Positive Reactions From Doing Steampunk

[Klynt Mahryd]

Ok, all this drama and doom and gloom has been getting to me. Let's talk about positive things that have happened!

Have any of you gotten positive reactions and compliments from the public and total strangers when you do steampunkery? Anything that has really surprised you?

[Zwack]

When a bunch of us went to Pirates of Penzance we got nothing but good remarks.  People asked if we were part of the performance.  It was fun...

Z.

[Mrs. Sullivan]

A similar thing happened when we went antiquing (I forget the name of that town).  People generally notice when there's  a big group of dressed-up people.  Folks kept stopping us on the street and asking if we were in a play.  Some even went out of their way to wait for us to come by so they could talk to us (granted, it was a small town,and we really stood out).

Tesla Conjure and I went into a bar and got compliments on our bowlers and goggles from a young man.  Generally, i get ignored, so that was kind of nice.

[Stella Gaslight]

Well I ware steampunk gear every Thursday and I have yet to get a bad response.  I have the people at the roller rink looking forward to what I will have on and people on the bus stare sometimes but no one has ever said any thing.

The best reaction I ever got was from an awestruck little boy on a field trip. I was going to work in full adventuress gear with a pith helmet and a whip.  He sat beside me on the bus and asked me in a serous voice. "Are you a lion tamer?"  Of course I said yes I didn't think there was any other way to respond.

[SteamKit]

It's not that steampunk, but I get constant complimenting on my hat from total strangers. Generally strangers who stop me in the street to tell me how much they like it! Sometimes it's even been sort of an addition to whatever cashiers say to me, as in "That'll be twelve thirty nine, nice hat!"

-Kit

[Sir Theodore Catchpole]

It's not that steampunk, but I get constant complimenting on my hat from total strangers. Generally strangers who stop me in the street to tell me how much they like it! Sometimes it's even been sort of an addition to whatever cashiers say to me, as in "That'll be twelve thirty nine, nice hat!"

-Kit

whats your hat?

[CapnHarlock]

I had a similar experience to Miss Gaslight, a few years ago -

In mid-December, I was shopping at a local chain-store, while wearing a slightly-formal version of my normal garb (I wore a tie, in addition to a coat, fedora, waistcoat, etc, and my small reading-glasses on, to see what I was actually buying, and about 3 stone heavier than I am now)

By chance, my path across the store coincided with a young "mom" and her approximately-5 year old daughter. After a while, the child walked up to me and asked "Are you Santa Claus?"

Being somewhat at a loss, I answered "Why, yes, dear, I am.. and you've been very good this year, haven't you?"

The memory of that wide-eyed smile will be one I carry to my grave.  I do hope she was not disappointed when the holiday arrived.

[OldProfessorBear]

It's not that steampunk, but I get constant complimenting on my hat from total strangers. Generally strangers who stop me in the street to tell me how much they like it! Sometimes it's even been sort of an addition to whatever cashiers say to me, as in "That'll be twelve thirty nine, nice hat!"

-Kit

So far not from total strangers, but I have received compliments on my hat.

(cf. http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20080514 )



No, not that hat.

[OldProfessorBear]

I had a similar experience to Miss Gaslight, a few years ago -

In mid-December, I was shopping at a local chain-store, while wearing a slightly-formal version of my normal garb (I wore a tie, in addition to a coat, fedora, waistcoat, etc, and my small reading-glasses on, to see what I was actually buying, and about 3 stone heavier than I am now)

By chance, my path across the store coincided with a young "mom" and her approximately-5 year old daughter. After a while, the child walked up to me and asked "Are you Santa Claus?"

Being somewhat at a loss, I answered "Why, yes, dear, I am.. and you've been very good this year, haven't you?"

The memory of that wide-eyed smile will be one I carry to my grave.  I do hope she was not disappointed when the holiday arrived.

Been there ... except I (almost) always say "Appearances to the contrary notwithstanding, I am not Santa Claus."

[SteamKit]

It's not that steampunk, but I get constant complimenting on my hat from total strangers. Generally strangers who stop me in the street to tell me how much they like it! Sometimes it's even been sort of an addition to whatever cashiers say to me, as in "That'll be twelve thirty nine, nice hat!"

-Kit

whats your hat?

Damn, I've been such a fool! I forgot to mention that I wear a bowler.

-Kit

[Sean Patrick O-Byrne]

I work the door at one of the nightclubs here in town, and everybody -loves- the mustache. I've been waxing it more frequently, see. It sort of takes the edge off.

Someone said, about the 'stache: "It says: I'm going to kick throw you out into the alley, and my mustache isn't going to get bent while doing it. Good day, sir."

 

[Seaton Begg]

We had some positive comments on our visit to Kew Gardens

[markf]

I've has some very kind words said about my goggles/sunglasses.  It was quite a pleasant experience. markf

[Vancouver Air Privateer]

I tentativly shared my idea of steampunking my iPod to my dad. To my surprise he thought it was a wonderful idea and now wants to help me with the project!

[SteamKit]

I tentativly shared my idea of steampunking my iPod to my dad. To my surprise he thought it was a wonderful idea and now wants to help me with the project!

That's wonderful!

