Day 1 - Steampunk

My latest obsession, thanks to Pinterest, is Steampunk. The way I like to think of it is a combination of Victorian/lacy/frilly & futuristic/mechanical/metal. I desperately wanted to create a Steampunk costume, but I really had no reason to. I considered having a halloween party just so I had a reason, but I'm not much of a party host. Then, in the process of looking through all my stuff to put this costume together, I realised I have a lot of dress up stuff, and the idea for a month of costumes was born.

Components:
Tulle petticoat - found at funky junk (free) and altered to fit.
Dress - something I've had for years.
Waistcoat - from the $1 rack at the thrift store.
Belt - dollar store.
Handbag - already had.
Boots - already had.
Leather clutch (attached to belt) - thrift store.

Accessories:
Headpiece - made by me from bits & pieces I had in my stash of Junque; a clock-face out of an old alarm clock, bits of lace and tulle, an old key, a fabric flower, feathers.
Mono-goggle - made by me from handbag straps, hose connecter, magnifying glass lens, elastic.
Wrist cuff - made by me from bits and pieces I had in my stash; fake fur, lace & trims, buttons, a doily, random charms and bits of watches (including a functioning watch, so I can actually use it to tell the time).
Necklaces - cameo necklace from thrift store but altered by me, random chains put together with some things hanging off; a bullet that came on a keyring from dollar store, a huge nut and bolt I found in my stash, butterfly charm, and a few other random little things.

Another little detail you can see in some of the close up photos is the shoulder hooks. I sewed metal rings onto the shoulders of my dress, then metal hooks on chains onto the shoulders of my waistcoat, so the hooks can attach to the rings. This is actually a functional feature, because the dress is a bit loose and the shoulders kept falling down, so the hooks on the waistcoat hold it up.

To see my inspiration for this costume, check out my Steampunk board on Pinterest.