Steampunk Uniform

As my by-line says ‘artist and costumer’, I think it’s time for a post about costuming.

I attended Mancunicon, the British National Science Fiction Convention, over Easter and decided to wear two constructed uniforms as hall costume.

I have always been of the opinion that Steampunk is more than cogs and goggles.

The first uniform was World War 2 based

I can, occasionally, be subtle. At first glance, this looks like any WW 2 uniform.

Allow me to deconstruct it.

The trousers are no.2 dress; the blouse is no.3 (battle) dress and has Dr Geoff Banyard skull & goggles badges on collar and epaulettes, as well as major’s crowns. I also added real British medal ribbons, but carefully in a random order.  There is a Dr Geoff unit badge on the right shoulder for the eighteenth regiment, showing a badger with a gun.

 The shirt and tie are modern British Army and the hat is Soviet Army, but with a Royal Ordinance Corps badge.

The belt of the Sam Browne is a modern reproduction, but the shoulder strap, holster and accessories are genuine. Sam Brownes were never worn with battledress.

The gun is a Steampunk sculpture

The second uniform was more Victorian Steampunk and felt like service dress for Space Service. You will note there is no sidearm- but who needs a sidearm when one has a Type 32 Winston Class Dreadnaught?

The seated pose photo was taken by Jackie Burns and is used with consent.

Once again the uniform hangs together well.

It is made up of a Blues & Royals Officer Mess Dress jacket with major’s crowns on the epaulettes, a wing collar shirt and Victorian stock, a Georgian Uniform waistcoat, a Guards officer’s waist sash, Royal Artillery No 1 dress trousers and a Royal Engineers forage cap.

Until next time

Adieu