Wednesday 27 July 2011

Welcome Gail Carriger!

Today, I'm thrilled to welcome Gail Carriger to the party. I'm a big fan of Gail's  imaginative and humorous Parasol Protectorate series, so I'm doubly delighted she can join us today. Welcome, Gail!



The Archaeology and Evolution of Steampunk Fashion

It's always difficult to pin point the beginning of a style trend. In archaeology we construct Seriation charts which have popularity curves. Think, for example, if you were to excavate jeans over the past 40 years how the popularity of different pant legs might ebb and flow.


 Steampunk fashion is no different, even though it is coupled to the maker movement. In fact, being part of an aesthetic revolution that involves not only books and music but interior design and gadget modification makes steampunk fashion even more difficult to analyze. It clearly has some roots in the short-lived cyberpunk style of the late 80s and early 90s, which combined plastic and metallic accessories with brightly colored block coloring. Cyberpunks incorporated glow sticks, backlight, pvc, and telephone cords to their everyday look. The movie Hackers is a great example.


 But there is also a Goth element: steampunk witnesses Goths discovering color, texture, and new avenues of characterization. The Victorian homage remains (along with the stripy stockings). But then there are also some Burner elements to steampunk as well. So what we have ended up with is the following formula.
color + found-objects (a la cyberpunk) + Victoriana lace and frills (a la Goth / homemade fabrics + gadgets (a la Burners) = steampunk

Jodhpurs, meets automated arms, clock jewelry, and yarn hair.

(Gail, courtesy of J. Daniel Sawyer)

As an author who came to steampunk via the aesthetic movement I find it strange how disconnected the fashion seems to be from the literary movement (which started in the early 80s with K. W. Jeter, Tim Powers, and James Blaylock). Both are now evolving. The steampunk aesthetic now includes people who are into dressing only a little bit (a cog necklace, a newsboy cap), and people who are hardcore fashion gurus (full on bustle dresses and head to tow gadgetry) and everything in between. Ralph Lauren put steampunk down the runway in 2008, Target put it into shops a few years later, Sherlock Homes stuck it on the big screen, and Sony made it into video games. There are makers with massive fire-breathing snails, makers with booze-dispensing brass backpacks, and makers who are green-believers who want steampunk to save the planet. The literary side includes steampunk romance, steampunk adventure, steampunk paranormal, steampunk noir, and steampunk dystopia. One of the places these two parallel worlds meet is at steampunk conventions, which are fast becoming one of my favorite venues for fun and inspiration.

Having watched the cyberpunk movement fade away, I'm delighted to see steampunk become ever more inclusive, in as many ways as possible. After all, one of the worst things about the Victorian era was its elitism, snobbery, bigotry, and classicism. I'd like to hope steampunk can leave those bits far behind.

Nevertheless, even being part of this moment as both a DIYer and an author, I remain confused as to it's evolution. How has it managed to cease the imagination of so many? Where do we see steampunk going? And is there enough tea to keep it afloat?




Gail Carriger's latest steampunk novel, Heartless, is in stores now. She is a self-titled fashionista, tea addict, archaeologist, and steampunk author who, when not excavating, lives on a vineyard in Northern California with one cat, three vehicles, and fifty pairs of shoes. Her books include the New York Times Bestselling Parasol Protectorate series, Soulless, Changeless, Blameless, Heartless and Timeless (March 2012), and the Finishing School series (next year from Little, Brown). She also has a manga edition of the first book due out in Spring 2012.

Alexia and Conall 

You can listen to a full cast podcast production of the first chapter of her first book, Soulless, at http://www.jdsawyer.net/soulless-final-draft.mp3

If you'd like to read more on her thoughts concerning steampunk fashion and its cultural evolution she has a piece in Steampunk Reloaded edited by Ann & Jeff VanderMeer. Her website includes an extensive page on steampunk. http://www.gailcarriger.com/steampunk.php And she'll be attending TeslaCon this year. http://www.teslacon.com/


Today, Gail is giving away a copy of Heartless (winner'c choice of US edition or UK trade edition) to one lucky winner who tells us about their own personal favourite steampunk fashion, or who comments on Gail's post in some other way. The contest will close at midnight tonight and the winner will be announced tomorrow on this thread.

