It is coming ... The Mainstream!

Does anyone recall that in the past I had said many times words to the effect of;
"I will never accept that steampunk is becoming mainstream untill there are people in the street (other than me) dressed like victorians and we see celebrities in corsets and top hats."

However if steampunk is mainstream or not doesn't matter to me, I might acctually be pleased, it's just that today I opened my newspaper to this:

Spoiler:

She is wearing a corset and I can't quite make it out but I think that is a top hat adorning her head.


Is this the begining ... ?

if this is the begining then it's the begining of the end! britney spears and her music are scary!

Nah, corsets have been filtering (back) into the mainstream for a while- Moulin Rouge and the resurrection of the "burlesque" in general revived interest in 'em (and hats). Besides... a back to front corset? Like that's going to catch on!

Nah ... that's no top hat.
It's a dunce cap.

Sorry ... I don't understand why she's still in popular media ...

Steamblast Mary wrote:Besides... a back to front corset? Like that's going to catch on!

Haha! Oh my, that is quite funny indeed

CaptZaphod wrote:
Sorry ... I don't understand why she's still in popular media ...

I just don't understand popular media

Steamblast Mary wrote:Nah, corsets have been filtering (back) into the mainstream for a while- Moulin Rouge and the resurrection of the "burlesque" in general revived interest in 'em (and hats). Besides... a back to front corset? Like that's going to catch on!

Oh-ho, be careful what you say, for the future is nearby and it listens!

... Sorry, that makes no sense, but I had to put it out there or else it'd be running around in my head all night...

Anyway, I've always thought that the smart-waistcoat fashion of what i suppose could be called Casual Steampunk would become mainstream in Ireland when they were sold in my local dirt-cheap clothes supershop, Penneys (the irish branch of Primark). This happened a few months ago, but no-one seems to be buying them, thank goodness. Horribly-made things they are.

Besides... a back to front corset? Like that's going to catch on!

Shh!!! We were all pretending like we didnt notice that shes's wearing it backwards!

TehZorch wrote:

Besides... a back to front corset? Like that's going to catch on!

Shh!!! We were all pretending like we didnt notice that shes's wearing it backwards!

*chuckles*

That's definitely no top hat; I think she may have swiped it from these fellows:

Plum Phlogiston wrote:That's definitely no top hat; I think she may have swiped it from these fellows:

Thats not fair to Bill & Ben . They sing better

TehZorch wrote:

Besides... a back to front corset? Like that's going to catch on!

Shh!!! We were all pretending like we didnt notice that shes's wearing it backwards!

I'm so glad it's not just me that thinks she's wearing it backwards! I have to admit a guilty pleasure for the sleb magazine and I saw the same picture the other day. All I could think was "shoot the stylist"...there's even a bit of lacing poking over the top of the corset.
I don't think Steampunk itself is becoming mainstream (not quite yet) but the fashions most definitely are, as proved in the bajillion threads I've posted in about my latest neo-victorian clothing find in the High Street They sell top hats and bowlers in Top Shop...

Corsets and neo-Victorian-styled clothes regularly make fashion comebacks. Which does mean it will only temporarily be mainstream until the next trend comes along.

JingleJoe wrote:
She is wearing a corset and I can't quite make it out but I think that is a top hat adorning her head.

Actually, I think she read about some-one making a hat from something they found in a garden centre and got completely the wrong end of the stick - as it rather looks like a large plastic plant pot on her head.

Even Courtney Love has shown an interest in one her unique Myspace blogs where she praised Etsy and Steampunk...

Meybe 2009 will be the year of Steampunk, maybe not. Or maybe it'll vanish from the mainstream just as quickly only to resurfce 10/15 years from now as the fashion style of choice for young teens...

Maybe

Oh Dear

Having looked at that picture I know I'm going to have some strangedreams tonight

(SWMBO used to get very suspicious after she caught me watching her videos - with the sound turned down of course! )

Given her recent troubles, the circus may be Ms. Spears' only remaining career option. Perhaps she has been attending clown college in between stints in rehab.

I survived goth going through a mainstream thing, and so did goth. Even the younger generation know the difference between themselves and 'douchy vampire kids" as it was so succinctly put in South Park. Steampunk will survive too. In many ways I think Steampunk having a mainstream period is even more inevitable because SP draws people from so many subcultures and a lot of otherwise fairly 'normal' people can really appreciate the craftsmanship and aesthetics and, actually, DO. It's much more accessible than goth, and I don't think that's really a bad thing to be honest.

I think this world could do with a little more civility and rakish formality, even if it's just for the sake of seeming 'cool'.

Plus if people are being asses, we can politely correct them rather than just being snobs to them which will get better results... I know, I have experience with this.

Hats off to that sentiment, Lilibat.