In a new Steampunk Chronicle fashion feature Editrix de Mode Wilhelmina Frame profiles outstanding costumes and costumers from around the world of Steampunk. Her first fashionistas are the Steampunk World's Fair Sporting Team led by Kathryn Stelzer. Wilhelmina and Kat talked recently about how the team came together.

Wilhelmina Frame: How did you get the idea for the sporting team?

Kathryn Stelzer: The previous year at the Steampunk World’s Fair I saw the group that did the Steampunk Star Wars (Outland Armor). I thought it was a really great cohesive idea and it really made an impact on anyone who saw it. And it was just so fun! And my friends are really fun so it was something that I thought we could do in our own way.

WF: How did you decide which sports you were going to focus on?

KS: That went on for months.  I set up a Steampunk World’s Fair Sporting Team Community on Facebook and everyone began throwing out what they wanted to do.  People kept trading sports so one day one person would say, “Oh I’m boating.” And someone else would say, “Oh drat! I wanted to be boating." And then they would say, “Never mind, you be boating and I’ll be shooting,” and someone else would say, “No, no, I was thinking of shooting.” So everyone kept trading. I was croquet the whole time.

Was croquet an Olympic sport?

We looked online to see what sort of sports were in The Olympics at the turn of the century and some of the sports were very unusual. I thought if they can have that I can be the head of the croquet team.

Once everyone had their sport settled how did you proceed?

We had to decide if were we all going to pick one fabric and everybody make their dress out of the same fabric or a color because we wanted people to understand that we were a group. But I thought that it was really important that people not get stressed out and go with a color that they weren’t “feeling” or a fabric that wasn’t quite right for their sport. So we all decided that it was best that everyone make whatever they wanted and the cohesiveness would be the logo we made on the back and we all had first place medals that we wore.

In putting it together what did Steampunk mean to you as a concept?

I think I have a different take on Steampunk than other people have. I’m really interested in how Victorians lived and I really think that if the Steampunk idea were really around then, if people really did have these futuristic gadgets, that their sensibilities would not allow them to dress differently. They would maybe incorporate more leather or brass or buckles but they wouldn’t suddenly start wearing low cut dresses during the day because it was just improper. The morals and manners of the Victorian era just couldn’t allow for some of the fashion that I see in Steampunk.

I did notice that it’s an all female sporting team. That’s a little unusual in the Victorian era so was there perhaps a bit of a progressive angle to that.

I hadn’t considered that.

Or a reflection on the emergence of women in sports?

I think that’s where modern times are accidently sneaking into my Victorian sensibilities.

But isn’t that Steampunk?

Yeah, these little things that are getting in there that I don’t even realize. I’m not as pure as I think I am. I’m a little progressive. Women’s rights!

Will we be seeing the sporting team at any future events?

I don’t know.  I don’t see how the whole team could get together again because we were from all over the United States and even one from Germany so to get everyone together again it would have to be made up of a new set of people.

So it really was a world team.

Yeah, if the world is the United States and Germany!

Well for our purposes I think it was.

And in the 1880s I did think Germany thought they were the world so,

Or England, one of the two.

England actually was the world and Germany thought they should be.

Is there anything else you want to tell us?

I want to encourage people to continue to take Steampunk costuming to higher and greater and more fun levels. I love the group costuming I think it’s fun for the people who do it. It’s fun for people who get to look at them. And it’s a really great way for a bunch of people to plan something together and have a really great time. We had such a good time planning our outfits and accessories. Sharing ideas with each other.  It really helped us go to the next level with our costuming.

That’s excellent and maybe in the future if you need another team member you can look me up!

We would love to have you. 

Editrix de Mode, Wilhelmina Frame travels the globe in pursuit of adventure and style. When not in the circus ring with Rajah, her tiger and the rest of her kitten kabal (seven lions, three cheetahs and a rather droll panther), Ms. Frame can be seen at the most fabulous parties, in the latest fashions, sparkling with wit in conversation. Ms. Frame's alter-ego, Gretchen Jacobsen, is a freelance producer, self taught costumer and prolific crafter. You can follow her @ptliontamer on Twitter. She sings quite well also.