Comments on: The Style Edition

By: Naomi Lazarus

Naomi Lazarus — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 00:15:16 +0000

I’m a costume designer for theatre and film, and a fashion historian.

And, you’re absolutely right. The 1830′s were rather horrific, fashion-wise. Fortunately, I’ve only had to design one show in that period (www.naomilazarus.com/translations.html). Unfortunately, it was a drama, which provided a serious challenge, because when you dress someone in slope-shouldered poofy sleeves, it’s really hard not to laugh at them.

I’ve been exploring designing some steam punk costumes, but have found it very hard to do. The traditional (by which I mean not your) female steam punk character seems to be dressed in her underwear (visible corsets and bustles over pantaloons, etc. http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3095/3445587269_eba742ac73.jpg Blech!). This is not something I’m terribly comfortable with. An alternate reality where people build steam-powered computers, and soar above church steeples in DaVinci-esque flying machines is perfectly rational to me. An alternate reality where women wander about in public in their underwear is just too far-fetched. Fortunately we can give great thanks to Amelia Bloomer and the “Rational Dress Movement” (http://www.fashion-era.com/rational_dress.htm) which introduced the concepts of split skirts and trousers for women. Although, since Mrs. Bloomer was only fifteen years old in 1833, I suspect Ada wouldn’t have been taking advantage of this fashion statement, and it never really went anywhere until after Bloomer’s death, in ’94. It really hit around 1850, where it received enormous mockery, tinged with enormous defensiveness, from men, and the press. (http://images.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=http://www.victorianlondon.org/punch/winter-51-bloomer.gif&imgrefurl=http://www.victorianlondon.org/punch/cartoon17.htm&usg=__6IRBKTzzv8C7SEPpNKrPICVdmuw=&h=249&w=401&sz=44&hl=en&start=4&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=F4TriSgG1SIAKM:&tbnh=77&tbnw=124&prev=/images%3Fq%3Drational%2Bdress%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26tbs%3Disch:1)

I, however, will take full advantage of the fact that “steampunk” can cover pretty much any period in the 19th Century, and dress my ladies in bloomers. Not Mrs. Bloomer’s bloomers, which are actually rather dorky harem pants, under a knee-length skirt, which puts regular 1830′s fashion to shame for sheer ridiculousness, but the smart jacket-and-breeches numbers ladies subsequently wore for cycling. But with goggles, and a toolbelt. And some gratuitous and purely decorative gears glued on, here and there. Sexy…. ;)

By: Joanne Renaud

Joanne Renaud — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 20:06:35 +0000

I’m really enjoying this comic, but I gotta say I do like 1830s fashion a lot. Yes, it is silly and ridiculous, but to me that’s what makes it fun to draw. Have you seen “The Young Victoria” or “Wives and Daughters”? There’s lots of fun ’30s costuming in both of them.

My own take on 1830s fashion:

http://suburbanbeatnik.deviantart.com/art/Chantal-s-Got-a-Gun-49634330

By: David

David — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 04:00:52 +0000

Lovely stuff, Sydney. I am now the proud owner of the Brunel shirt, which I intend to wear to job interviews, and my sweet geeky daughter (who found you on the web in the first place, after we had gone to see the Difference Engine at the local Computer History Museum) has the Difference Tubes shirt.

As others have pointed out you have quite a few other images that would make terrific shirts and mugs. For example, your “Brunel, for no reason.” All it needs is a caption

Caption contest! Maybe, “Where the hell is my Computer?”

You have done just right in evading 1830′s fashion, and I must say Ada looks just right in trousers.

By: Kit

Kit — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 07:10:01 +0000

Fashion historian here, just saying that I agree. The 1830s are hideous. Except the giant lapels. I love those things, combined with a nice pleated frock coat that gives men an hourglass figure…as to men with hourglass figures, your mileage may vary. Women’s fashion really doesn’t get much worse, excepting the 1970s and ’80s. The loathsome shoulders and giant sleeves reappear in the 1890s, but at least they’re on rather austere dresses with balanced skirts.

By: Sarah Kauthen

Sarah Kauthen — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 12:49:28 +0000

http://www.flickr.com/photos/skauthen2/4023535738/in/set-72157622528112232/

I love this country.

By: sydney

sydney — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 16:22:45 +0000

Craig, Kobold, inconstant reader– noted. At some point I’ll get my act together and put up another tshirt or two..

musiccaptain– how about puffed sleeves AND tartan trousers? Mmmm… 80s…

paul– drawing? what drawing? that is a figment of your imagination..

