# Steampunk Saloon Bartender Lady?



## BadTable Manor (Apr 16, 2008)

Hiya all, I'm new here *waves*

This year's Halloween party theme is Ghost Town, and I'm the bartender fer The Barkin' Spider Saloon. Seeing that back in the Old West bartenders were male, I'm going for a somewhat androgynous look. So far I've got a bowler hat, black pinstripe vest, purple bloomers, black stockings, and Victorian lace-up boots. So far, so good, but not very scary. 
So I ask you all for inspiration. I'm a huge fan of anything Steampunk, and I'm imagining something involving brass bolts, gears, or even clear tubing. Anything that glows, that would be jolly good as well. The areas available for adorning are face, neck, and arms.
A crazy mixed-up melange to be sure, but something I think we can pull off. 
So whaddya say? Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!


----------



## Revenant (Mar 17, 2007)

My recommendation would be to rent a copy of Jean-Pierre Jeunet's _City of Lost Children_ (La Cite' des Enfants Perdus). The production design is sort of like Steamboy meets Brazil, and he's got some very cool retro/steampunk borg-type characters in it. Get yourself some good metallic paints, especially steel, brass, and copper.

Jeunet, if you're not familiar with him, is sort of like France's version of Terry Gilliam or Tim Burton. So it's highly stylized and kind of insane, but richly textured and makes sense in a very surreal sort of way in the context of his worlds.


----------



## BadTable Manor (Apr 16, 2008)

Wow, that sounds fabulous, I can't wait to check it out.
Thanks so much!


----------



## turtle2778 (Jul 9, 2006)

WoW, i looked that film up on google and the images are AWESOME there is one of a guy that I was thinking of telling you to make your bartender after and there it is. I was thinking the borg with their monocle eye maybe you could find an old camera and use its guts to make the eye go in and out with its lens??? Im gunna look up that movie on blockbuster it looks cool.


----------



## turtle2778 (Jul 9, 2006)

http://www.amasquerade.com/images/products/1865_1890_wild_west/1800sgambler.jpg

what about having the ruffly arm bands here be metal cuff with tubes coming out of them like from a fish tank? You could add blue coloring like from clothing detergent to get it glowing under a black light?? oOOH OOOOH you gotta have the wall of bottles set up behind you but instead of traditional booze it can be "haunters" booze. Like Worms Tail Whiskey. To which you can also add different liquids to make them glow under the black light. And youve gotta to have WANTED posters up, but you can use Frankenstein or Dracula or the wolfman Ya know something like Wanted!! Dead or Alive Vlad "Dracula" Tepes Reward!! . Oooh and if you could get the swinging doors and wagon wheel chandelier those would be cool too, but instead of typical wooden doors you could add metal pieces to it and your chandelier could be a big COG like from a machine. I really like this idea. COooool. I cant wait to see what you come up with so i can steal...oops i mean borrow you ideas.


----------



## Samhain (May 28, 2007)

Ooo I adore City of Lost Children, I saw it when I was about 6 or 7 and it's stayed with me for life.
If you're feeling a bit creative, Why not try some kind of steamy cyborg arm? You could use various doodads and brass/copper paint to make something pretty special. I like the eye idea too.
Goggles are a must when it comes to steampunk.

Sounds like a fun party =]


----------



## BadTable Manor (Apr 16, 2008)

Brilliant ideas! Turtle, love the tube and detergent idea, I'll be using that, thankyouverymuch, and Samhain's Cyborg arm is perfect. I'll sling my goggles onto my hatbrim. Can't leave those behind.
I'm liking the arm garter idea. Something industrial, like a brass riveted armband, where the tubes and metal straps start from, then a similiar wristband where everything ends. I'd like to "insert" something onto my temple, like maybe a riveted brass ring enclosing a detergent-filled window-like-thingy that'll glow from the bar blacklights. Rusted barbwire will be incorporated onto my person as well...
I checked out Youtube for City of Lost Children. Pretty darn amazing movie. Lots of ideas to lift from there. Thanks again, revenant.
Can't wait to see what other great ideas pop up. 

I love this place!


----------



## IshWitch (May 31, 2006)

If you belong to Netflix, the City Of Lost Children is available for instant play right now.

Lots of cool looks in that movie, a serious load of ideas!


----------



## BadTable Manor (Apr 16, 2008)

This is what I have so far: my bowler hat with the goggles and assorted doodads:
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j310/chadthecabinboy/IMG_3637.jpg

Yaey for Happy Meal toys! I "borrowed" the kids' Spiderwick eyepiece and painted it up. It'll go over my ear; fits perfectly.
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j310/chadthecabinboy/IMG_3642.jpg

... and I just got this from Petsmart. The whole thing will be filled with either laundry detergent or tonic water, whichever glows better. The big tube will connect to my arm band, with 2 smaller tubes running the length of my arm to the wristband. I'll have to add some gears and copper wiring.
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j310/chadthecabinboy/IMG_3636.jpg

This is a fun project; thanks for everyone's ideas so far.


----------

