How do I get Steampunk clothes when I have no money?

[Flynn MacCallister]

Go find a old clock, take the gears off, and sew every gear part on a old white shirt, , and then put it on Etsy with the Steampunk tag. Im sure SOMEONE will buy it, giving you money to buy proper gear.  lol J/K

Quoted for truth.

[Agamemnon Magillicutty]

http://www.myowntuxedo.com/default.aspx

Dirt Cheap Formal Wear.

[Miss Romwell]

Just thought I'd pop in here and agree with everyone else. Charity shops and jumble sales are brilliant, but bear in mind if you're squeamish, 99% of very old stuff donated to these sorts of things is Dead People's Clothes. Doesn't bother me one bit, but I know some are a bit twitchy about the idea.

Most of my really old stuff comes from Fleabay. Good quality high waist wool trousers tend to sell for around £10-£20 as they appear to be virtually indestructible (post Apocalypse, the cockroaches will roam a land strewn with old wool suit trousers). But be careful of sizing and pay attention to measurements given in listings, they've usually been tailor made for their original owners, so they sometimes have rather odd waist/inside leg ratios. Also, be prepared to do a bit of mending/adjusting on older clothes, they're rarely in 100% perfect condition, and don't fear actually washing certain things! Just be very careful, use cold water in a bathtub with a gentle liquid detergent, and keep them flat at all times. Summer is a great time to do it as you can dry them within a day from dripping wet. Don't do it in the winter, they'll stay damp for ages and get that smell... Some old clothes come with decades of unseen, ground in, filth, and you don't want to walk around with some deceased person's skank hiding amongst the fibres of your collar. Xp

Otherwise, learn to make stuff. It's the best way to get what you [i[really[/i] want, but not always the cheapest option if you choose a nice fabric (waistcoats only need half a meter for the front, but a gown with a huge skirt can be 8 meters or more, plus what you need to make any petticoats it requires, ect. and that's when it really starts to get pricey).

[Maj. Clive Hathaway]

I found this article from The Art of Manliness to be quite helpful. its not Steampunk specific, but still provides some useful tips. If you've never visited the site, check it out. They have some really great content...

http://artofmanliness.com/2009/03/12/look-good-for-less/?utm_source=Daily+Subscribers&utm_campaign=94e579ce18-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email

This may also be of interest, it was posted a few months ago by someone else:

http://vls.destinyslobster.com/fake_book.html

[undercomplicated]

I found this article from The Art of Manliness to be quite helpful. its not Steampunk specific, but still provides some useful tips. If you've never visited the site, check it out. They have some really great content...

Terrific site. Thanks for the tip!

[Miss Cheshire Cat]

I also recommend learning how to sew. Not only can you pick up perfectly nice clearance fabric and make something for very little money, you can tailor the thrifted clothing to fit you. Also, the clearance rack of popular department stores holds many treasures. I know JCPenney has their Decree line, which I've used in steamy outfits before.

I would say on a budget, get mix and match pieces. Go for a key color or theme, and run with it. You'll end up with several different outfits and looks that way, but without spending a lot on a whole new wardrobe.

[Kaj Taotsu]

I also recommend learning how to sew. Not only can you pick up perfectly nice clearance fabric and make something for very little money, you can tailor the thrifted clothing to fit you. Also, the clearance rack of popular department stores holds many treasures. I know JCPenney has their Decree line, which I've used in steamy outfits before.

I would say on a budget, get mix and match pieces. Go for a key color or theme, and run with it. You'll end up with several different outfits and looks that way, but without spending a lot on a whole new wardrobe.

I got a few decree shirts recently, one of them being a yellowish striped shirt, its grungy looking and i think would be perfect for any kind of engineer or mechanic steampunk outfit. Also found a pair of shorts that are striped deep purple-brown and dark brown, they go great with my abney park tshirt i bought from akon :3

[Maj. Clive Hathaway]

I found this article from The Art of Manliness to be quite helpful. its not Steampunk specific, but still provides some useful tips. If you've never visited the site, check it out. They have some really great content...

Terrific site. Thanks for the tip!

:::Shameless plug here:::
If you like the site, buy the book!! Its terrific. Tips for living like a Gentleman in the modern age.

[ValancyJane]

I don't think they've been mentioned directly but yard sales/garage sales/moving sales/estate sales are all good places to look as well.  Estate sales in particular as they usually will have older pieces very cheap but you have to get there early because the antique stores/boutique thrift stores will have picked them over.

[OswaldBastable]

I don't think they've been mentioned directly but yard sales/garage sales/moving sales/estate sales are all good places to look as well.  Estate sales in particular as they usually will have older pieces very cheap but you have to get there early because the antique stores/boutique thrift stores will have picked them over.

