3 Costumes That Will Take The Cake At A Steampunk Party

Costumes are everything at a Steampunk party, and making sure yours is the best that it can be will be right at the top of your priority list in preparing for it. There are a few different types and styles to choose to go with other than the simple and generic goggles-and wrench look, so let’s take a look at what we’ve got in the closet.

Steampunk Adventurer

Steampunk Party 2

This type of costume depicts a mechanically inclined neo-Victorian Steampunk adventurer. If you’re into the more technical innovative part of Steampunk culture, then this costume is for you. Here are the key elements.

Weapon– Whether your weapon of choice is a massive wrench, an anachronistic clockwork-powered laser pistol, or a steam-jet hot air balloon (alright now we’re exaggerating), you definitely need a weapon to deal with the inevitable evil-genius’s mecha-soldiers that are coming to take over the world.

Gadgets- Every self-respecting Steampunk adventurer has a bevy of gadgets are their disposal. They don’t need to be functional, but you’ll want to make sure that you’ve got a lot of clockwork machinery incorporated. It could be anything from a steam-jet pack, to a ridiculously intricate multifunctional pair of goggles.

Boots– This costume, more than any others, requires a sturdy pair of boots.

Gentleman/Lady

Steampunk Party

A member of Steampunk high society subscribes more strongly to neo-Victorianism than the mechanical tinker-focused aspects of Steampunk and for this reason focuses strongly on poise, style, and elegance. Here’s what you’ll need…

Hat – In order to be taken seriously you’ll absolutely need a fancy hat. If the ladies aren’t fond of period-accurate ladies’ headwear they can substitute for a top hat.

Corset– For the ladies a corset is a must. Corsets were still all the rage during the Victorian era and this garment has been thoroughly incorporated into the Steampunk wardrobe, particularly Steampunk formal wear.

Appropriate Dress/Suit- For the gentlemen that means tailcoat, vest, and appropriate shirt, and for women it means a relatively voluminous 19th century dress.

Accessories- What separates a Victorian enthusiast from the Steampunk upper crust is the accessories. To bring out the proper Steampunk feel you’ll want to include things like goggles, mechanical canes, gadgets, or a hat with a built in clock (or whatever strikes your fancy).

Steam Punk Mechanic

A Steampunk mechanic is the romanticized reflection of the Victorian early-industrial working class. Here the emphasis isn’t on style or class so much as it is on awesome gadgets and the genius underdog. The Steampunk mechanic wears…

Grease– you don’t want to walk around completely clean or you’ll ruin the image. Smudge up your face and arms just a little bit with charcoal or make-up if you’re interested in being sanitary or some dirty grease from your car if you want to be super authentic and a little bit gross.

White-ish Shirt, Pants– If you’ve ever watched television you’ll know what we’re talking about, get one of those white or tan colored 19th century shirts, some suspenders, and a pair of brown pants that wrap around your calves.

Accessories– You’ll definitely want to carry a wrench, the bigger the better, and a pair of goggles. Optionally you can include any number of Steam or clockwork gadgets, homunculi, or awesome hats. If you pick a hat, you’ll want to go with a relatively simple cap, not the fancy top hats that the previous two costumes come recommended with.

Marie Sumner is a costume fanatic that writes for Wholesale Halloween Costumes about cosplay, Steampunk, and costume parties.