19 comments:

  1. Hi Gail! Great to have you with us today! Can you tell us a bit about your new series, Finishing School? Is it steampunk too?

    Marie

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  2. Hi Gail,

    I just finished Heartless and I loved, loved, loved it! Oh! And the baby! You are brilliant!

    I have to admit my favourite steampunk fashion is the corset. Hats are great, but there's nothing to beat a 'punked corset.

    Thanks for your good work, Gail. I'm looking forward to Timeless.

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  3. Hi Zita - me too on Heartless and Timeless :).

    Marie

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  4. HI there, pleasure to be here. I must say I love the corset as well. I happen to own 10 because I worked for a corset maker for years. Someday I will do a blog all about corsets.

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  5. Hats! I love them. And boots too... I'm actually making a hat right now. Think riding couture with a demi veil and ravens...

    I can't wait to read this series. I am embarrassed to admit, I'm a cover slut and I just love all of your covers.

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  6. Oh my...I have some catching up to do here. I have the first book...I need...I gotta get the others.

    Loved this post and your outfits are absolutely FAB!!!!

    Valerie
    in Germany

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  7. Gail, more people need to dress like you! That is one truly fantastic outfit you are wearing up there! Looks like you will keep it alive-- tea or no! :-)

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  8. I absolutely adore the Parasol Protectorate series. And while one might assume that meant the parasol would be my favorite item, for me it's actually the hats (and, no, thankfully, not Ivy's version of hats). Thanks for stopping by today Gail!

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  9. A steampunk convention sounds like such fun! I love your covers too. I have to check out your series! Not sure why steampunk's seized the public consciousness, maybe vamps have finally run out of steam, lol.
    I admit to being a fellow tea addict as well. :)

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  10. Hats, definitely. And I think that parasols should make a comeback; this summer I am seeing people using umbrellas to avoid too much sun. It would be so much more stylish to have a parasol.

    a dot charol at yahoo dot ca

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  11. I read the comments, and I agree about parasols! They should make a comeback! Steampunk style is so daring and ready for high adventure yet ready for tea time or kissing in a corner on a moment's notice. I look forward to reading Gail's series! Going for my Kindle now ....

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  12. For me, steampunk is all about the hats, and the way you're carrying around all your steam-books. I've got a lovely old map carrier that I use to cart around my things (book, notebook, pencils, tea...), but I truly appreciate the wide variety of hats and things you can put on them.

    Murphy D.

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  13. I absolutely love your series, Gail! So much fun!

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  14. Hi Gail. Your books sound awesome. I haven't read your work before but have just added you to my new authors to try list. I guess my favorite steampunk fashion would be the accessories because you never know what one is going to come up with to use.

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  15. This is a whole new world for me. I've loved parasols since I had one as a child. Corsets are definitely sexy-irresistible, as are jodhpurs and the boots. Love the boots.

    The hats... well, only at the right fun social event.

    One of the appeals of steampunk, as I understand it, is the adventure, the adventurous spirit.

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  16. I have to confess I've always avoided hats since I was forced to wear them to church when I was a kid and they made my head itch :). Now I only wear them to avoid the sun in warmer climates than my own, and I'm wondering why I didn't think of parasols before for this purpose! Excellent idea.

    Gail, thanks so much for your fun post yesterday! Very glad you joined the party!

    I'll be back in a moment with Gail's winner...

    Marie

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  17. And Gail's winner of HEARTLESS is...

    SAVANNA KOUGAR!

    Congratulations, Savanna! Could you please send me your postal address - Marie AT MarieTreanor DOT com. Thanks!

    Marie

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  18. Congrats Savanna!! You lucky cub...hehe!!

    Valerie
    in Germany

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  19. Hi, Valerie, I am a lucky cub. It made my day when I opened my email, and found Marie's post! And, yep, I sent my addy. Thank you!

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