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Zouave SteampunkI've always loved the look of steampunk costuming, although I never thought I'd find the time to make something for myself. But one of my friends was going to teach a class on steampunk costuming at AllCon this year, so that seemed like the perfect excuse to throw together a "quicky" steampunk outfit. Of course, I can't seem to do anything easy, so this ended up becoming quite an elaborate getup before it was all over! The costume I came up with was heavily inspired by 19th century zouave military uniforms. I thought it would be fun to make something more appropriate for an adventurer than a lady for a change. I've included much more information about the inspiration and construction of this outfit below the pictures.
InspirationI've always loved zouave uniforms, but I didn't realize until recently that zouave regiments sometimes included a vivandier, who was female member of the unit who acted as a water bearer, nurse, or a sort of a mascot. How cool is that? I didn't want to be tied down by historical accuracy or gender stereotypes on this costume, but I still did a good bit of research before I started to get a feel for the major elements associated with both men's and women's uniforms. Next, I used a variety of 19th century photos and illustrations to create a design sketch for my outfit. I didn't have to change much since zouave uniforms are so fantastical and over-the-top to start with - they almost look like they could be steampunk costumes already!
Clothing constructionI have a bit of a recycling theme going on with this outfit. Most of it was made from old garments or fabric, which gave it an automatic "lived-in" look. This also saved me a ton of money. The basic outfit cost me less than $10, which allowed me to splurge a little more on the accessories. The jacket was made from a hand-me-down wool coat that never fit me right, and the gray edging was from a wool skirt that I bought at Goodwill. I completely took apart the original coat and recut the pieces to make it fit like I wanted. The body of the jacket isn't particularly "period", but I used an 1860's pattern diagram for the sleeves - just cropped a little shorter to look more like 1880's styles. The FABULOUS vintage ball buttons were given to me by one of my internet friends a few years ago (THANK YOU!!!!), and the trim was taken off a sample table runner that my husband brought home from work. The houndstooth vest fabric was recycled from a ratty old portfolio bag that Mike carried all through art school. I love it that the fabric looked worn to start with - it came with holes and stains already there! The pattern for the vest came from an 1888 Mode Illustree bodice pattern with a slight tweak to the neckline. The frogs on the vest were also recycled from the coat that I used to make the jacket. I used an old pillowcase for the lining. The pantaloons were made from $1.50 a yard mystery blend from a fabric outlet here in Dallas. I was sad to break my recycling trend with the pants, but I guess a fabric outlet store is the next best thing. They have 2 full widths of fabric in each leg, and a simple drawstring for the waist and cuffs. They were super easy to make, but the massive amounts of fabric in them helps to hide the dumbed-down construction. AccessoriesThe sash was made from some old water-damaged silk that I dyed red. The belt pouches were cut off a purse that I found at Goodwill, and I painted them with acrylic paint to make them match the belt, which was Mike's. I'm wearing a cheap vintage compass on a watch chain, and the glasses are real Victorian/Edwardian tinted spectacles that I bought at an antiques show a few years ago for $18 (and they even came with the original case!). The tiny little moon and star brooch on my hat is also a Victorian piece that I bought years ago on ebay. The fez, which is the coolest part of the outfit IMHO, was made with craft felt, elmer's glue, and a plastic baby bowl using the instructions found here. It gets a bit wrinkly at the edges, but I don't think it's too bad considering that: A) I made it the day before the event during work and I didn't have time to futz with it, B) I ran out of pins and didn't have any styrofoam C) it was my first try at hat blocking, and D) polyester felt sucks! I aged the hat a bit with acrylic paint so it didn't look so polyestery and new, and the tassel was another freebie from Mike's work. The dread fall came from this ebay store. I luuuvvvv the dreads. I'd totally have dreadlocks in real life if I could! And last, but certainly not least, the giant telescope came from Bombay (home decorating store) when Mike worked there. He got it for free - they were going to throw it away because the tripod it sat on was broken. *score!* I rigged up the shoulder harness by using two cheap dog collars and the strap from a free tote bag. I think any good steampunk outfit is all about the accessories, and this thing makes one heck of an accessory! :) 
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