The Official Royal Steamline Blog
The latest news, inspiration and other findings
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Inspired by the season, this is the first in a series of tongue-in-cheek installments that examines the physical demands of being a vampire and what brides- and grooms-to-be can learn from them.
You see, many humans (as well as vampires) aim to slim down in the weeks approaching their weddings. That’s only natural: not only will you be on display in front of your friends and families, but the moment will be one of the most photographed in your life! If that’s not enough to scare most of us into a diet, we’re not sure what is.
Human brides- and grooms-to-be that are looking to shape up before the big day can take a lot of cues from the undead. While many think that being Nosferatu mostly involves lounging around all night on velvet pillows sipping a chilled A-Negative, they don’t know the whole truth: being a vampire requires the undead to perform an amazing range of activities with skill and dexterity. We’ll first highlight one of these situations and then suggest an exercise that can help you prepare for your big day while mimicking the vamp’s moves. (Naturally, this is all meant in fun and if you’re really beginning an exercise program, you shouldn’t be starting here…)
No. 1: The Building Drop
Being almost preternaturally egotistical, the vampire often displays his or her strength in the most flamboyant ways. Take for example something we call the Building Drop: instead of taking the stairs or elevator, the vampire simply walks off a four-story ledge to land on the ground as if nothing unusual had happened. One of the better examples of this over-the-top maneuver can be seen around the 30 second mark in this (regrettably silent) Underworld trailer:
Did Selene really need to do that? Of course not. But it looked great.
So what can you do to make your legs strong enough to perform a Building Drop? Nothing. But if you’d settle for firmer thighs, stronger ankles and an improved sense of balance, we suggest the Bench Jump:
We think you get the idea from the image, but click here to get all the details.
We hoped you enjoyed this first installment. Stay tuned for more!
We absolutely love the following image:
Wikipedia summarizes:
1887 Japanese print depicting two young ladies dressed according to the latest Western fashions of the time (with bustles) — except that the colors and designs of the fabrics are done to Japanese tastes.
There’s something about this juxtaposition that we enjoy very much. And it squarely addresses an ideal that we love to see in weddings: taking a standard and making it yours. Well done, ladies.
Oct 15
Wedding Dresses to Die For?
Last week was Portland Fashion Week, and unfortunately I was home with a cold instead of going to this amazing event at the local cemetery. The Procession, hosted by Pinkham Millinery was a showcase of some of Portland’s top indie designers. Designers included: Elizabeth Dye, Jayme Hansen, Kate Towers, Duchess Clothier, Frocky Jack Morgan, MothLove, Emily Ryan, Emily Bixler, Holly Stalder and Valerie Mathus.
Obviously, I’m in love with the colors (or lack there of), but the real draw here is all the ruffly goodness. Subtle, but stunning.
… A
{Dress by Kate Towers | Photo by Minh Tran}
{"Nevermore" dress by Elizabeth Dye | Photo by Minh Tran}
{Photo via Grayling Jewlery}
Oct 10
Tor Goes Steampunk? Huzzah!
While we’re admittedly ten days late with the news, we’d still like to pass on that that perennial publisher of substantial science fiction and fantasy has donned aeronaut’s gear for Halloween: Tor.com has gone steampunk for the month of October.
If you aren’t familiar with the imprint, or just want to peruse a fine assortment of art, stories and movies, we encourage to check out what’s going on over at Tor.com.
If this were a newspaper, Duchess Clothier would be cause for a stop press.
I’m not sure how such an amazing (and surprisingly affordable) clothier of this ilk (situated in my Portland no less!) has eluded me for so long. But if you are a gent looking for a special suit for that most special of days, I strongly urge you to review their wares.
Everything from period recreations to fine suits that defy and juxtapose definite eras are to be had here. And if you and your bride-to-be run are leaning toward a darker affair, you would remiss if you didn’t consider something in following vein:
I recommend perusing their Flick stream to see the amazing range of products on offer. From velvet to sharkskin to seersucker, they seem to have it all. I, myself, am partial to plaids and patterns:
Finally, if you visit their site, you’ll see a testimonial from a certain legendary singer. If their stuff is good enough for that bad seed, won’t it work for you?
