What is steampunk?

Section III of 9

Steampunk accessories: hats, goggles and more

Eleven guides to the pieces that make an outfit steampunk, from goggles and top hats to corsets, watches and boots. Open a drawer to see what each guide covers, and the one thing worth knowing before you buy or make it.

11 guides About 147 minutes of reading

A woman in a top hat with a pair of brass goggles on the brim

The cabinet

Open a drawer

Eleven drawers, one for each guide. Each one holds what the guide covers and the one thing worth knowing before you buy or make the piece.

Every guide
A woman in a top hat with a pair of brass goggles on the brim

In the goggles drawer

Steampunk Goggles

Steampunk goggles explained: the real goggles they copy, the parts, the four main kinds, how to wear them on a hat, seeing through them safely, making a pair and caring for brass and leather.

Good to knowCostume goggles are not eye protection. Never wear them in place of the real thing.

Read the guide, about 14 minutes
A woman with blue hair in a top hat with goggles, a leather waistcoat and puffed sleeves

In the hats drawer

Steampunk Hats and Top Hats

Steampunk hats from the top hat to the bowler, mini top hats, riding hats and hats for women, with how to decorate one, measure your head, keep it on all day and make your own.

Good to knowMini top hats sit on the head rather than round it, so they are a good choice when you cannot try a hat on first.

Read the guide, about 14 minutes
A black leather plague doctor's mask with a long beak, worn with a wide-brimmed hat

In the masks drawer

Steampunk Masks and the Plague Doctor

Steampunk masks explained: the disputed history of the plague doctor, why old gas masks must never be worn, half masks and masquerade masks, comfort and safety, and making your own.

Good to knowNever wear an old gas mask, however good it looks.

Read the guide, about 13 minutes
A woman in a black leather-look corset and a gathered, layered skirt

In the corsets drawer

Steampunk Corsets and Waistcoats

Steampunk corsets and waistcoats explained: overbust, underbust and cinchers, steel and plastic boning, lacing one comfortably, waistcoats for men and women, fabrics and sizes.

Good to knowIf it hurts, it is too tight. You should be able to breathe deeply, sit, bend and eat a meal.

Read the guide, about 14 minutes
A bearded man in a top hat covered in gauges and goggles, wearing round dark glasses and a waistcoat

In the coats drawer

Steampunk Coats and Jackets

Steampunk coats and jackets for men and women: frock coats, tailcoats, greatcoats, dusters and military coats, short jackets and boleros, fabrics, buttons and how to alter a coat.

Good to knowA coat with a seam and a flare at the waist looks right even in a plain fabric. One that hangs straight from the shoulders never quite does.

Read the guide, about 13 minutes
An open pocket watch on its chain beside a pile of small brass gears

In the watches drawer

Steampunk Watches and Pocket Watches

Steampunk watches and pocket watches: their place in Victorian life, open-face and hunter cases, chains and fobs, skeleton watches, wristwatches, clockwork and caring for an old watch.

Good to knowHave an old watch looked at before you wear it often, and never open the movement yourself: some old dials were painted with radium.

Read the guide, about 12 minutes
A steampunk in a top hat fitted with brass gauges, a gear brooch at the wrist

In the jewellery drawer

Steampunk Jewellery

Steampunk jewellery explained: gears, keys and watch parts, necklaces, brooches, cufflinks and rings, Victorian jet, cameos and lockets, metals and their care, and making your own safely.

Good to knowNever take apart a watch or clock with luminous numbers or hands made before the 1970s.

Read the guide, about 14 minutes
A woman with blue hair in a top hat with goggles, a leather waistcoat and puffed sleeves

In the make-up drawer

Steampunk Make-up and Hair

Steampunk make-up and hair: the Victorian face, brass and machine make-up, hairstyles for long and short hair, moustaches and beards, hair under hats, and trying make-up safely.

Good to knowMetallic craft paint is not made for skin. It should never go on the face or body.

Read the guide, about 14 minutes
Brown leather boots and belts with brass buckles on a wooden table

In the boots drawer

Steampunk Boots

Steampunk boots explained: lace-up, button and buckle boots, riding, military and work boots, spats and gaiters, boots for women, comfort on a long day and dressing up a plain pair.

Good to knowYou do not need special steampunk boots. A plain pair can be dressed up.

Read the guide, about 13 minutes
A woman in a decorated top hat and red round glasses, with a leather bodice and gauntlet

In the glasses drawer

Steampunk Glasses and Sunglasses

Steampunk glasses and sunglasses: round wire frames, pince-nez, monocles and lorgnettes, tinted lenses and side shields, prescription frames, and sun lenses that really protect your eyes.

Good to knowWhether a coloured lens is safe in strong sun depends on how it was made and tested.

Read the guide, about 13 minutes
Two smiling steampunks in goggles and decorated hats at an outdoor gathering

In the finishing touches drawer

The Finishing Touches: Gauntlets, Wings and Other Accessories

Steampunk accessories explained: gauntlets and gloves, belts and holsters, wings and mechanical arms, parasols and canes, badges and medals, bags, and what UK law says about props.

