Steampunk and perfumes

I´ve thought a lot about steampunk lately. Before I start hanging out on Etsy I din´t even know there was such a thing. Or, I know that there was without knowing that it had a name. I am probably pretty much dated, but I´m after all more than 40 years old and living in a small town, what else could you expect?


well, for those of you as lost as I am, I can try to explain what steampunk is. It´s a litterary genre relative to science fiction but not taking place in outer space or the future. It´s usual with a Victorian environment, and if you´re thinking about Jules verne, steam engines, zeppelins, geer wheals and early-modern industrialism you´re about to get it. Steampunk can also be contemprary, but a nowadays without digital inventions or computers or jetplanes. Like if we´re driving around in steam engined cars and having big, strange mechanic factories. The environment, mood and clothes you can find in movies like "Wild, wild west" "The Leauge" and "The city of lost children".


I´ve been a little steampunk-inspired when it comes to clothes and home decorating without knowing that steampunk is what it´s called. But I have to admit it isn´t that common that I´m running around in knee high boots, high hat, googles and skirt with bustle. But still, I think it is so beautiful.


If you´re curious about steampunk I suggest that you take a look at Nadya lev´s amazing photos or visit the homepage of Coilhouse, a magasine driven by Nadya lev and a bnch of others.
http://coilhouse.net/


Well, we´re having a small grip on how steampunk looks like, but how does it smell? What perfumes goes with the steampunk-outfit? I´ve thought about some that would be great together with steampunk clothes, and other not so spot on, but still kind of cool giving it a second thought.


The first scent I think about is Be Never To Busy Too Be Beautiful´s Superworldunknown, with it´s more oily less sweet version of Pink sugar paired with warm metallic parts from carousels and the slightest whiffs of roses. Unfortunatly discountinued, so I guess it´s not that easy to come across any more.


Another spot on is CdG/Stephen Jones with it´s smell of romatic and fragile violets mixed with minerals and edgy, sharp metal. I would bet on that some of Stephen Jones famous hats also would go well with steampunk.


Next is Guerlain´s Shalimar. Maybe not as spot on as the one´s mentioned above, but still apropriate. I´ve noticed a scent of something oily and even almost metallic in Shalimar, of course this would be a scent for a steam punk femme fatale.


Etat Libre d'Orange´s Fat Electrician, ooh yeah, this is so great. Vetiver and olive oil is such a cool backdrop to steampunk. It smells like a thich, dark can of grease would smell like if it smelled good.


And if you can wear CdG/Daphne Guiness it is also quite nice in this genre. Unfortunatly on me, Daphne only smells like rancid frying oil. :(


By the way there is also others from CdG that would work well, the cold, metallic Zagorsk (incense series) and Tar of course. I haven´t tried Garage, but I belive it would also make it to steampunk.


Some leathery scents, Histoirs de Parfums Marquis de Sade 1740 and the new, Tubereuse Animale, great scents both of them,


Andy Tauer´s Lonestar Memories, and Le Labo´s Patchouli 24 as well as Oud 27, and also Neil Morris' Gotham, dark, leathery, smokey, rubbery and cool fragrances.


Parfumerie Generale´s Felanilla is a strange, almost oily and medical but still very wearable scent that would suit a steampunker that likes to develop strange poitions in his/hers steam operated laboratory. I think also Montale´s Black aoud could fit in that cathegory.


And then, a little unbacked maybe, Lolita Lempicka (the original scent) It´s both pretty violets and licorice and a dose of the cleanest, most delightful smell of white smoke or steam I´ve encountered in a perfume. Not prominent on everyone though...


And of course, Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab has surely some oils to offer for those of you that wish to explore steampunk scents a little more.
http://www.blackphoenixalchemylab.com/
There are also several sellers on Etsy that has made a lot of interesting interpretations of the steampunk theme (both perfumes and other things). www.etsy.com


Do you know of any good steampunk scent that I´ve missed? Or some other fun facts about steampunk that you will share?







Pics: The two atop are photos by Nadya lev, the next is from flickr and the last one is from Wikimedia.