A short car ride away in Morristown, New Jersey, is a selection of women’s and men’s costumes and accessories that illustrate the eclectic and individualistic nature of steampunk fashion today. The Morris Museum's Steampunk Fashion exhibit on view until November 17th is a concise look at this profound aesthetic. The word "steampunk" conjures up numerous images of antiquity, industry, science, wonder, and grandeur. And while steampunk's origins in literature with plentiful portrayals in art and film, the most iconic manifestations are en vogue. Retro-futurism on full display.

Though many equate steampunk with corsets, top hats, and goggles, it is really a world embodying the spirit of a past that might have been but never was. That is, until now. Time travel back to the Victorian era and pair futuristic imagination with fantastic ideas conjured from science-fiction then package it with a vintage view. What's old is new again, and how it is assembled is left to the craft of the fantasy. Captured above is a men's character ensemble as a Scottish Highlander, a collaboration between Amber O'Boyle Kulp (costume) and Colleen O'Neill (accessories), with mechanical wings, once used onstage by steampunk duo Eternal Frontier.

For the six costume ensembles in the exhibit, 19th-century Victorian Era clothing, and accessories from the Morris Museum’s permanent collection have been interspersed into the displays providing historical context. Each element from paintings to trinkets to shoes highlight the design connections and deconstructions that frequently push the limits of inspiration.

"The steampunk subculture draws fashion inspiration from archetypical characters, science fiction, and technology of the past, and its fashion is based on repurposing old items in a modern and imaginative way," states guest curator Kathy Francis.

"Nineteenth-century clothing recreations are mixed with gears, moving parts, and attitude, conveying a message of practicality, romanticism, adventure, and self-reliance. Thus the fashion becomes not only art but an artistic outlet for self-expression and creativity." ~ Kathy Francis

"For me, as an artist, the most important thing is a willingness to experiment and explore. To me, steampunk is all-encompassing. You go to any steampunk convention, and you will not only see costumes based on Victorian fashion. You will also see a lot of art from other subgenres. Steampunk is a really inclusive community." ~ Amber O'Boyle Kulp

Display of 19th-century women's undergarments, deconstructed to show the various layers from the inside out, including bloomers, underpetticoat, hoop skirt, petticoat, corset, and corset cover, any of which steampunk costumers may use as an outer layer.

So many fascinating trinkets pepper this exhibit. This Magic Lantern, circa the 1800s, is comprised of colored glass slides made from drawings or paintings held up in the device lit up by lantern or candlelight and then projected on a wall. The resulting projections were often accompanied by music as a form of entertainment or for educational purposes.

Men's fashion in the nineteenth century were proper and dignified. Today's gents wear aviator, and military-style jackets, waistcoats, tails, vests, top hats, bowler hats, goggles, medals, and pocket watches, to just name a few. The influence of fully charged futuristic weapons and sounds of yesteryear creates a rich beauty when combining both.

"I hope that this exhibition can inspire people to use their imaginations and create their own things. It doesn’t have to be professional or perfect. You just have to put your heart into it and do it because it’s something you love." ~ designer Colleen O’Neill

Steampunk fashion continues to gain steam... xoxo-Sonya

After removing the armrest pads, I collected the few scraps of fabric to test some colors. I ultimately decided to paint the tapestry over with a Dye-Na-Flow black fabric dye I had from my silk painting stash. It would provide excellent coverage, and I had a lot of it to use up.

A little at a time, slow and steady, I used a smaller brush for better control as I stippled the dye into the fabric. Dye-Na-Flow is a permanent dye used for any porous or semi-porous surface, including natural and synthetic materials, and can be set once dry with a bit of heat from an iron. I also read that you can simply leave the furniture piece in the sunshine for a total heat-set.

Here, you can see the three different paints and colors I tried before settling on the black dye at the top. The middle swatch is actually the cafe cream color I tested since I had seen so many chair redos on Pinterest using Anne Sloane paints. I thought it was too dirty looking and made the fabric very stiff. The bottom swatch is also Dye-Na-Flow dye in a brown color.

I am satisfied with the black. It was definitely the way to go.

Once the fabric dried, I was able to lightly sand and paint the wood. I used a small brush once again for more control and gave each chair two coats of cafe cream. Once those coats of paint dried, I used fine steel wool to smooth out the surfaces and rub-off the color in the raised areas giving it a weathered look. To further the shabby antique touch, I grabbed my dark and light waxes to accent the carvings on the back, front seat, and legs of the chairs. The brass tacks were easy to avoid with paint and wipe if I got a bit sloppy at any point. 

Voila! Two new dining room chairs!

With a little bit of paint and wax, we'll be sitting pretty for the next feast in the dining room...

xoxo-Sonya