Time-travel To A Steampunk Party
So, what on earth is this "steampunk" thing, you might wonder?
The Oxford Dictionary defines it as "A style of design and fashion that combines historical elements with anachronistic technological features inspired by science fiction". As William Higham puts it, "It’s all about mixing old and new: fusing the usability of modern technology with the design aesthetic and philosophy of the Victorian age".
In this sense, anything mechanical could form part of your wardrobe and home decor. The term was only coined in the late 1980's, but the look can be found as early as the 50's. Although it seems like a ridiculous trend, I think it must have been so much fun (although, maybe a lot of effort) to get dressed in the morning!
My client, Liz, took an interest in the decor trend after seeing another party with this peculiar theme. She wanted to use it for her 21st birthday party, but ended up exchanging a party for a visit to Cape Town. Brilliant choice!
However, her mom and I agreed that she still deserved a small celebration and decided to go with the theme she originally chose.
I had loads of fun researching the topic. You can check out my inspirational board here. It was difficult not to go completely overboard with the arrangements! It's such a diverse theme that it was difficult to make decisions and stick to them.
I also found some music that went quite well with the theme - the album Clockwork Elephant by Moth. You can have a listen here.
They decided not to go way out with costumes and just went with theme-appropriate colours and fabrics. Liz's mom prepared the food; actually very traditional South African cuisine, rather than Victorian.
Only being a small gathering, I had to restrict my wild imagination a bit because there are so much more to Steampunk than interesting decor and funky music. You can really go crazy with layers and layers of lace and leather and copper and silk... And, did I mention lace?
Raise your hand if you found a new fashion obsession! 🙋
