What format of steampunk attracts you?

[Kensington Locke]

This question came up at our steampunk dinner last night.  Predominantly the answer returned was the clothes, dressing up.

While it's an interesting question, I think a dinner with people who went out to eat dinner with steampunks is more likely to be the type who dress up.  Thereby skewing the results.

So what format of steampunk draws you in the most?
clothes/dressing up
books
music
video
making
props
weapons
something I didn't list

[von Corax]

For me it's a combination of the props, the making and the visual æsthetic in general.

[Athanor]

Making stuff. Definitely making stuff. The whole DIY thing.

I'm one of those people who regard the message "No user serviceable parts inside" as a challenge.

And books, and music, and art.

Athanor

[Knight Walker]

Clothes and props. I have always loved the look when I was little and Steampunk didn't have a name....I just told on myself didn't I?   

[chicar]

Everything Visual.

[Hez]

Making
and clothes
and making clothes

[Synistor 303]

Making
Steampunk gadgets - I can't get enough of looking/admiring the workmanship.
Clothes - I love the humour
books
art

[Kensington Locke]

I've been a rennie for a few decades, adding steampunk evolved in the last few years.

From there, I've read books and found music in the key of steam.

I've always made stuff, usually props.  Clothing, I buy.

[Cora Courcelle]

I love the clothes and enjoy the whole making process, the books (although only the well written ones - putting a heroine/hero in a 'steampunk' setting isn't enough); I have yet to decide exactly what steampunk music is , but for me one of the best aspects of steampunk is the people who indulge in it - polite, interested, creative in many ways and, above all, on the same wavelength.

[James Harrison]

So what format of steampunk draws you in the most?
clothes/dressing up
books
music
video
making
props
weapons
something I didn't list

Yes.

[Antipodean]

Clothing - props - making.

In fact I was wondering - why is there no thread specifically on fashion or have I missed it?
There may be one but I do not recall seeing it updated any time recent

I see some wonderful costumes or errm - parts costumes from time to time however some of the photos could be considered not safe for work.
I have not reposted because I have always been concerned about offending other travellers.

So I will ask now - are we grown up enough to admire both the costume making and the model showing the costume off to its best.

We could implement a three strikes deletion. I three people think it crosses the line of decency the image is deleted.
It could also be that we hide a particular image with a NSFW tag. Then it is your choice to look or not.
Then we would need to determine what constitutes NSFW. As long as the model is being modest with their pose?

[Melrose]

Deleted - accidental post ! 

[J. Wilhelm]

My answer may be odd. History. In the sense that I love studying history and then changing it to my liking. Honestly, I've never read as much history as I have while being a declared Steampunk. Otherwise making is the other aspect I enjoy the most plus the costuming part.

[Melrose]

clothes/dressing up      - of course. Not only steampunk, I like period costume from ancient to 20th century, but steam is fun
books                        - only read one, it didn't grab me. I like reading but ...
music                        - yes. I like most music (rap isn't music) and steam gets in there
video                         - if you mean movies, yes. "Master of the World", "20,000 Leagues", "Mortal Engines" etc.
making                       - just getting into it
props                         - yes, as part of costume and sometimes the fun of designing
weapons                     - I put them under "props"
something I didn't list     - I daresay   

Antipodean, I take your point. Our annual Steamfest has seen some "body painting" which was very well done. I admit I wondered, given it was a family-friendly event, but I have heard no complaints. There's a photographer who attends various cosplay events who has a FB page - look for "steamkittens" and browse well down the page, or Google "steamkittens steampunk body paint" - and see what you think. To be honest, the paints looked tasteful, it was voluntary, and at a small distance good paint looks like clothing. I might have reservations for simply displaying bare flesh at a family venue. I would especially not appear myself, clad only in paint. 

[Hez]

I love the clothes and enjoy the whole making process, the books (although only the well written ones - putting a heroine/hero in a 'steampunk' setting isn't enough); I have yet to decide exactly what steampunk music is , but for me one of the best aspects of steampunk is the people who indulge in it - polite, interested, creative in many ways and, above all, on the same wavelength.

YES!

[Synistor 303]

I would like to lift a tea cup to Cora for coming up with the one that wasn't on the list, and the thing that makes Steampunk the most attractive - people who also fine Steampunk attractive (and proves you are not a lonely loony for liking it!)

To Cora!

[Miranda.T]

I would like to lift a tea cup to Cora for coming up with the one that wasn't on the list, and the thing that makes Steampunk the most attractive - people who also fine Steampunk attractive (and proves you are not a lonely loony for liking it!)

To Cora!

Hear hear! 

Yours,
Miranda.

P.S. I'm interested to a greater or lesser extent in all the aspects listed originally, although regulars here will have noticed I've a particular leaning towards the dressing up one...  .

[ForestB]

The clothes, the making and the books! Dressing up is fun, making things is fun, and there are a few authors I really enjoy that have done their world building the right way..

[Cora Courcelle]

... although regulars here will have noticed I've a particular leaning towards the dressing up one...  .

Good heavens, Miranda, you mean that's not your everyday attire?   

[Deimos]

Good heavens, Miranda, you mean that's not your everyday attire?  

omg, great reply! (and too funny besides)

A few categories are in a three-way tie for first place:

I don't dress up but I am fascinated by the clothing, (male, female and everything in between), authentic period, but also prosthetic parts, leather, add on mechanical, etc.  

Making things [non clothing]... I go to google images and reddit and pinterest, and it's like being a kid in a candy store!
I get all kinds of ideas I can steal use as a springboard for my own projects.

And last , but certainly not least: Cora nailed it with her mentioning the community.
I don't know anyone not online that likes Steampunk, whatever genre. So this is a my Steampunk pub.

[Banfili]

Archaeology, à la Amelia Peabody!

[Rockula]

Entry via literature and film.
Unskilled maker but I occasionally have a bash.
I like the clothes.
The social aspect.
The haphazard nature of it; teetering on the edge of anarchy but managing to stay on the tracks.

[newjack]

non-traditional! NON-VICTORIAN!
i refuse to accept the "dieselpunk" sub-genre! to ME... steampunk just means retro technologies sci-fi. i actually find purist steampunk annoying and pretentious... especially when it's guilded and royalty plagued

my kind of steampunk:
nineteen eighty four
metoroporisu
metropolis
victor frankenstein
the elephant man
stardust
the golden compass (those magical steam cars are NEITHER diesel NOR steam!)
avatar: the last airbender
batman ninja
the iron giant
zathura
dark city
the secret adventures of tom thumb
robot carnival (giant fighting houses batman ninja ripped off)
sky captain and the world of tomorrow
water world (yes, i actually liked it!)
monarch of the moon
six-string samurai
edward scissorhands

i WON'T be yielding to any arguments that these aren't steampunk any time soon, as in EVER. save your indignation.

[Fairley B. Strange]

Initially it was the literature - Victorian Sci-Fi, horror, from Verne and Stoker to penny-dreadfuls and smutty postcards.
Then, the dress - the range from elegance to raggedy, finery to military uniforms.
And the machinery - from dirigibles to simple tools, everything was made with craftsmanship and fine naterials, not mass-produced plastic tatt.
These combine into a disconnection from the current mundane world of garbage media and jeans&crocs.
But, since coming here, and then attending a few events - it's the people.
None of us 'do' or probably even 'get' the exact same view or version of Steampunk, but somehow it - and we - all works together.

[Hurricane Annie]

I enjoy themes and ambience. The 'punks have it all in glorious technicolour . I like to give history an Antipodean Revival.