Steampunk Navajo

Last year at TeslaCon 1 I wore a Navajo Steampunk outfit, and I thought it was high time to write a post about that.

First, I should say that as far as I know I have no Navajo heritage. I made this costume because I really like the aesthetic of Navajo art, particularly their clothing. I also wanted to explore steampunk in a different direction, most of the characters/outfits I've seen have been very Euro-centric. Thinking about what a Navajo approach to steampunk would be let me be a bit more creative than I might have been otherwise.

When making this outfit my primary goal was to portray a Navajo approach to steampunk in a respectful way. This meant that I had to do my research about every component of the outfit, making sure that I knew the significance of any images or patterns I used. 

I can't find the original reference picture that I used, but this is very close to that: 

http://www.suite101.com/view_image_articles.cfm/2540065

Once I had a reference from which to build my outfit I began thinking of ways to incorporate the steampunk aesthetic into my outfit. I didn't want to change the basic visuals of the outfit, I wanted people to be able to recognize the culture of my outfit first, and identify the steampunk elements only at a closer inspection. 

The first part I set about acquiring is the blanket for the blanket dress. I didn't want to alter a real Navajo blanket, so I began looking for a blanket that had the overall look I wanted but that was fine to alter. I found a plush blanket at a department store that had a Navajo-esq pattern and was also in steampunk shades of tan and brown!I then went to one of my friends who is handy with sewing, and she made it into a fantastic blanket dress.

I then began focusing on the belt for the dress. The traditional belt for a Navajo blanket dress is woven in many colors and decorated with hammered silver broaches. I wanted the belt to subtly reflect a more steampunk side of the look and I wanted to use materials that I already had on hand. I ended up using some scrap leather that was from an old leather coat to make the bulk of the belt. Then I had to make the broaches. I didn't want to have a huge amount of broaches, both to increase the ease of wearing the outfit and to conserve materials. I decided to make the silver broaches out of chainmail mandalas and decorate them with turquoise colored beads. At the same time I made another chainmail mandala that I would later make into a matching bracelet.

But just having the mandalas wasn't steampunk enough for what I wanted from the belt. I found the final touch by attaching the face of a broken alarm clock onto the center of the belt. It was exactly what the belt needed! From there I finished the belt by adding chain trim to the top and bottom and a few key ring attachments to hand items from.

Under the dress I wore a pair of black faux-leather leggings and boots. 

Now that I had the basic outfit down I began designing and making the accessories. The first thing I made was the mandala chainmail bracelet with turquoise trim.

A few years ago I was given a mini flask by a friend. I decided to incorporate the flask into the costume by covering the flask with a peyote stitch beaded design of cogs. I used another scrap of leather as backing and hung a small feathers and cogs trim from the bottom. 

At the same time I beaded a matching knife holster for a plastic toy knife I bought at a dollar store. 

Then I began working on the broach, earrings and necklace. I made the broach out of a gear and some more turquoise beads and the necklace I made of chainmail, some old beads that I've had lying around, and a large spring from the old alarm clock.

The earrings are made out of watch springs hung with chainmail and turquoise beads.

I then began focusing on my hairstyle. Traditional Navajo hairstyles involve a sort of bun wrapped in yarn at the base of the skull called a chongo. I am not the most savvy hair person, but I can manage a bun. I wanted to imitate the look of a women's chongo, replacing the yarn with silver chains. I had an old broken watch that had a pattern and color scheme that fit the overall look I was going for. I took out the watch section and replaced it with a buffalo nickle. I then put it all together and made it into a barrette. I pinned the barrette to the top of my bun.

Now my outfit was almost complete. I just felt that something was missing from the overall look, so I took another scrap of leather and some old watch parts and made a bracelet.

And that was it! I wore the outfit to two different Steampunk conventions, Teslacon 1 and Steamcon. I sometimes added a blue leather pouch to keep things in, or a flute that my uncle had gotten from a trip to a navajo reservation.

Over the course of making the outfit I learned a lot about the Navajo culture, as well as new directions for jewelry making and beading. I had a lot of fun throughout the whole process, and the outfit was incredibly wearable, sturdy, and comfortable.