, anything goes, the more amazing and extraordinary the outfits the better. Some of the costumes and accessories display incredible creativity, many embellished with copper tubing and brass fittings, clocks, watches and gear wheels, hats with goggles, and all manner of ingenious devices. If you love dressing up, you will love steampunk.