What Is Steampunk Aesthetic?

Steampunk is a subculture that combines Victorian and science fiction aesthetics. Heavy machine work, brass fittings, gears and cogs, and other Victorian-style machinery are featured in the appearance. Steampunk was coined in the 1980s to describe a style that combines elements of 19th-century industrial steam-powered machinery with elements of science fiction. The subculture began to emerge in the late twentieth century as an homage to old industrial fashion designs popular in Europe during the nineteenth century.