Steampunk Clothing

Autumn Steampunk Recipes

At Pearsons’s Renaissance Shoppe, we love it when the seasons change. We especially love the transition from summer to fall. There’s just something about the crisp air and colorful leaves that makes us happy! This month, we decided to see anyone had ever figured out a way to mix the steampunk aesthetic with traditional autumn foods, and that’s when we stumbled on one of our new favorite blogs, Steampunk Cookery. Aaron, the man who runs the blog, is an ACF-certified chef who also has a fondness for steampunk. We browsed his blog and found some great steampunk recipes that are perfect for cool autumn days and nights.

Acorn Squash Soup
3 acorn squash
3 shallots
6 garlic cloves
kosher salt
black pepper
olive oil

4 Tablespoons (60 ml) butter
3 shallots, minced
2 teaspoons (10 ml) dry sage
1 Tablespoon (15 ml) dark brown sugar
1 quart (947 ml) chicken stock
1 cup (237 ml) heavy cream
parmesan cheese
kosher salt
black pepper

1. Cut the acorn squash in half, and scoop out seeds. Place on a sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil. Place a half shallot and clove of garlic in each half of squash; salt and pepper lightly. Roast at 350°F for roughly an hour, until the squash begins to collapse and is soft and caramelizing.

2. Allow squash to cool, and scoop out flesh, shallots, and garlic. Set aside. Discard the skins.

3. Melt the butter, and sauté the shallots until they begin to caramelize. Add the sage and brown sugar, mix well, and cook 1-2 minutes. Deglaze with the chicken stock, and mix well.

4. Add the roasted squash flesh, shallots, and garlic cloves. Cook 5-10 minutes, then purée with an immersion blender or food mill. Simmer another 5-10 minutes.

5. Add the heavy cream, and grated parmesan to taste. Adjust seasonings as needed; garnish with fresh cracked black pepper.

Reconstructed Corned Beef and Cabbage

Dressing
5 tbsp (75 ml) white wine vinegar
3 tbsp (45 ml) Dijon mustard
10 tbsp (150 ml) vegetable oil
1/4 tsp. (1.25 ml) dried sage

salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Salad
24 fingerling potatoes, quartered and roasted
salt and freshly ground black pepper

dried sage
olive oil

2 cups (473 ml) thinly sliced green cabbage
1 cup (237 ml) sliced green onions
3 medium-size carrots, shredded or julienned

24 slices cooked corned beef

1. Combine vinegar and dijon mustard, season with salt, pepper, and sage. In a thin, steady stream, add oil, whisking well to combine. Set aside and refrigerate.

2. Slice fingerling potatoes into quarters, lengthwise. Place in a bowl and toss with ample olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, and sage. Roast in a 425°F/220°C/Gas Mark 7 oven until lightly browned and cooked through. Cool completely and dress with the vinaigrette.

3. Combine green onion, cabbage, and carrot. Add dressing to moisten well, and toss to coat.

4. Plate up with the cabbage salad first, potatoes atop that, and a slice of corned beef with a small amount of the dressing on it.

Rose Tea Gelée
50.0 grams rose tea, brewed
8 grams sugar
1 gram lemon juice
1 gelatin sheet, silver-grade

1. Steep 1 cup of rose tea (1 cup boiling water, 1 tsp leaves) for 3 minutes. Measure out 50 grams for use. Consume the rest.

2. Bring all ingredients but gelatin to a boil in a nonreactive pot. Soak gelatin in ample cold water.

3. Remove from heat and stir in gelatin. Pour into moulds, allow to set up in fridge, freezer, blast chiller, or cold porch.

Steampunk Culture in Video Games

 

Steampunk culture is quickly growing from being a small sub-genre to a mainstream aesthetic. Movies, TV shows, and graphic novels have all developed projects with a distinct steampunk flavor. It was only a matter of time before video games joined in on the steampunk revolution. Nowadays, steampunk culture and video games are intrinsically linked. Let’s take a look at some of the best steampunk video games!

  • Bioshock Infinite (2013) – You will see this game pop up more often than not on steampunk lists. This game got so many things right, from the tone to the outfits to the idiosyncratic steam-based technology.
  • Thief II: The Metal Age (2000) – This game involves thievery, sabotage, and many other underhanded activities, all taking place against a steampunk background. It even involves a religious group called the Machinists whose goal is to create steampunk machine servants.
  • Final Fantasy VI (1994) – The Final Fantasy series is one of the most popular video game series ever created. This installment takes place in a realm of steampunk machinery. While the graphics may seem crude my today’s standards, it is considered one of the best video games ever made.

This is only a small sampling of the steampunk-inspired video games out there. What are some of your favorites? Let us know in the comments section!

TV – Steampunk Style

Steampunk style is everywhere – themed parties, books, graphic novels, films, even video games are getting in on this growing subculture. This intriguing blend of science fiction, historical décor, and the steam-powered ingenuity of the Victorian era lends itself easily to the visual mediums of film and television. We’ve previously covered some movies that feature strong steampunk elements. Let’s take a look at some great steampunk TV shows!