Carol- oh god, trust me to find the only person in the internet offended by an insensitive slam at 1830s fashion community. I’m a ‘she’ btw, and no fashion plate myself, not even an 1830s one.

John- Ada’s looks got mixed reviews– I think she was one of those people whose looks vary greatly with their mood.

Richard– ‘WTF?’ sums it up.. the only thing worse was that weird decade where women tried to make themselves look like pieces of furniture.

Emily, Minivet- the difference is of course that Thackery is wrong and I am right about which was the more fabulous period.. though he has a point about the bonnets.

Douglas– omigod, your steampunk tardis is AMAAAAAZING!!!!

Smallpotato– although, Ada’s maid was better dressed than she was..

RoseRed, Kirsten– corset flame war!!!! Was the recent Little Dorrit adaption set in the ’30s? I couldn’t quite place it. The only big costumer I can think of set in the 30s was the Pride and Prejudice with Greer Grason.. and I think they said they changed the period because the clothes were more ridiculous!

Patron Vectras– I’m starting to think Babbage is from whence the crazy-inventor stereotype sprung…

Bob Berman– goodness, thank you very very much!! I keep meaning to do things the proper way and write a script and then draw the comic… to date I seem to do a bunch of random drawings and then try to unite them with words. Couldn’t give you an exact production timeline.. the Oxford two-page comic, which is the only I’d consider really ‘done’, took about a week to draw. All the rest I do some drawing after work when I have the energy.. not really keeping track of the time though!

By: Bob Berman

Bob Berman — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 01:37:54 +0000

Sydney, you’re a gem — a witty and talented cartoonist who brings at least a smile and often a guffah! Certainly Einstein might enjoy playing an anchronistic part in your saga, and please remember Richard Feynman a more recent Nobel physicist & joker. You also have the opportunity to include more of the contemporary Ada programming language. I second the referal to xkcd comics as a kindred soul — only stick figures w/o clothing, but geeky humor. Pi in the sky humor is very good. You haved fantastic artistic expression — how long does it take to draw a cartoon once you have the script?

Many thanks from a 1960s era programmer.

By: Patron Vectras

Patron Vectras — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 05:02:06 +0000

Hawaiian shirts, eh?

remind you of anyone?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emmett_Brown

|Flux Capacitor| = |Difference Engine| ?
those are encased in absolute value symbols, in case they do not survive the jump ;]

By: Kirsten

Kirsten — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 07:36:45 +0000

I… love you. That is all.

Actually it’s not all. To the comment regarding corsets – they do too hurt! You get fitted for one, you gain some weight, and suddenly it’s like a pair of jeans that’s two sizes too small. :( And that hurts.

Of course, if you stay the same size, there’s not that problem…. But who stays the same size, really?

By: RoseRed

RoseRed — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 20:35:51 +0000

I heartily agree that the 1830′s fashion was one of the ugliest in costume history. I love 19th century fashion with the exception of that one era. I know many Dickenson theatrical performers and costume geeks and not ONE of them will wear the dress of the 1830′s! They always fudge it and go for the 1840′s even at times dipping into the 1850′s because, well—to be blunt, the 1840′s costume tends to make a girl look a bit “matronly.” Large drooping sleeves that expose the creamy shoulder are not considered as sexy as they once were. As for the 1830′s—why professional costumers don’t often use that period, even for movie adaptions of classic Dickens stories such as “A Christmas Carol,” is for a very simple reason. It’s a B*TCH to sew. The ruffles and the pleats and the ribbons are a colossal pain to stitch and the hours required to make it look right are ridiculous. Not to mention the sheer COST of such materials. And to add insult to injury you can stitch and pleat your little heart out, spend hundreds of dollars and STILL the miserable wearer of the finished design will–between the hideous top knot hair style and all those ribbons—resemble a shih tzu puppy. Ghastly.

As for the corset comment in the above replies I’d like to lay to rest a myth once and for all—corsets do NOT hurt! If your corset is hurting you it is fitted incorrectly and you should complain to your corsetmaker immediately as a poorly fitted corset can indeed injure your health if laced tightly. Please see the link for the Romantasy website, a reputable corsetmaker which also offers waisttraining for those who are determined to have that perfect wasp waist. http://www.romantasy.com