Fighting for the rights of sentient beings everywhere!

[alias_sqbr]

I was unfortunately not up to going out yesterday, but today went to the Wastelands Steampunk con and it was heaps of fun. Very low key, and I get the feeling there were more costumes yesterday (though some of the ones today were still nice) but still great.

And here is the costume I've been working on: A steampunk Suffragette!
http://gallery.distantwisdom.net/file/misc/misc%20costumes/_MG_8310.jpg
http://gallery.distantwisdom.net/file/misc/misc%20costumes/_MG_8309.jpg
http://gallery.distantwisdom.net/file/misc/misc%20costumes/_MG_8304.jpg
http://gallery.distantwisdom.net/file/misc/misc%20costumes/_MG_8307.jpg
http://gallery.distantwisdom.net/file/misc/misc%20costumes/_MG_8315.jpg

Oh and Lynn: if you get lost in the many posts on my lj, here is the one on the zodiascope. Note to self: If you're going to spend several days making a prop, make sure you have some way to display visibly on your costume or it or noone will notice...

EDIT: Yes, I did very briefly accidentally have a different post here and deleted it :P



Apparently in his post-colonial deconstruction panel strangedave was talking about how there should be steampunk suffragettes, so I had several people saying "Oh, you have to show that to Dave". Which I did, and we had an interesting conversation on the subject :)

It turns out that there is such a thing as suffragette jewelry, made of purple green and white stones, so I used that as a theme for my costume There's even a little white-stoned brooch holding together my sash :) (the red fabric was just what I had to hand, part of a half-finished project of nico_wolfwood's I got when she moved)

Thanks have to go to feminist_fandom for giving me ideas on the slogan!

AND I made it through the whole day (well, as much as I was aiming for, including helping out on the Girl Genius panel), and while a bit peaky don't feel too bad overall.

Costume description:
flash-tubes (from Dick Smith) and candy thermometer in hair, which was up in a simple bun with my bangs twisted up and pinned on top.
Earrings made of antique keys, choker made of a broken watch face, purple pendant, silver chain, and green crystals.
K-mart shirt
Hand-made waistcoat from another costume, pinned onto Target skirt (which otherwise sits around my hips)
Sash made of what I assume were unfinished draft protectors, drawn on with proper fabric marker (based on this image)
Ribbed fishnet tights, handmade leather boots (nico_wolfwood: what was the name of the place again?)
Non-antique walking stick from antique shop
Op-shop jacket I added at the last minute
Zodiascope

Comments

[fallimar.livejournal.com]

Ah! Looks so much like a sketch I did a little while ago... Gorgeous costume, love that last photo too... Metauniversal suffrage... love it!
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a34/fallimar/VictorianaLadyRevised.jpg

;)

[alias_sqbr]

And I found that sketch quite inspiring, so there you go :)

[lauredhel.livejournal.com]

Oh, cool! Would you be interested in uploading this to the Hoydens About! flickr pool (http://www.flickr.com/groups/hoydens_about/pool/)?

[alias_sqbr]

In theory, yes. But I do not have a Flickr account and right now can't be bothered setting one up. You are welcome to add it yourself :D

[lauredhel.livejournal.com]

Cool, thankyou...

[baby-elvis.livejournal.com]

Love the costume! You make a wonderful suffragette. Antiques Roadshow has shown some wonderful suffragette jewellery and in a very memorable episode, featured a wonderul family archive of one of the imprisoned sufragettes, featuring clothesm photos, letters from the Pankhursts and more.

[alias_sqbr]

Thankyou! I wasn't aware of it before, but it's quite pretty and I like the symbolism. I may make some more.

[mothwentbad.livejournal.com]

You look quite the doctor there!

[alias_sqbr]

Well yes, as always :)

[fantasyecho.livejournal.com]

A Girl Genius fan too??

Directed here from Hoyden About Town - that is a wicked costume! Lovely slogan!

[alias_sqbr]

Thanks!

Great minds

[(Anonymous)]

I found your post/pics while googling "Steampunk suffragette". I saw a friend who was going to a meet-up of his SP friends tonight - "The Well Dressed Gentleman's Club". I later thought "that's not fair!" And pieces from K-mart and Target! I love it! I'm going to a Con this Jan where the theme is SP, so I'm looking for easy costume pieces. Thanks
Catherine (Williamsburg VA)

Indeed they do!

[alias_sqbr]

Awesome! Good luck! I was too lazy, but something else I thought of was a big banner, google "suffragette" and you'll see some examples:
http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en-commons/thumb/d/da/300px-Suffragette_banner_carried_in_picket_of_the_White_House.jpg
http://www.geh.org/taschen/m197501122134.jpg
(What the banner says depends on the sort of steampunk you're going for, but you could have a lot of fun with it)

I'd be really interested to see pics of your costume when it's done, you should post it to feminist_fandom.

Re: Indeed they do!

[(Anonymous)]

OK, finally a followup to this whole thing. Follow think link:

http://www.marscon.net/Home/2009-pictures

To see pics from the convention I wore my costume to. I'm about the 19th picture in. Right after the steampunk dolls.

As I said to the judges that knight my habadaser (sp?) is "Coldwater Creek". A friend and I made rosettes of purple green and white ribbon. You can barely see the edge of it on the right. And I made a really cool pin I don't have a close-up yet. I've had the hat for ages and the goggles came from a vendor at a militaria show.

Catherine
Williamsburg, VA, USA

Re: Indeed they do!

[(Anonymous)]

There's also a few pics here:

http://kayshappenings.blogspot.com/2009/01/steampunk-suffragette.html

but better of the person I'm talking to.

CB

Re: Indeed they do!

[alias_sqbr]

Oh that's fantastic! You look great! Here's hoping we've started a trend :)

[cornaryn.livejournal.com]

Very cool idea.

[alias_sqbr]

Thanks!