Thanks to novels, outlandish TV shows and movies laced with science fiction, steampunk fashion Australia is alive and well. And one can only expect such a trend to continue to escalate as readers and audiences around the world continue to yearn for new material. With steampunk fashion Australia, it’s not everything goes in line with say, a Halloween celebration.
On the contrary, there is a formula in the fashion that is as distinctive as French haute couture. A part of it is the Victorian style of dressing which became increasingly prevalent towards the latter half of the 19th century. This part is the pompous aspect of the vibrant tradition, one that is marked by the distinctive presence of ruffled skirts, the use of silk or velvet, and the curious presence of a rather tight-fitting corset.
The ensemble will not be complete with something that is either a part of the future or a blast from the American wild west. So contagious is this new and emerging style of fashion that the latest chic magazines and perfume commercials are starting to fall in line. In fact, as more celebrities and fashionistas support the equality of the sexes around the globe, heroines on film and television are increasingly seen in a couture that is half Victorian and half time machine.
It’s hard to see an end to this manner of dressing or fashion statement. Suffice it to say that the authorities involved in policing the ranks are becoming ever more vigilant with enforcing what’s right and what isn’t. For example, it’s not enough to just wear a vintage dress in support of the growing trend. It must also be good taste, quality and condition. It’s also necessary to introduce an aspect of the dress from another time or alternative future.
By mixing and matching the two elements in a creative, ingenious and sophisticated manner, it’s easy to earn an exemplary reputation for supporting the cause, whether charitable or otherwise. And who knows, Australia may yet become a centre of fashion all its own by virtue of the growing popularity of the trend.
No one knows for sure how or who actually started such a trend. And with the clear verdict that such an emerging fashion sense goes well beyond the Halloween celebration, the women, in particular, are now free to strut the style in the office spaces of the world. Despite the post-modernism in the arts, the hip-hop culture and the increasingly eclectic nature of religious belief, no one seems to have seen this coming. In the meantime, the fashion authorities are scrambling to find an explanation that may be a long time coming.