  • The Wild Wild West (1965) – The precursor to the 1999 feature film, this TV series combined the style of westerns with the popular spy genre to great effect. The characters’ use of Jules Verne-esque technology and fantasy elements land it dead center in the steampunk universe.
  • Voyagers! (1982) – This fantasy show not only featured steampunk elements but also featured elements from across all time periods. As Phineas Bogg and a young boy named Jeffery Jones travel through time with the help of a mysterious device called the Omni, they teach the viewers about various moments in history.
  • The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. (1993) – Probably the most beloved of all steampunk shows, this short-lived yet critically adored show featured cult icon Bruce Campbell a lawyer who is hired to track down outlaw John Bly and his gang. While this may sound like a typical Western, it is anything but. Featuring anachronistic technology in a Victorian era American West, this show is a perfect blend of humor, action, and steampunk style.

Steampunk Cocktails!

Ever since the steampunk trend began picking up steam (I know, I’m sorry…), people have been incorporating the fun style into many aspects of daily life. One popular way to have a good time with steampunk is to throw a steampunk-inspired party. Have your guests don their best steampunk costumes, decorate your space with old-fashioned gears, clocks, and other imagery, and mix some steampunk cocktails. Steampunk cocktails?! Yep, some very clever people have put together some delicious steampunk-style cocktails. Here are some easy recipes:Steampunk cocktail

·       Mr. Jacobson’s Emerson

2 oz. Hayman’s Old Tom Gin (do not substitute regular London dry gin; it’s not sweet enough)
1 oz. sweet vermouth
1/2 oz. fresh lime juice
1/2 oz. maraschino liqueur (it’s the raffia-covered bottle at the back of the bar)
Turbinado sugar
Maraschino cherry

Wet the rim of a cocktail (aka “martini”) glass and dip the moistened rim in the Turbinado sugar. Set glass aside, preferably in freezer to chill.

Pour the gin, vermouth, lime juice, and maraschino liqueur into a cocktail shaker with ice cubes. Shake well. Strain into rimmed, chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with maraschino cherry and serve. Repeat as needed.

·       The Pauline Charteris Hindenburg Cocktail

3 oz kirschwasser
A tad less than 1/2 oz dry vermouth
A splash of Grenadine
Lemon peel*
(*A peel… just the oily skin… not a “twist” with the bitter white pith.)

Shake with ice, enough to make cold, but not enough to dilute too badly.

·       Tinkerton’s Steam Cloud

1oz Brandy
2oz half and half
2 t sugar
1/4 t Vanilla extract

Combine ingredients in shaker and stir until sugar is dissolved. Add Ice and shake vigorously (this makes it thick and foamy like a shake) and strain into glass. Add a light sprinkle of cinnamon on top and enjoy.

For more ideas, check out the book Steamdrunks: 101 Steampunk Cocktails and Mixed Drinks and throw yourself a great steampunk costumes party!

Steampunk Fashion in Movies

So, you’re into steampunk now. You know the background, you’ve read some H.G. Wells, and you’ve made some pretty cool steampunk gadgets. Now, all you need to do is work on your steampunk fashion. There are a number of websites out there to help you learn all about creating the perfect steampunk outfit, but sometimes seeing the outfits in action help you more and even inspire you to invent your own styles. Here’s a short list of great movies that inject fantastical steampunk elements and fashion into their stories. Take a look!

  • Sherlock Holmes (2009) – You may be familiar with the famous Detective Holmes and his partner Watson, but you’ve never seen a steampunk mystery adventure quite like this.
  • The Prestige (2006) – This thrilling tale of two dueling magicians infuses steampunk elements into its mysterious and twisty plot.
  • The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003) – In a textbook example of steampunk aesthetic, this adventure film features an alternate Victorian world where famous science fiction and adventure characters band together.
  • Wild Wild West (1999) – Will Smith and Kevin Kline team up in this alternate 19th-century comedy western.
  • The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988) – An early example of the steampunk movement showing up in film, this fantastic tale of an 18th century aristocrat features alternate histories, interesting mechanical inventions, early steampunk fashion, and great performances from Eric Idle, Sarah Polley, and Jonathan Pryce.

Steampunk Outfits for Newbies

Steampunk girlIf you’re like us, then you love the steampunk movement. Steampunk has its roots in books by authors like H.G. Wells and Jules Verne, but it grew as a popular subgenre during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Combining elements of the literary version of The Old West with Victorian-era fashion, steampunk melds history with science fiction to create new and unique worlds. Enthusiasts often wear steampunk outfits and enjoy all sorts of steampunk-related books, graphic novels, and TV shows. If you’re new to the steampunk movement, here are some resources to get you started!

