It was a Tuesday mid-morning, and a man from Durango was eagerly trying on Steampunk clothes and accessories at Village Antiques in Gem Village.
The black slacks with brass buttons down the side of each leg fit perfectly. The black topcoat, also with brass buttons, was a perfect match. Add in the Steampunk embellished top hat, gold satin cravat, eagle head cane, and an assortment of accessories, and Daryl Hinderer looked sharp. He was ready for the 2015 Snowdown and any other local Steampunk gatherings.
Village Antiques is owned and operated by members of the Stewart family. Along with the antiques is a section called the Victorian Fusion Boutique. Sisters Crystal Ross and Candace Dial are the makers of most of the Steampunk costumes. Brothers Lyle and Steve Stewart also have some involvement, although the antiques are their main focus.
"We do the clothing," Ross said. "We re-purpose clothing for the most part. That makes them pretty unique, one of a kind. We started when we opened the store a year ago in September (2013). We were already intrigued by Steampunk and (made the decision) to do it before Snowdown came around" and announced the Steampunk theme for 2015.
Ross said, "It was because my brother Steve made a Steampunk gun. When we saw that, we became very excited. Candace does the hats, the flowery lacy things." She makes from scratch the small hats called "fascinators" and decorates the larger hats for men and women, often with feathers, small gear wheels, and especially goggles.
"I do more of grommets and studs," Ross said. "I make the goggles. Steve provides a lot of the little gadgets. Lyle has even tried making a few things."
Steampunk is sort of a Victorian science-fiction genre. Think Jules Verne and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It's been around for a few years with growing local participation.
Lyle said, "We went to the (Steampunk) Stomp last March (in Durango), and it was great fun. The costumes were outrageous."
Ross said, "The Discovery Museum (now called the Power House Science Center) has had a Steampunk Stomp for three years in March as a fundraiser. I can't imagine that will stop. In September, there was a Steampunk convention in Grand Junction. It's getting more and more popular. And some people just like to dress kind of crazy, every day."
Ross even has a Steampunk persona. "I call myself Van Helsing's phat aunt." That's phat as in awesome, not fat. And for those not in the know, Professor Van Helsing was the vampire expert who led the hunt for Count Dracula in Bram Stoker's novel.
"I'm a shadow hunter," Ross said and held up a gadget belt similar to hers. "I have silver bullets for wiping out werewolves, a wooden stake for vampires, iron spikes for wicked fairies, and potion bottles for speed and invisibility."
Asked if she and Candace make their Steampunk items during quiet times at the store, Ross said, "It's been busy enough that I have to do most of my work at home, 10 p.m. to midnight. It's been very busy."
Candace arrived right then with a box of newly made hats, a shirt, and a peasant-style blouse that she'd just finished embellishing with lace.
Ross said, "We're just having a lot of fun. Steampunk goes so well with our area, the train, a Victorian-style town. It appeals to teens, kids, older people. When we went to the Stomp, we thought we'd be the oldest ones there and we weren't."
Ross and brother Lyle said they aren't planning to do online sales. People like to look at the costumes and gadgets in person.
With all the re-purposed clothing and odd assortments of stuff, especially brass and copper, made into accessories, it's a form of recycling. And there doesn't seem to be any such thing as too many accessories, to be ready for vampires, giant squids, or any other emergency.
As he added to his pile of Steampunk goods, Hinderer said, "A friend heard an ad for the store and told me about it. I'm glad I made the trip over here."
