Putting the "Punk" in Steampunk

Beside the Victorian aesthetic and the science fiction focus, it's important to note that Steampunk is punk. Interestingly enough, lots of us Steampunks are age-peers to those 70's punk rockers. We haven't changed our philosophies, just our style. Even with the kids and the cube-farm jobs, we're still punk.

It was only in the past 40 years that the term "punk" has come into the vernacular, notably by their elders to describe the British youth counter-cultural movement deemed to be "worthless young hoodlums" inspired by loud raucous music and trashy clothing. (Had they thought of it, I'm sure that the same could be said about the 60's and the 50's, and....) It's been said that to define "punk" is to create a cultural norm, and well, that's not punk. But we've got a lot in common with the Punk Rock Girl. We're countercultural, outré, anti-consumerist, individualistic and anti-authoritarian, we have a sense of the unexpected or shocking (we're okay wearing unconventional clothing out in public!), and we're free thinkers and discontent with societal norms, attitudes, and mores, because in some way Victorian seems more authentic. And yet, we turn Victorian norms, attitudes and mores on their collectively elegant top hats. We put corsets on the outside, and ladies are bad-asses with weapons. If that's not p-u-n-k, I don't know what is.

Where is the punk in Steampunk?

Steampunk is hard to define

If you're newish to the Steampunk culture, you've probably heard all sorts of definitions, from the very limited to virtually no definition at all. Controversy rages over what is and isn't Steampunk, whether it's a science fiction or a fantasy genre, and whether you can really do a "Steamunk Boba Fett" or not. Predictably, when virtually nothing is set in stone and everyone's a critic, creating something that's identifiably Steampunk can be fraught with all sorts of anxieties.

Generally, Steampunk is defined as an alternate future as seen from the Victorian past. My position is that we begin with a Victorian aesthetic, meld it with a punk ideology, and then invent alternate futures in which to frame the style. Which is of course, open to interpretation.

Steampunk has no style authority

The style is largely self-defined, based on everyone's mental image derived from literature, and (conventionally) based on Victorian aesthetics. Steampunk style reflects the taste, style, and aesthetic of the maker. Often that aesthetic is unconventional, juxtaposing dissimilar materials, leaving exposed raw (or burned!) edges, or mis-matching buttons.

Sure, there are pioneers like Diana Vick and G. D. Falksen, but their aesthetic is constantly under fire. Everyone's a critic. There are endless debates about what's Steampunk, what's not, and what's Steampunk "enough". We parse into Clockpunk, and accuse people of edging into Dieselpunk or Cyberpunk, and some people say that it's okay too.

Steampunk is a maker culture

We put a high value on self expression. Like those 70's punk rockers, we make our own clothing, and write our own music. The Steampunk ensembles that you see at a convention represent hours and hours of effort, a vast skillset, and likely years of experience in those skillsets. Makers create for ourselves, but also for others in the community to purchase to enhance their impressions. We have an active literary and musical tradition, which supports both musicians and authors, but also professional artists who create book covers and album covers.

Steampunk is anti-consumerist

We prefer to make instead of buying, unless it's from another Steampunk maker. And when we make, we very often upcycle, haunting thrift stores for second-hand clothing to mod. We take apart machinery for the interesting pieces. We find unconventional ways to use conventional objects. Door knobs become walking stick handles, and bed ruffles become petticoats. Virtually anyone can access the anti-consumerist philosophy; if you can sew on a button, you can make mods to second hand clothing to make it more steamy. More accomplished sewers will find chinos to mod into plus-fours, or be able to convert a velvet jacket into an opera coat. 

The irony about punk is that as soon as it becomes popular and mainstream, it's no longer punk. It becomes passe, a trope. In fact, as soon as D&G creates a steamy range of men's clothing (they did), Steampunk is very firmly in the mainstream. It seems that popularity tarnishes the genre for some, and they move on to other more edgy genres. I think that it means that Steampunkers simply need to keep creating and inventing - and yes, refining - the genre. 

And the ultimate irony is about to come to fruition - all that out-out-of-fashion mainstream Steampunk clothing will be in the thrift shops next year. And the counter-cultural, anti-consumerist Steampunk will be able to upcycle that clothing into their own wardrobe.

How punk is that?