Changes in lifestyle

[Tito Alba]

That is a good question and good thread to resurrect.

It gave me a sharper sartorial eye for Victorian style items in charity shops and online second hand markets and it increased my hat collecting hobby to almost obsessive levels but I think I was well on the way to becoming an eccentric quack with a twiddly moustache and an addiction to fine tea many years before I ever knew that steampunk was a subculture.

On the other hand I had probably been unconsciously influenced by it for some years before with many of my favourite books and films becoming retroactively hailed as steampunk classics so its a bit of a chicken and egg question for me.

[Vagabond GentleMan]

I'd say that for me, Steampunk affected my lifestyle in that it gave me a particular and cohesive direction.  I'm a lifestyle counterculturalist, but the ethos I intuited as defining Steampunk functioned to convalesce a good portion of personal values into a more-than-sum-of-its-parts-thing that inspired a progression of thought and habit that might not have otherwise manifested.

[abigailbeatrix]

Like some of the others, I had a sort of steampunk lifestyle in place already. I grew up in a victorian home with parents that dealt in antiques, so my furniture and obsession with beautiful matching dishware and high quality clothing stemmed from that.

I think the biggest change is that I keep more stuff. I have always had projects that required a bit of junk, being the artsy kid- but now if it's anything metal, glass, or some cool shaped plastic, I pack it away in case I need it. I recently moved because my SO and I desperately needed an extra room for crafting because this "creative hoarding" was expanding into our living room. Also, I've become more interested in different types of creating. I know woodworking, sewing, and knitting from when I was a child- now I know basic welding, leatherworking, chainmail, advanced men's tailoring, and I've been thinking about taking up a bit of glass.

[Argentum]

My interest and skill in hobbies like sewing, modding and building has really increased since I took an avid interest in steampunk a few years ago. I find myself studying things I was always leery of before, like metalwork, and I have an ever-gowing collection of fabric, brass, etc. slowly taking over places in our house.

I don't include much that would be called steampunk in my day-to-day dress, but I've always enjoyed dressing formally, and I've adopted a Victorian sensibility to it; I feel underdressed if I'm wearing a tie and no waistcoat.  I tend to favor puff ties and ruche ties now as well.

[D.Oakes]

Steampunk has given me an excuse to be a little more....eccentric than I was prior.  My close friends didn't even take a second glance, but they did marvel at some of the "strange" things I began making or studying.  The area I live in has always been "boring."  It is rare to see a full punk or goth, pretty much black pants and a black t-shirt gets you labeled goth, so you can get a general idea of what it is like throughout a fairly large radius.  It is quite hard to step outside the box and not get labeled as a complete maniac.  Needless to say over the years I managed to develop a fairly decent reputation in my community and I wanted to be different but keep it that way.  When I found out that what I was pushing toward had a name and a following....well....I hopped right in because needless to say it was nice being able to give a long, intelligent explanation if questioned. 

I also share Vagabond Genteman's sentiment of a cohesive direction.  My brain has always been quite chaotic, steampunk however provides a certain framework to the madness, there is room for all of my ideas without having to change gears too much. 

[Boston Jones]

Manners, I make much more of an attempt to use manners with everyone, much more than I ever considered before.

I also seem to be taking everything apart, even in stores, I just open the back and start poking around.
I've disassembled three lap tops now and interchanged parts and bought new parts if it was needed online, things I wouldn't have bothered to attempt.

As for hats, well, I would have to consult my teenage self why this started.  Wearing a fashion from the past (esp hats) is something I've always done.

[Maxwell B. Cooper]

Steampunk has certainly caused some changes in my lifestyle, I'm drinking more tea and less coffee, I now have a few biscuits along with my tea which I never used to do. I purchased a top hat soon after embracing steampunk (actually I think it was more of an excuse to buy something I've always wanted to own). I now prefer to wear pocket watches rather than wrist watches (I now own 3 and am looking to get a 4th). I've made a greater effort to increase my vocabulary (I've always used 'big' words but now tend to use an older language style as well) and to be polite and respectful to people (where as before I generally ignored them). What I haven't done as yet is actually taken the plunge and started to wear my fledgling sense of style in public, I've always had problems with confidence (which is a whole different story).

[JohnOdin]

From Steampunk I've embraced a more Gentlmany type lifestyle. I gain pleasure and a sense of occasion from some of the simple and mundane tasks.
I shave with a straight razor or a double edged.
I write in a journal with a fountain pen.
I take more of a pride in my clothes, I enjoy wearing a suit or smart clothes, for no other reason than I just felt like.