Good to knowCarry a prop gun to and from an event in a closed bag, and never point it at anyone.

Read the guide, about 13 minutes

Section III

Every hats, goggles and accessories guide

In the order they are best read. Each one is long enough to answer the question properly, with every fact checked and its source listed at the foot.

  1. 13Steampunk GogglesSteampunk goggles explained: the real goggles they copy, the parts, the four main kinds, how to wear them on a hat, seeing through them safely, making a pair and caring for brass and leather.About 14 min
  2. 14Steampunk Hats and Top HatsSteampunk hats from the top hat to the bowler, mini top hats, riding hats and hats for women, with how to decorate one, measure your head, keep it on all day and make your own.About 14 min
  3. 15Steampunk Masks and the Plague DoctorSteampunk masks explained: the disputed history of the plague doctor, why old gas masks must never be worn, half masks and masquerade masks, comfort and safety, and making your own.About 13 min
  4. 16Steampunk Corsets and WaistcoatsSteampunk corsets and waistcoats explained: overbust, underbust and cinchers, steel and plastic boning, lacing one comfortably, waistcoats for men and women, fabrics and sizes.About 14 min
  5. 17Steampunk Coats and JacketsSteampunk coats and jackets for men and women: frock coats, tailcoats, greatcoats, dusters and military coats, short jackets and boleros, fabrics, buttons and how to alter a coat.About 13 min
  6. 18Steampunk Watches and Pocket WatchesSteampunk watches and pocket watches: their place in Victorian life, open-face and hunter cases, chains and fobs, skeleton watches, wristwatches, clockwork and caring for an old watch.About 12 min
  7. 19Steampunk JewellerySteampunk jewellery explained: gears, keys and watch parts, necklaces, brooches, cufflinks and rings, Victorian jet, cameos and lockets, metals and their care, and making your own safely.About 14 min
  8. 20Steampunk Make-up and HairSteampunk make-up and hair: the Victorian face, brass and machine make-up, hairstyles for long and short hair, moustaches and beards, hair under hats, and trying make-up safely.About 14 min
  9. 21Steampunk BootsSteampunk boots explained: lace-up, button and buckle boots, riding, military and work boots, spats and gaiters, boots for women, comfort on a long day and dressing up a plain pair.About 13 min
  10. 22Steampunk Glasses and SunglassesSteampunk glasses and sunglasses: round wire frames, pince-nez, monocles and lorgnettes, tinted lenses and side shields, prescription frames, and sun lenses that really protect your eyes.About 13 min
  11. 23The Finishing Touches: Gauntlets, Wings and Other AccessoriesSteampunk accessories explained: gauntlets and gloves, belts and holsters, wings and mechanical arms, parasols and canes, badges and medals, bags, and what UK law says about props.About 13 min
A woman in a decorated top hat and red round glasses, with a leather bodice and gauntlet
A bearded man in a top hat covered in gauges and goggles, wearing round dark glasses and a waistcoat
A woman in a Victorian-style bustle dress of dark red damask, with a lace collar and a small hat

Put it together

The whole outfit

The accessories finish an outfit. These guides start one.

A woman's outfitThe blouse, the corset or waistcoat, the skirt or trousers, the coat and the hat, layer by layer. Women's Steampunk OutfitsA man's outfitThe shirt, braces and waistcoat, the frock coat, the hat and the goggles. Men's Steampunk OutfitsOn a budgetWhat you already own, charity shop finds and home-made goggles. A Steampunk Costume on a BudgetFor HalloweenThe plague doctor, the mad scientist and brass-coloured make-up. Steampunk for HalloweenFor a weddingThe dress, the suit, the rings and the kinds of place that suit it. A Steampunk Wedding: Dresses, Suits and Ideas
An Edison bulb glowing inside a glass jar lamp in a dark room The next section, IV Home and decor Lamps and lighting, clocks, furniture and ornaments, and a whole room in the style. Go to the section

Everything on Steampunks

The contents

Nine sections and fifty-three guides.

  1. IWhat steampunk isThe meaning, the look, where it came from, and how it differs from Gothic and Victorian.
  2. IIFashion and costumeWomen's and men's outfits, a costume on a budget, Halloween, a steampunk wedding.
  3. IIIHats, goggles and accessoriesYou are here. Goggles, top hats, masks, corsets, waistcoats, coats, watches, jewellery, boots.
  4. IVHome and decorLamps and lighting, clocks, furniture and ornaments, and a whole room in the style.
  5. VArt and makingSteampunk art and artists, how to draw it, robots and creatures, cogs and gears, props.
  6. VIFilms, TV, games, books and musicThe films, the animation, the games, Minecraft builds, the books and the music.
  7. VIISteampunk events in the UKWhere steampunks gather, with the dates from each organiser's own site.
  8. VIIIAirships and machinesSteampunk airships, and the real ones that went before them.
  9. IXThe Victorian world behind itVictorian fashion, London, architecture and the Gothic Revival.
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