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Steampunk — my new obsession

Man wears steampunk hat creation at ComiCon

Man wears steampunk hat creation @ ComiCon

World, meet my new obsession: steampunk. Do I own anything steampunk? No. Do I wish I owned anything steampunk? YES. Like these amazing thigh-high tights. Or perhaps this super cool cake (see below).

Seriously, though; I love this cake.  It’s from Mike’s Creations, which has some of the most amazing wedding cakes I’ve ever seen (even though I loved my own — thanks Christina!  You’re a master artist!):

Incredible steampunk cake.

Incredible steampunk cake

My wedding cake - Alice in Wonderland style

My wedding cake - Alice in Wonderland style

And last but not least, I love steampunk fashion — not the candy-stripe pink kind that looks like Victorian wallpaper, but the dark suits, tophats, striped stockings and corsets with tulle hiding under brocade dresses.

From Abney Park on LiveJournal

From Abney Park on LiveJournal

One of the reasons I wanted to buy a sewing machine was to start making some of my own designs, particularly steampunk designs which are typically hand-made or made from upcycled vintage clothing. I don’t imagine myself walking down the street in a tophat (although I adore hats, and wish good hats were easier to find), but I can be queen of dress-up… or something.

I’m not terribly into fashion, but I do gripe that we just keep recycling the same old fashions over and over.  After all, the 1950′s wasn’t “retro,” it was itself; same for the 1960′s and 1970′s, but I see flower children in the park these days listening to iPods.  Steampunk, it’s true, is a copy of Victorian style, but with quite a bit of twist.  I think punk is one of the funnest styles we had the last century, and to combine that effect with Victorian corsets, tophats, goggles and lace-up boots…we’ll, it’s like visual ska, putting together disparate elements for an amazing whole.

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Valentine’s Day

The ubiquitous heart-shaped box

The ubiquitous heart-shaped box

Today is Valentine’s Day, and the world ’round men are out buying cheesy white teddy bears with red hearts for their sweethearts, along with a box of chocolates and a half dozen red roses. It’s a rule.

Honestly.

Actually, today I remembered one of the boons of having a highly-sought-after roommate in college.

LeeAnn and I were opposites; she wore high heels and figure-flattering pantsuits, and I wore t-shirts over henley tops with worn-out jeans and birkenstocks. She liked country music, and I wasn’t sure what I liked but country was low on my list.

Actual Birkenstocks worn from 1991-2007

Actual Birkenstocks worn from 1991-2007

We would go dancing, and she would dance, while I played the role of the audience. Nevertheless, we had a reasonable partnership, particularly on holidays like Valentine’s Day, because of one simple thing: LeeAnn, for whatever reason, does not like chocolate. Men bought her chocolate, usually with roses and a teddy bear, for no apparent reason — it was the summer soltice, perhaps, or possibly because it rained on Thursday? I never knew. more »

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