A fashion plate from Godey's Lady's Book, Vol. 98 (March 1879) Godey's Lady's Book was one of the most popular lady's magazine of the 19th century with hand-tinted fashion plates showing the current styles of the day.

Fashion Shows

Gaslight Gathering will have a fashion show this year, which will be held in conjunction with the Steampunk Tea. Anyone can submit Fashion Show designs, which will then be made by the various participants and shown on the “runway” at the tea. Only paid attendees, however, may attend the fashion show or model the designs. When all of the designs have been received (Please send designs by e-mail to gaslight_fashion@yahoo.com or by snail mail to Gaslight Gathering, PO Box 15771, San Diego, CA 92175, they will be judged by a panel of costumers, and the best designs will be put into a portfolio that will appear on our website and in a hard copy portfolio.

The designers will have first choice as far as their own designs go. After those have been chosen, all other designs will be available to any convention attendee who wishes to make one of the designs and wear it (or have someone else model the design) in one of the two fashion shows. Once a design has been selected, it will be unavailable for anyone else to make. Distribution of designs will be on a strictly first come first serve basis.

Designs can be for men, women, or children, and for any body type. If you’ve got a cool steampunk robot design that can be “worn” by someone, please feel free to submit that design. Be sure to designate whether the design is for the Steampunk Fashion Show. Steampunk designs should reflect the steampunk genre. The historical aspects of the steampunk designs do not need to reflect historical accuracy. The designs should be creative, so let your imagination rule.