“The tinkerer – always in their shoppe, studio or garage – grabs a odd handful of used gears and pinions to craft something beyond imagination…”
We’ve added several new designs recently – please do have a look!
Sep 18
The Darker Side of Hang Tags
I’ve always been a sucker for vintage ephemera, so I was thrilled to find these hand-altered tags from Brandywine Boutique. These “vintagized” tags are perfect for a darker, Fall or Winter wedding. Besides the obvious gift tag, here are a few ideas to use hang tags in your wedding:
- Tie the tag to a skeleton key with twine or vintage seam binding for an easy-to-make escort card
- Add a unique look to your favors
- Use them as labels for each station at the buffet table
How would you use vintage ephemera in your wedding?
{Halloween Mix Tags}
“The Portal” visually suggests a number of steampunk elements: a mysterious doorway into another dimension, a double-paned window on the Nautilus, the patina on aged brass gears. The timelessness of the design is further implied by the pledge faintly visible around the the portal itself: “Till Death Do Us Part.”
We’ve recently introduced a number of new invitation designs — please do have a look!
One for the ladies.
Inspired by the fashions worn by Diane Kruger’s fictitious 1940s German film star in Inglorious Basterds, I’m posting this very smart looking suit. Yes, the styles don’t match exactly, but I feel it matches the pinned and proper tone established by the fashionable Bridget von Hammersmark.
Ghengis Khan, she is not.
The ’40s is a rich era of fashion to mine and I expect to see its influences popping up with greater frequency…
With the launch of our new cemetery-themed invitation designs, Witching Hour and Engraved in Stone, it seemed only natural to share this film. Though this independent film has been touring the festival circuit for a while, I Sell The Dead hasn’t been widely available…until now via the IFC network. We’re not sure if it’s going to be an enjoyable comedic spookfest (the New York Times used descriptors such as “Hammeresque” and “Abbott-and-Costello-style”), or just too broad for its own good. But the poster is suitably cool so we remain hopeful:
I Sell the Dead
Anyone seen this yet?
Sep 09
Etsy Fav: Something Wicked…
Fall is in the air and there’s already buzz about Halloween. Etsy’s Handmade Blog showcased a lovely assortment of spooky finds this week. Here are some of our favorites:
{Black bird leather cut out mask}
{Slit throat choker with blood drop earrings}
{Mini claw earrings - oxidized}
Sep 08
We’re all Mad Hatters…
We just wanted to say thanks to those of you who have been ordering 10/6 — we’re pleased to be of service to fellow Alice fans!
So, by way of celebration, here’s Bigelf with The Mad Hatter. (If you’re a fan of heavy music, watch for the fields of Orange amps that materialize around 2:35. A dream come true!)
When we were Angelenos, we saw Bigelf several times at Spaceland — always a fun show. You have to love Damon Fox’s twin organ attack (which he painstakingly recreates at all live shows, too)! While an underground act for almost two decades, the fellas are finally getting some good exposure via a recent tour with Dream Theatre. It’s about time, guys!
Attention all dandies: Gentleman’s Jabot offers a fine assortment of cravats, jabots and even a waistcoat vest or two. All handmade in Victoria.
{Regency Brummel Victorian Cravat}
{Regency style Victorian waistcoat vest}
Aug 27
Steam Rollers
In honor of our dear friend L.A. Derby Doll Axles of Evil (who we don’t get to visit with often enough), here’s a little roller derby action Steampunk style. Axles (aka Alex) was a trainer on the new Drew Barrymore roller derby film Whip It! She’s also writing a book called Down & Derby: The Insider’s Guide to Roller Derby. We’re so proud of her.
It looks like London derby is heating up. Find out more about the London Steam Rollers.
{London Steam Rollers Grand Slam Bout}
{London Steam Rollers Grand Slam Bout}
Let’s Be Friends!
The Pinatorium
Invitation Showcase
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Striped Baker’s Twine
$15
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Air Mail Baker’s Twine
$15
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Twine & Tags
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Two Ring Circus
$179
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Steamside
$179