[Danielle LaJoie]

I had a similar experience to Miss Gaslight, a few years ago -

In mid-December, I was shopping at a local chain-store, while wearing a slightly-formal version of my normal garb (I wore a tie, in addition to a coat, fedora, waistcoat, etc, and my small reading-glasses on, to see what I was actually buying, and about 3 stone heavier than I am now)

By chance, my path across the store coincided with a young "mom" and her approximately-5 year old daughter. After a while, the child walked up to me and asked "Are you Santa Claus?"

Being somewhat at a loss, I answered "Why, yes, dear, I am.. and you've been very good this year, haven't you?"

The memory of that wide-eyed smile will be one I carry to my grave.  I do hope she was not disappointed when the holiday arrived.

I had something like her experience as well.

I usually wear a tri-layered skirt and some sort of blouse with any number of assorted jewelry. So I took my two nieces to the zoo one day this summer and my youngest niece, one all of five years old got in the car and smiled like I've never seen her smile and said, "Aunt Danielle, are you a pirate?" Well I thought that was the cutest thing ever and just said yes.

Once we got to the zoo, I had several ladies comment kindly about my jewelry. It definitely raised my ego!

-Danielle

[Mad Miss Holmes]

I often traverse my local university campus in full attire to get to my workplace, sometimes walking with my friends. On one occasion, I was due to meet with some underwriters, so I had gone a bit more formal than I usually do, and was walking with four or five gentleman friends of mine, who were all in rather nondescript suits and goggles, looking pretty much identical. I had gotten a good laugh out of that, since they hadn't actually meant to dress alike.
But on the way across campus, I was mistaken for a foreign dignitary, and they for my entourage. Of course, I put on a very vague and nonspecific accent and went along with it.

On another occasion, I had styled my hair into dreadlocks and sprayed them green for a less formal gathering of friends and was wandering through the mall in a rather stained and frayed old kimono, when I overheard a very small boy whispering to his mother. He was under the impression that looking at me would turn him to stone. While not a positive reaction, I did find it extraordinarily amusing.

[CapnHarlock]

On another occasion, I had styled my hair into dreadlocks and sprayed them green for a less formal gathering of friends and was wandering through the mall in a rather stained and frayed old kimono, when I overheard a very small boy whispering to his mother. He was under the impression that looking at me would turn him to stone. While not a positive reaction, I did find it extraordinarily amusing.

While I regret the somewhat-negative comment about your (undoubtedly-lovely) appearance, it does cheer me immensely to hear of a small child with enough acquaintance with Classical Mythology to even make the Gorgon-connection.

[Mad Miss Holmes]

While I regret the somewhat-negative comment about your (undoubtedly-lovely) appearance, it does cheer me immensely to hear of a small child with enough acquaintance with Classical Mythology to even make the Gorgon-connection.

I was very impressed, and told his mother so while the little one was distracted by a shiny. I'm not sure she approved of my appearance, but any mother will be pleased by a compliment to her child. We do need more well-read young ones.

[Mlle A. Aurantia]

I am just in the beginning stages, and these are not strangers, but when I started dressing in Steampunkish fashion I nearly panicked a teacher of mine. She was accustomed to my usual casualwear of fatigue cargoes and a nearly shaved head. One summer, and I appear with longer hair, a long-sleeved blouse, and a long skirt. I do believe that my Religious Studies professor thinks I have joined the Mennonites.

Or maybe that I have finally gone completely mad.

My mother is an old bibliophile, frequently bemoaning the lack of literacy in the midwest. When I tried to tell her about Steampunk, a movement that I assumed she would be entranced by, her only reaction was: "Does this mean you're not wearing black anymore?" No, Mother, it just means that I'm wearing a black blazer with my black corsets. Did I mention that I have been a Goth for almost a decade?

[CaptainFynnOMalleyEsq.]

Well, I can't remember if I've told this story before but...

About a year ago, I went to pick my brothers up from their school, back when I used to goth myself up to the nines. So I was stood there, pale face, all black clothing, topped off with a dirty great trenchcoat, when a woman with a young girl came by. I smiled at the girl and went back to my musing in boredom by the wall. Suddenly, this girl whispers "Mummy, that man's a vampire!". I stick my hands in my pockets and lift the sides of my coat in mock nostferatu and smile again, and the child runs away like the clappers. =D

So it was a little mean of me, but methinks the reaction was worth it. The mother saw the funny side, so I reckon there was no harm me laughing

And as for steampunk, the only real reaction is from my granddad, whos pleased that I've got off my backside and started some good honest tinkering . Shame he doesn't share my enthusiasm for goggles and strange 'dead' things in jars...

[Hyren von Henry]

What? where does he keep dead things?

And this thread is so much nicer than the heckling one...

My contribution comes soley from the inordinate ammounts of compliments i get for my hat (an sort of pork pie shaped one) without it, im fairly generic looking, so its nice to stand out!

[Sir Nikolas Vendigroth]

May we see this pork pie-shaped hat?

[Hyren von Henry]

yes. As soon as i find my camera.

[James Harrison]

I have had a couple.  Whilst at University there were a small group of us who dressed in a sort of neo-Victorian/ Edwardian manner and we were almost always being complemented.