So, Hubby, the kids, and I attended the inaugural year of Steamcon 2009 which was held October 23-25 at the Seattle Airport Marriott.

For a first-year convention, there were certainly a few hiccups, but most of those were a product of the small venue combined with unexpectedly large turnout. When planning a 1st-year event, the only numbers you can rely on are numbers for similar events, in this case, a normal first-year estimate would be in the neighborhood of 400 attendees. Over 1300 attended, and that is not including the number of people who showed up but were unable to get one of the extremely limited number of available day-passes.

Day-pass hopefuls roped a line around a large area of the atrium pool and waited hours for the chance at receiving a badge that would allow them to attend panels, workshops and gaming tables.  I suspect many without badges wandered the halls anyway and just soaked up the general atmosphere.  Can I even over-emphasize how important it was to pre-register?

Final reminder to self: Don’t forget to pre-register for next year at the earliest opportunity. Even with the convention organizers new hunt to locate a larger venue suitable for next year’s convention, it will likely continue to grow in size, so early registration will be vital!

Now, with that out of the way, was it fun?

Hell yeah!

This was absolutely worth finding a way to squeeze the price of registration and the two separate ticketed events out of our rather tight 2009 budget.  Admittedly, being able to get the room on bonus points helped out immensely.

So, hubby and I attended Steamcon as a sort of unplanned 18th anniversary gift to ourselves (though, what does it tell you that we both realized we had this anniversary coming up…. 2 days after it was past?).

Anyway, the kids were with us on Friday only as we got settled into our rooms (Grandma & Grandpa were working Friday, so we had a big family hotel adventure that day & evening), learned the layout of the hotel, checked out the vendor room, and bopped from panel to panel; generally getting a feel for the people and event as a whole. We dressed in steam for the entire event; shopping from our closets since our budget is closely controlled this year. An eclectic personal wardrobe made this less of a challenge for me than it might for others; vests, skirts, ruffled shirts, even a long cavalry-style coat made the trip to Seattle - just in case.

We were also able to spend time with friends we had not seen for years - a wonderful added bonus.

Highlights of the weekend:  Chatting with author Tim Powers while waiting in line at the coffee shop, watching my daughters get dragged onstage by Abney Park lead-singer ‘Captain Roberts’ with the sweeping phrase “Check out the awesome” in reference to their age and outfits,  wearing feathered hats without feeling even a wink self-conscious, and of course, just wandering around among all of the amazing and creative people.

(Abney Park’s Dread Captain Roberts…pardon the blurry focus, it was dark & a bit of a distance shot)

For those of you unfamiliar with the term, the one thing most Steampunks have in common is a do-it-yourself attitude that takes many forms but which also tends to cross-over with a Victorian aesthetic.  So, these are not cheap Halloween costumes people are wearing; they are truly one-of-a-kind fashion statements.

So, without further ado, just a few of the fabulous and fun people - and outfits - from Steamcon 2009:

(These ladies were so hot; it completely put to lie the idea many modern fashion designers have that you must be a skinny stick-figure to make clothing look good and that curvy women aren’t a worthwhile designer type.  I posit that it’s the impeccable tailoring and fit to an individual’s body-type that makes all of the difference…something that we are unfortunately lacking in today’s ready-to-wear culture.  Lazy fashion designers who can’t fit a gal with curves are also a bit of a personal peeve. Could you tell?)

(Check out those Fleuvogs!)

These are actually Born’s - here’s a detail:

And a close-up of those spats:

There were simply too many amazing outfits and people to show you in a single article. But, if you are interested in seeing more from me or others - particularly if you love boots and spats, I am posting all of my photos in an album on Shoeblog’s Facebook page for your enjoyment.

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Whether or not you like super skinny Rachel Zoe, stylist to the stars, you have to admit Zoe has a pretty keen eye for dressing her clients.  So it should come as no surprise when Zoe issued her first Zoe Report on Brian Atwood’s Lola Platforms, they would be a hit.  Here’s what Zoe had to say about the Atwood’s shoes:

…Atwood consistently brings my sole fantasies to life—and he has outdone himself with the Lola Platform Pumps… sexy elastic detailing and high platform—I DIE.  With fall just around the corner, these shooties* are a must-have transitional piece to help you segue through the seasons. That is, they’re relevant to your summer and fall wardrobe. To the wearer, the possibilities are endless. Lola’s eighties punk-meets-luxury aesthetic will bring your little black dress to life. The pumps are also perfect for upgrading a more casual look (think: dark skinny jeans, a tee and tuxedo jacket), so don’t be scared to rock them during the day.

As these celebrities demonstrate,  this is one versatile shoe. I wonder if any use Zoe as their stylists.

Anyways, it’s time for you to vote in the latest shoe showdown.  Who do you think rocked Brian Atwood’s Lola shoes the best - Katy Perry, Megan Fox, Jessica Stroup, or Brookyn Decker?

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Brian Atwood’s Black Lola Platforms are available at Saks for $680 or the purple version is at Net-A-Porter for $680

BTW, in case these shoes look familiar, Zoe Saldana worn a peep-toe version earlier this year.

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For fall 2009, Hermès’ has a beautiful scarf for riding boot lovers.   It’s called ‘A Propos De Bottes’ which, according to Google Translate means ‘Talking about Boots’ (French speakers, I would appreciate a more accurate translation if Google wasn’t up to snuff).   I love how this scarf looks knotted on the safari/travel-themed model and even hung on the wall as a backdrop.

If you who live in an area which is too warm for scarves or don’t enjoy scarves as wall decor, there are other options. Check out Savvy Gal’s post for the handbag with scarf strap or BagSnob’s scarf bow tie on her Birkin.

‘A Propos De Bottes’ is available online at Hermès for $375.

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-Manolo Blahnik offers his thoughts on the spring 2010’s shoe trends.  His take on Chanel’s runway clogs?  Manolo says, “…When I design, personally I like delicate shoes, but I actually like this season’s clogs; I love flats – and I like the peasant look. We have actually ordered two styles of clogs to be made this season for Manolo Blahnik.” [via Vogue UK]

-Imelda Marcos’ shoe collection gets its own musical. The shoes made up 40% of the $1,500-$2,000 costume budget. [via WSJ]

-The Presidential Suite at the Ritz-Carlton Palm Beach boasts a wall of shoe art which pays tribute to former First Ladies and other dignitaries.  Since the suite costs $4,000 to $6,000 a night, the closest we’ll get to viewing these shoes is online.  [via Stylelist]

-Christian Louboutin is known as a shoe and handbag designer. For the release of the Le Rituel champagne, Louboutin stepped out of his norm and into the role of a movie director. Watch the Cinderella inspired video on YouTube.

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It’s time for another shoe showdown.  Who do you think wore these Chanel peep-toe booties, from the Spring 2009 collection, better?    The runway model, Diane Kruger, or Alexa Chung?

I’m going to give this one to the Chanel runway model, despite the hairpiece.  Alexa looks mismatched in a biege dress with black/white booties.  While I typically love what Diane wears, the crossover messenger bag seems off with her outfit.  I have come to expect more wow from her.

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