Yes I've been thinking of looking out for house clearances etc as thats clearly the source of many ebay vintage sellers stock.

[costumemercenary]

There's always: Sprockets and Lockets, the Steampunk Thrift Shop

[Wilwarin]

Do what I did: Raid your closet. Take an inventory of any kind of fabric/clothing you have. Make it work.

[Inquisitor Chives]

Yes, indeed! I was faced with the same predicament when I was but a wee lad. I just hopped on the nearest zeppelin taxi and made my way to the fabric inventory. I purchased only earth-tones and fashioned myself a trenchcoat for a mere six-pence.

[akumabito]

AARRGGHH!! Someone, anyone, BUY THIS ITEM:
http://sprocketsandlockets.webs.com/apps/webstore/products/show/1696211

I dare ya to find anything cooler for $16!

Hell, if you're broke, add a 0 to the price-tag and put it up on Etsy..

[OswaldBastable]

AARRGGHH!! Someone, anyone, BUY THIS ITEM:
http://sprocketsandlockets.webs.com/apps/webstore/products/show/1696211

I dare ya to find anything cooler for $16!

Hell, if you're broke, add a 0 to the price-tag and put it up on Etsy..

sadly not shipping outside of the US currently

[Mina]

AARRGGHH!! Someone, anyone, BUY THIS ITEM:
http://sprocketsandlockets.webs.com/apps/webstore/products/show/1696211

don't tempt me....


too late I'll have to ask my mom if I can transfer some of my allowance to her paypal account and buy it

[OswaldBastable]

AARRGGHH!! Someone, anyone, BUY THIS ITEM:
http://sprocketsandlockets.webs.com/apps/webstore/products/show/1696211

don't tempt me....


too late I'll have to ask my mom if I can transfer some of my allowance to her paypal account and buy it

go on you know you want to

[Mina]

the problem is convincing my mother that I need another jacket... I think I have five at the moment

something like this:

"Honey, you have plenty of jackets already. Besides, I *just* bought you a military blazer"
"But mom, this one is teal! I don't have any jackets in teal, and I so desperately need something to match my new blouse!"
"Well it's a good thing that the blazer I got you is black. Black matches everything."
"Mom... "

[H.Q. Megatherium]

More free patterns:  http://www.elizabethstewartclark.com/GAMC/FP/index.htm

[Mina]

Have you tried looking in your closet yet?
http://hiddenyume-stock.deviantart.com/art/Steampunk-on-a-Budget-167392399

[costumemercenary]

Go find a old clock, take the gears off, and sew every gear part on a old white shirt, , and then put it on Etsy with the Steampunk tag. Im sure SOMEONE will buy it, giving you money to buy proper gear.  lol J/K

So that's where I'm going wrong!

[sick_soozie]

Here is a killer new steampunk / macabre type style clothing line.... for your casual days.

www.Se7enDeadly.com

[Mr Addams]

There are a lot of useful links above. But I would suggest that dressing "Steampunk" is a bit of a red herring.
I would reccomend that anybody starting out, should spend a bit of time studying nineteenth century costume. If you can get the "Victorian" look right, it takes very little added steam to make it look steampunky.
Of course, it is up to you how far down the authenticity route you want to go, it can take only a few details to get that Victorian  "Look", or you can go the whole hog and get together an authentic costume. But if you have studied period outfits, and know what you are looking for, the visits to the thrift shop can be a lot more productive.
Although I got taken to task by some of the more authenticity minded contributors to this group, for reccomending the above mentioned "Fake Book" elsewhere in this forum, I think that it reprisents a good starting point for those on a budget, or for those who want to get a period looking outfit, without becoming obsessive about authenticity.
One thing that I would recommend investing in is a good hat. the correct headwear can make or break an outfit.
As a Re-enactor, I very quickly learned that I couldent afford the very high prices that Costume makers charged, so I taught myself to sew.
There is a very good selection of Victorian costume patterns on the Patterns Of Time Website Most of the patterns are for womens costume, but if you sift through, there areanumber of mens patterns. They also cover a wide timeframe, the later ones are towards the end.

[akumabito]

There are a lot of useful links above. But I would suggest that dressing "Steampunk" is a bit of a red herring.
I would reccomend that anybody starting out, should spend a bit of time studying nineteenth century costume. If you can get the "Victorian" look right, it takes very little added steam to make it look steampunky.

Nonsense - we're not neo-vics or historical reenactors.. just go with whatever looks good..
People can pull off a perfect steampunk look without even a single piece of period-accurate clothing..

[OswaldBastable]

My suggestion is go to Lincoln this weekend armed with a Blackjack