Steampunk Out That Royal Wedding

The Royal Wedding is coming up and I couldn’t be more oblivious or uninterested. HOWEVER, before you Englophiles out there scream “rubbish!” and toss a hot cup of Earl Gray in my face, I want to express that if the wedding had a steampunk theme I would be all over it. This sexy and cerebral aesthetic can be seen in the costuming of the relatively recent Sherlock Holmes movie (and I secretly wished The King’s Speech would have taken creative license with it). So, imaginarily consulted as the royal wedding planner, I present to you my picks to refashion that boring ceremony into something truly DRAMATIC and COOL. Westminster Abbey wouldn’t know what hit it.

 

 

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Hello? London Calling.

  

According to our friend, Wikipedia, Steampunk is a sub-genre of science fiction, alternate history, and speculative fiction that came into prominence during the 1980s and early 1990s. Specifically, steampunk involves an era or world where steam power is still widely used—usually the 19th century and often Victorian era Britain—that incorporates prominent elements of either science fiction or fantasy. Works of steampunk often feature anachronistic technology or futuristic innovations as Victorians may have envisioned them; in other words, based on a Victorian perspective on fashion, culture, architectural style, art, etc. This technology may include such fictional machines as those found in the works of H. G. Wells and Jules Verne or real technologies like the computer but developed earlier in an alternate history.

I love the look so much that I created a drawing last year inspired by this style.

The Springheeled Piper (2010) by Sarah McNabb

 Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy for the royal couple and hope they have a long and happy marriage, but being an American overwhelmed with the amount of unnecessary attention and power that ridiculous celebutants here get, I’m not about to export my attention to Britain unless they do something utterly different and noteworthy…something UNstuffy – like hire Brit punk UFC fighter Dan Hardy to be the bouncer, or have David Gilmour or The Clash sing at the reception. This is a wedding for the history books and if I were in charge of it, I’d want it to STAND OUT.

God save the Queen, pip-pip cheerio, Bob’s your uncle, etc.

Additional Interesting Steampunk Sites:
The Steampunk Workshop
The Steampunk Home
Clockwork Couture

Image Credits:
Ring
Dress
Shoes
Hair accessory
Necklace
Groom’s vest
Cuff Links
Cake