Mighty news is in the works – Victoriana is back. I never thought I would see the day. From all I remember as a youngster, to my concentrated academia and career in the arts and disciplines teaching about beauty, I believed Victoriana had produced some of the ugliest products ever made in history. Like living in “Dark Shadows.” My years of work and study in art, design, and architecture have produced in me a clear idea of how space, color, and unity can be utilized to produce a well-designed and functional environment. Environments like schools, sports stadiums, spas, places of worship, galleries, museums, our homes and more. The list is long.
According to Wikipedia: Steampunk is a sub-genre of science fiction, fantasy, alternate history, and speculative fiction that came into prominence during the 1980s and early 1990s. Steampunk involves a setting where steam power was widely used—usually the Victorian era Britain—that incorporates elements of either science fiction or fantasy. Works of Steampunk often feature anachronistic technology or futuristic innovations as Victorians may have envisioned them; based on a Victorian perspective on fashion, culture, architectural style, art, etc. This technology may include such fictional machines as those found in the works of H. G. Wells and Jules Verne.
Image below on the left is a handsome 21st Century clock by Roger Wood made in the aesthetics of Steampunk style. Metal and layers. See more on his website. http://www.klockwerks.com
Steampunk garnered its name from the idea of steam power and the inventions of the industrial revolution. It is based on history. Robert Fulton and his steam engine were instrumental in changing manufacturing. Eli Whitney and his cotton gin made extracting cotton from the plant easier. The spinning jenny run by steam made weaving easier. 
The Industrial Revolution marked a major turning point in human history.
Image on right is the only surviving example of a Spinning mule built by the inventor Samuel Crompton.
Almost every aspect of daily life was influenced in some way. Machine-based manufacturing became protocol. Victoriana produced thinkers of future possibilities and science fiction, hence Steampunk; layering, metal, designing with objects of technology. 
Image on right, Victoriana style, is a Herter sofa made for the Lockwood’s, circa 1867. Two of the sofas can be seen in Lockwood Mathews Mansion Museum in Norwalk CT. The mansion is still looking for the other pair. Lockwood is open to the public. www.lockwoodmathewsmansion.com
Remember a couple of years ago in fashion when layering became popular? Now it’s more popular than ever. We discovered layering works, both indoors and outdoors, and it is fashionable. For fashion, so many designs are being shown in layered form.
Free People fashions for Bloomingdale's
2011 Free People on the left in particular.
Image above on right: 1905 Duster keeps the road dust from the new automobiles off her layers of underclothing.
Mrs. Lockwood layered in corset, petticoats, slips, blouse and can you see more?
Image on left: Let’s look at Mrs. Lockwood in the 19th Century in the Rotunda of her home, Lockwood Mathews Mansion Museum. Layers once again. Can you figure out how many layers she is wearing?
Come back next week for another look at Steampunk and Victoriana. How are those layers being translated? Are we heading for another Victoriana or will we stop before it goes overboard? It may be too late!
Love the article, Gail! Not sure if I’m a steam-punker or not but you could probably convince me 🙂
Hi Jen, good to see you here. Thanks! Did you want to be a Steampunker? If anyone could be, you would be it. You are so open and flexible. To be one, you would want to be a neo-Victorian. The trend has picked up on Victoriana from the 19th century and created Si-fi, and funky ways of designing your personal world. Designs in fashions in fabrics, decorative and functional objects, like clocks, lamps, vases and also environments. If you have a chance, treat yourself to a quick review of my past blogs to bring you up to date. i am planning to continue the venue. Be sure to check out next week’s blog with some surprises.
Gail, I personally think Steampunk has been around longer than the 1980s. Anyone remember Wild, Wild, West (the TV show- which I saw in re-runs as a kid!) and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (penned by Sir Ian Fleming)? I knew Steampunk had gone mainstream when I visited the Yankee Candle Flagship Store in Deerfield MA last Friday. Their Halloween Display – you guessed it – Steampunk!
Hi Christine, Thanks for your comment. You are correct. Changes in design philosophy has been around from the 60’s. The 50’s was a mild period following the devastation of WW II and the Korean War 1950-53. Building homes and businesses for our soldiers, families regrouping, building our lives again kept us busy. We were too busy to get involved with Steampunk/alternative type design. But come the middle 50’s and going into the 60’s we expanded our thinking. McDonald’s popping up in 1955, Korvette’s discount store came on the scene. Korvette’s was one of the first Walmart type stores. The housing market became hot, design became exciting, architecture grew up in our big cities. It was a time of change. Steampunk is fun and we needed fun.
Don’t you love the 1968 Chitty Chitty Bang Bang car? I wanted to add it to my post, but I had to make choices. Next week i am planning to put some gorgeous interiors into my post.
The car is fabulous!! Thanks for sending to me!!
You are welcome.
Hi Gail,
Very interesting info. I have tried to write steampunk, but I find myself sitting in front of the blank computer screen and “I got nothing.” I really like it and find it so interesting. I think it’s a genre that translates to film very well and appeals to many. I really enjoyed the post. I also loved the art work at the top. You are multi-talented. Thanks for sharing.
Gerri
Hi Gerri, i like a lot of Steampunk, it is fun. Like the clock on my blog. if you visit http://www.klockwerks.com you can read why he calls himself “mad.” His work is amazing. We have Victoriana and the Victorians to thank for their indulgence in changing history of design. Thank you for the comment.
You are quite an accomplished artist. You have a lot of info on Victoriana. Do you collect? Do you do any interior decorating work? If so did you find that many of your clients wanted Victorian Era pieces? This was a really educational piece. Thanks.
Debralee Mede
Hi Debralee, Thanks for the kind words. I am a historian by training in architectural history and interior design. i founded a school of interior design, developed course work, taught history and all subjects in the venue. Victoriana is only one of the era’s i taught. I have paid my dues with 40 years of interior decorating and design. The expertise remains intact. Folks interested in the decorative arts have begun to collect Victoriana. Certainly Tiffany has always been a valuable collectible. But furnishings in general are massive, heavy and overwhelming. For example, the Herter sofa in my blog has an important history and would be quite expensive, maybe even desirable, but of course they belong to Lockwood Mathews Mansion Museum, and are not for sale. What I am saying is some Victoriana could be great to have, but in general the overall ambiance is oppressive. Do your research and be discriminating if you find something you desire.