[Tito Alba]

What I haven't done as yet is actually taken the plunge and started to wear my fledgling sense of style in public, I've always had problems with confidence (which is a whole different story).

I have this problem too but find that if you leave the cravats and top hats for special occasions then a lot of the rest can just go under the guise of 'smartening up' and generally gets favourable responses if anyone comments at all.

[Lady Evelyn Grey]

Also, I've become more interested in different types of creating. I know woodworking, sewing, and knitting from when I was a child- now I know basic welding, leatherworking, chainmail, advanced men's tailoring, and I've been thinking about taking up a bit of glass.

Oh, I can sympathize with this too. I'm looking far more critically at the items in the house or where I work and trying to figure out how they've been built and if I could make them at home. Especially with clothes- the closer I look the more I realize that "Hey, I could figure out how to make this given enough time and material." Where do you go to learn about the different forms of creating? Books? Internet? The craftsmen themselves?

I've made a greater effort to increase my vocabulary (I've always used 'big' words but now tend to use an older language style as well)

Mr. Cooper- I've actually been meaning to ask this after seeing the general appreciation of language on this site. How have you gone about changing the way you speak? Do you look through books of obscure words? Or read older works of literature for inspiration?

I write in a journal with a fountain pen.

I have actually pulled out an old fountain pen as well. It's strange both how much more and how much less I write with it. More because the act is absolutely delightful and my handwriting has improved ten-fold. Less, because I don't want to waste my ink on silly ideas. A lot more thought goes into my writing.

What I haven't done as yet is actually taken the plunge and started to wear my fledgling sense of style in public, I've always had problems with confidence (which is a whole different story).

I have this problem too but find that if you leave the cravats and top hats for special occasions then a lot of the rest can just go under the guise of 'smartening up' and generally gets favourable responses if anyone comments at all.

While I haven't been able to go out in a full steampunk ensemble (lack of funds on my part), wearing longer skirts or frilly pseudo victorian blouses have only earned me the most delightful of complements. Maybe, as Mr. Alba suggested, start small. Button down shirts instead of polo shirts, add a waistcoat and tie, and gradually work your way up. I find most people are actually delighted to see people with a bit of formality and whimsy to help break up their day.

[Maxwell B. Cooper]

Mr. Cooper- I've actually been meaning to ask this after seeing the general appreciation of language on this site. How have you gone about changing the way you speak? Do you look through books of obscure words? Or read older works of literature for inspiration?

From a young age my father has drilled it into me that if I come across a word I don't know, I should look it up. As a result a dictionary is never far away and each time I learn a new word I endeavour to add it to my vocabulary. In regards to changing the way I speak, it is mostly 19th century literature (Jules Verne, Alexandre Dumas, Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu and Edgar Allen Poe to name a few).

[abigailbeatrix]

Also, I've become more interested in different types of creating. I know woodworking, sewing, and knitting from when I was a child- now I know basic welding, leatherworking, chainmail, advanced men's tailoring, and I've been thinking about taking up a bit of glass.

Oh, I can sympathize with this too. I'm looking far more critically at the items in the house or where I work and trying to figure out how they've been built and if I could make them at home. Especially with clothes- the closer I look the more I realize that "Hey, I could figure out how to make this given enough time and material." Where do you go to learn about the different forms of creating? Books? Internet? The craftsmen themselves?

Part of it is applying what I already know. Leatherworking was really easy to take up for me since I had been sewing for a long time. All I needed was a leather punch and I was going! Off of that, my SO requested a bicorne, and being displeased with all instructions on the internet (aka- none.) I decided to draft my own pattern for a leather one. For fiber-arts, practice is a big one. I sucked at sewing and knitting when I was first introduced, but I always pushed myself to make something bigger and better. That's really how I learned to pattern and make knit animals. Sure, you mess up and waste materials, but it's all part of the process. (Plus you can scrap those materials and make smaller things later.)

The Internet is an amazing tool as well. For the things that I don't know much about but would like to work with, I look to the internet. I mainly go online for anyhing involving plastic or electronics. Places like craftster, instructables, and youtube are an amazing way to get started!

As for chainmail and welding, I learned from guys who did it themselves. Don't underestimate what other people know and how much you can learn by chillin' out with a good friend and watching them craft.

[Lt. Thomas Corvidae]

The most change that Steampunk has wrought on me is a surge of confidence. It used to be that I would consider going out of doors in a waistcoat and button up shirt to be somewhat ridiculous, unnecessary and possible fuel for ridicule. Once I discovered a large group of like-minded people, I began to rid myself of such thoughts and began to not care about what other people would think of me or my choices.