  • http://www.steampunk.com/ – This is a great resource for all things steampunk. Fashioned like a blog, this site provides you with news, events, a primer on steampunk, and even a bookstore to help you stay up to date on all things steampunk!
  • http://steampunkworkshop.com – Another blog site with a unique twist. This not only contains news updates but also how-to instructions for D.I.Y. steampunk projects.
  • http://www.steampunkmagazine.com/ – This site is great! Featuring stories, interviews, and historical and scientific articles, Steampunk Magazine is definitely one of the best publications on the internet today for all your steampunk needs!

As the movement grows, so too will the resources online. Be sure to visit PearsonsRenaissanceShoppe.com for more information on steampunk and to buy some great steampunk outfits!

Steampunk Style: From Costumes to Decor!

Match your style to your steampunk decor

Steampunk is one of our favorite fantasy offshoots. It melds Victorian aesthetic and science fiction together into a beautiful array of gizmos, gadgets, and other wonderful things. We love it, and that’s why we have a large selection of steampunk costumes to help you create the fantasy in your own life. But we also think it would be fun to take it one step further, too! Let’s look at how you can add some steampunk style to your home.

There are some great places you can look for inspiration. Think about the works of Jules Verne or H.G. Wells and go from there. The movies Wild Wild West and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen are perfect examples of the steampunk style. The whole vibe combines the look and feel of Victorian England with funky gears, cogs, and other futuristic gadgets. Decorate your home with clocks with gears showing, hourglasses, and decorative rifles mounted on the wall. This will be perfectly complementary to a floral Victorian wallpaper and furniture. Kick it up a notch with accents including brass, copper, and dark glass and wood.

Have you decorated your home in the steampunk style already? We’d love to see some steampunk style pictures! We hear it can be just as functional as it is decorative—you can create stained glass domes for some eye-catching nightstand lamps or something similar

Find Intriguing Steampunk Clothing

pearsons-renaissance-shoppe-steampunk-airship-vest

A wide array of Steampunk Clothing

If you are intrigued by the Steampunk clothing trend, then you will appreciate the options available at PearsonsRenaissanceShoppe.com. The exact definition of the look is tough to nail down, but the look is intriguing and captivating. Just think of it as the melding of old style with futuristic influence. Imagine yourself in the times of such greats as Jules Verne and H.G. Wells, adorned in traditional garb of the period but hoping for things not yet seen; only imagined. These influences create a sense of the mechanical world we enjoy today but with a more vintage influence in clothing styles.

Today’s designers rarely consider big bustles or tight corsets in their everyday design, though these may have been quite prevalent in centuries past. Nevertheless, these elements bring that old time feel into the future, with intriguing embellishments. Clocks and stopwatches are fun elements of Steampunk clothing and fashion. A combination of mystery and piracy play a role, whether you explore pirate style garb, trench coat fashions, or unusual metallic buttons. Gears and gadgets work into the Steampunk style through intriguing jewelry pieces, cleverly crafted as allusions to those novels tied to dreams of the future and time travel.

Steampunk Costuming & Housing

Pearson’s Renaissance Shoppe provides you with a lot of things you need when it comes to your costuming needs. You can either be a Medieval knight, a pirate, a gypsy, or a tavern keep. If you are a fan of the Medieval or Renaissance era, we’ve got you covered.

But we also have a new section for another genre of enthusiasts: Steampunk. Steampunk is a version of fantasy that combines Victorian themes along with steam powered gadgets. If it has gears, or steam tanks, it can probably be associated with this genre. We have a new page of Steampunk costumes to help you get geared up for any type of gaming scenario, convention, or costume party.

Some people really get engrossed with the Steampunk genre. For some, they actually try to create the steam-powered gadgets that you read about in the books or see in drawings. For example: This New York City apartment has transformed itself into the “Steampunk Loft.” Although we don’t offer any type of Steampunk renovations, we thought you might be interested in seeing what a living space may be like in this setting.

Fantasy Costumes for Comic-Con

Get your comic on at Comic-Con

Comic-Con is an international convention for all things comics, fantasy, science fiction, horror, and so forth. Whether it was in a book, on TV, in a movie theater, or on the web, there is a good chance it will be represented at Comic-Con. Fans can expect to meet writers, directors, actors, illustrators, along with a whole host of people related to the industry.

Fans can also expect to meet a lot of other fans. The convention is just for that: The fans. Many fans like to dress up as their favorite characters to show off their love for these stories. Although it is more common to see Mr. Spock, the Joker, or Darth Vader, there are several fantasy themed characters out and about.

This year the Con is from July 21-24 and is being held in San Diego. If you are going to the Con and were interested in appearing as your favorite fantasy character, we wanted to advise that you order your fantasy costumes now. You want to make sure that they get to you in enough time for you to pack and try them on. Also don’t forget that as Steampunk makes more and more of an appearance in the mainstream, that you can also find Steampunk costumes at PearsonsRenaissanceShoppe.com.

We hope all of this year’s attendees have a great time!