Steampunk Crossover

[Rowan MacD]

When I go in my steampunk garb to a faire, I've always felt included and welcomed. There are only a handful of times when someone has said anything rude or snarky (once in my fairy outfit, once in my pirate garb, and once in my steampunk one) but other than that, people have seemed very receptive and nice. In my experience, just about everyone at faire is welcoming, no matter what someone is wearing, and that's a big part of what I love about faire so much! There will always be someone out there who has a problem with something you have on, sadly, no matter what you're wearing, so just try to focus on the positive reactions you get, rather than the negative ones

I don't like to snark at anyone, since I can vouch from personal experience that it makes you feel like poop for the rest of the day.  Anybody who has had a run in with the 'period police' (who also seem to have it out for the fae and pirates too) can vouch for that, but thankfully, it doesn't seem to happen at faire as often as it used to. If you make an honest effort at trying to participate, you should be left in peace to enjoy the event.   
    That said, I guess the only 'costumes' I really object to involve those that leave very little to the imagination.  I'm reasonably sure that faire is considered a family venue, and as such there is, and should be, a line drawn between garb/costume and blatant exhibitionism. 
     I generally don't care what people, (men or women), wear to faire as long as it looks like I won't have to disinfect the spot they just sat on before I sit there.  If they are clad in nothing but a sword, a leather or chain maile g-string, and a cup, a cape does not make up for the fact that the man is otherwise practically naked.  As for the ladies; Same goes for the modified mud flap outfit w/thong along with the chain maile bra sans lining.   'I'm dressed like a barbarian'  is like saying they are wearing the French Maid outfit from the adult toy store to clean the house in.
    People usually don't take kids to motorcycle rallies like Sturgis (where you can see many of the same outfits) for the same reasons.  Faire is not an adults only venue, or amateur night at the strip club.       
   I already know we have lost customers due to the skin factor, and with the drive toward 'family oriented' entertainment nowadays, the Faires will have decide what is acceptable and what is not, and to post signs like Disneyland used to do-'We reserve the right to exclude inappropriately dressed patrons'.  (Nice way to say no bikini tops or daisy dukes, shirts and shoes required).
   

[Merlin the Elder]

Believe it or not, Rowen, I've seen more `dane-wear that was totally inappropriate at our faire than garb-wear.  I'm not one who has a problem with a lot of skin showing. Some people can make it work, and some can't. But who is going to decide?  There was one barbarian couple that used to frequent Scarby who were really fabulously attired, but had an abundant amount of skin showing. There was absolutely nothing offensive in their dress. Quite tastefully done.

I saw one mundane this weekend that made me want to wash my eyes out with acid. If I'd have been with the fashion police, I would have had to shoot-to-kill. Three-quarters of her overly-abundant bum was hanging out of her short-shorts.

[Rowan MacD]

     But Merlin, the people of Walmart have to go someplace to have fun!
   

[Merlin the Elder]

     But Merlin, the people of Walmart have to go someplace to have fun!
   

Let the buggers go to WalMart where they belong... 

[groomporter]

Something I used to remind people is that many of the Goth kids who came to fair were not attending in "costumes", they were wearing their "normal" clothes (or at least their after-school going to the mall to hang with friends clothes).

One of the interesting things is that there is a small number of steampunk people who are treating it more of a lifestyle than just cosplay, and are wearing at least "neo-Victorian" outfits on a day-to-day basis. In a smaller way steampunk seems to have become a small subculture and not just "dress-up" for a few people. Here's a couple threads from the Brass Goggles forum.

What the Heck is a Steampunk life style ?
http://brassgoggles.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,16053.0.html

"How many of us dress "Neo-Victorian/SP" all the time?"
http://brassgoggles.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,20117.0.html

Some have even talked about living in steampunk communities the way some rennies have kicked around the idea Rennie artist communities (I think this usually comes up whenever someone talks about a year-'round faire) http://brassgoggles.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,7476.0.html

[DonaCatalina]

Believe it or not, Rowen, I've seen more `dane-wear that was totally inappropriate at our faire than garb-wear.  I'm not one who has a problem with a lot of skin showing. Some people can make it work, and some can't. But who is going to decide?  There was one barbarian couple that used to frequent Scarby who were really fabulously attired, but had an abundant amount of skin showing. There was absolutely nothing offensive in their dress. Quite tastefully done.

I saw one mundane this weekend that made me want to wash my eyes out with acid. If I'd have been with the fashion police, I would have had to shoot-to-kill. Three-quarters of her overly-abundant bum was hanging out of her short-shorts.

My sister saw that, or something very similar, and had to describe it to me at length. For once my mundane blindness came in handy. I think it was the hair that freaked her out the most.

[groomporter]

At MNRF a few years back

[Rowan MacD]

 Looks like she ran through a brier patch in a black bodystocking.   
  So this qualifies as a costume, and not exhibitionism?
     Maybe I'm getting too old to tell the difference *sigh*

[PollyPoPo]

From the looksees going on behind her, I would be guessing the reverse is even more, uh, interesting than the front.

At MNRF a few years back

Compared the Adam and Eve spotted last year, this ren-goer is heavily overdressed, even without the hat.

[LadyFae]

She reminds me of the picture I just saw of a hand that went through a paper shredder...

[Merlin the Elder]

Believe it or not, Rowen, I've seen more `dane-wear that was totally inappropriate at our faire than garb-wear.  I'm not one who has a problem with a lot of skin showing. Some people can make it work, and some can't. But who is going to decide?  There was one barbarian couple that used to frequent Scarby who were really fabulously attired, but had an abundant amount of skin showing. There was absolutely nothing offensive in their dress. Quite tastefully done.

I saw one mundane this weekend that made me want to wash my eyes out with acid. If I'd have been with the fashion police, I would have had to shoot-to-kill. Three-quarters of her overly-abundant bum was hanging out of her short-shorts.

My sister saw that, or something very similar, and had to describe it to me at length. For once my mundane blindness came in handy. I think it was the hair that freaked her out the most.

Hair?!? What hair?? The rest blinded me (in the bad way) to look any further...

At MNRF a few years back

From a "skin" standpoint, it doesn't bother me, but it surely doesn't fit a Renaissance faire.  It would work well at the local "gentlemen's" club.

[Tammy]

I see this alot at biker rallies. Don't fit the renaissance era, but it covers more then a bikini.

[Rowan MacD]

   This and the chain maile micro kini +thong. 
   I saw more 'barbarian princesses' at Sturgis in '99 and '00 (the last two years I was there), than I have seen at all the Renaissance faires since.
  Curiously enough, I saw no bikinis there, though there was a lot of upper body 'paint 'n Pasties'   No pics of which are SFW. 
   

[Rani Zemirah]

Judging from the tricorn and boots... I think she might believe this is a "pirate" look...?  

[LadyFae]

Judging from the tricorn and boots... I think she might believe this is a "pirate" look...?  

Well obviously she lost the sword fight...