I have always loved using older tech like typewriters and candlestick phones, and have always preferred a hand written letter (with a dip pen or calligraphy pen with wonderfully beautiful india ink) to e-mails and well, tea is just something I grew up with.

I would love to change further by implementing more Victorian styled attire into my every day wear and begin to make more everyday items for myself and lessen the time spent at box stores and strip malls looking for things (not that I do much of that anyway). I also need to attend more of these Steampunk events to meet more of you wonderful people!

[Uncle Arthur]

I have had to give this thread a lot of thought. I have always had a deep interest in the period and gathered random Victorian stuff for years. Now I tend to be more focused on exactly what it is I gather up. I have been gradually replacing my furnishings with era antiques for some time as money and availability allow. My  sewing has shifted from medieval to Victorian since becoming tired of SCA politics. My cooking has taken on a slightly different turn as I research some of the tasty items no longer common in the American diet. In all I find myself hitting a very comfortable place to be in general.

[Lt. Thomas Corvidae]

since becoming tired of SCA politics.

I have to say, this is one change that I have seen a lot of, and I can totally understand why. I was never fully immersed into the SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism for those who are unaware) but they were a lot more uptight about things than Steampunks. For example, historical accuracy. We pretty much throw that right out the window when we feel like it. But definitely the politics of a large organized corporation can just grate one ones nerves and cause for not much fun to happen. I was hanging out with a House that was more or less the leading force in a Shire. A year later (I had fallen out of touch with them) I came upon an event and asked how they were doing. Apparently there was some sort of misunderstanding or coup and those people were never talked about again.

Such barbarians. Grow up and become a Victorian! 

[inigo jameson-gatling]

As mentioned elsewhere my everyday manner of dress is changing (if high waist trouser, braces and dress shirts weren't enough) - much to the jocularity of some of my colleagues. I am tending towards being tidier, but some hosehold jobs are losing out to some more fanciful projects.

[Vox Cerae]

The most notable example is I can no longer traverse a second hand shop or hardware store without holding up the misses. (karma, eh?) Other than that.. hm, not really. I always tinkered with model painting and electronics. Steampunk just happened sort of naturally, as my interest in history grew.

[Birdnest]

Changes in lifestyle you ask?

Other than having an excuse (label if you may) for my eccentricities, my lifestyle remains relatively unchanged.  OK OK ... maybe I dress a little nicer now and then.

[D.Oakes]

Now that I am single again....BACK TO STEAMPUNK TOTALLY!!!!!  Actually I was sitting in my room yesterday and realized the horrible reality that since she moved and took her things, quite literally ALL of my furniture and decor is Victorian-era or a modern copy. 

[Madame Curatrix]

... I was sitting in my room yesterday and realized the horrible reality that since she moved and took her things, quite literally ALL of my furniture and decor is Victorian-era or a modern copy. 

I fail to see how this is a "horrible reality" with regard to your decor.

[Anastacia]

The most obvious change I've noticed is that I'm almost always on the lookout for crafting supplies, now. There's always a project I want to be doing, whereas before, it was usually only nearabouts Halloween that I was feeling especially crafty. Now it seems to be a year-round hobby.

[Dorian Von Glass]

I have always used a more elevated vocabulary than most of the people around me (it is quite backwoods and uncultured here in south central PA) but I have noticed myself paying more attention to the quality of my dress, in fact, a friend and I have even nicknamed ourselves "members in good standing of the Epic Coats Club." We have taken to thrift store excursions to find wonderfully tailored/designed suit coats, vests, etc. I have also spent much more time in the kitchen, preferring to make food for myself and friends from scratch rather than the fast food we used to eat. I feel the famous quote from Thoreau's Walden is pertinent here...

“I went to the woods Steampunk because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practise resignation, unless it was quite necessary. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, to live so sturdily and Spartan-like as to put to rout all that was not life, to cut a broad swath and shave close, to drive life into a corner, and reduce it to its lowest terms.”

-Dorian

[Nuaie]

It hasn't been one sweeping step, but I'm working towards building a personality with a mix of modern behaviors and Victorian ones. And when I get back from the Marines, the outfits, they shall be mine!

[Captain Brandsson]

The biggest change, for me, is being a part a vast and international community with which to share ideas and such, rather than continuing to work in a vacuum.

[Her-Sourness]

I think my greatest change is a new appreciation for tea and a renewed faith in my specie's ability to use an extended vocabulary. That, and I realize I fit the standard of " Lady " far more than I ever thought possible. Which doesn't bother me as much as I thought it might...