The Aether Chronicle -...
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The Aether Chronicle The Imaginary Alternate History of the Steampunk Empire From Monday January 25, 2014 to Friday January 31, 2014 Feminist Party Stands Bifurcated! For a while now the Steampunk Empire has tolerated the muted rumblings of the so-called Feminist Party. eir doctrine of “human rights” has oſten contradicted itself, and some of their methods in abolishing those handicaps which prevent them from exercising those human rights have garnered ridicule and shame, rather than esteem. is reporter is immediately reminded of Ms. Carrie Amelia Moore Nation, a radical member of the American Temperance movement, whose ultimate goal was the opposition of alcohol (again, a dubious position in this reporter’s mind, if alcohol is available for both men and women to enjoy.) When men in American watering holes did not respond to her reasoned arguments she asserted her views through vandalism. She is most noted for destroying the property and threatening the imbibers at local taverns with her trusty hatchet. e latest escapade of the London Feminists is the promotion of e Rational Dress Society. e Rational Dress Society protests against any fashion of dress that inhibits the movements of the wearer, garments that cripple or deform the female body, thus doing long-term damage to a woman’s health. e Rational Dress Society has set their face like steel against tightly-fitting corsets, high-heeled shoes, and heavily-weighted skirts. ey argue these garment are unhealthy, and they encourage women across the globe to cast off their “hobbling attire” and seize their own destinies by clothing themselves in beautiful, comfortable dress regardless of societal trends. Leading members of the Society were Lady Harberton (who created the divided skirt), Mary Eliza Haweis and Constance Wilde (wife of Oscar Wilde), who originally found favour with the women’s cycling organizations, and so-called “female athletes.” Mrs. Amelia Jenks Bloomer has recently caused a sensation with an article written for her feminist publication ‘e Lily.’ In this article, she encouraged women to abandon their petticoats in favour of a bifurcated item she has dubbed ‘the Bloomer.’ She insisted most vehemently that men’s trousers were more comfortable, more practical, and (scandalously) perhaps even more attractive than voluminous petticoats. A number of young women have been seen roaming the streets wearing this alternative style of dress, handing out pamphlets and making speeches to gathered crowds. In general, the public has been rather appalled by the notion of ‘Rational Dress’, and, moreover, the style of the so-called ‘Rational Dress’ itself. One Ms. Cromwell was seen in Sator Square standing on the bench of a fountain in a costume of scarlet velvet. e split tunic and puffed pantaloons resembling male britches and waistcoat in appearance, which she accompanied with a white frilled blouse and cravat. Her appearance and impassioned words were so upsetting that several more traditional ladies in crowd fainted clear away! Mrs. Bloomer does not see anything provocative or untoward about her style of trousers: they hang to the ankle, are fastened with a frilled cuff, and she claims, should be worn with a knee length skirt and bodice, in the Turkish style. Shockingly, Mrs. Bloomer has acquired a small following amongst radical young women. ese ‘Bloomers’ are being favoured by female athletes as a practical and hygienic cycling costume. eir argument is that trousers are safer for women wear when cycling because there are no trailing garments to tangle in the cog or wheels. ‘Practical Dress’ a Danger to the Family Unit? Leaders of e Rational Dress Society Viscountess Harberton and Mrs. King object to the restrictions that ‘traditional’ female garb place upon the body. “Restrictive corsetry causes immobility in women, while permanently deforming the body. No man would accede to walking around every day hobbled like a horse: he would consider it unnecessary and demeaning. And Yet every women is expected, no, commanded, to walk about every day wearing seven pounds of under garments alone! “ Explains the Viscountess. “Without such weighty restrictions, women might be a part of the new craze for healthy activity. Many young women would enjoy cycling, ball games, and team sports, but are physically unable due to the garments outdated fashions force upon her.” Mrs. King asserts. “In addition, the high number of accidents resulting from skirts and petticoats tangling in bicycle wheels would be greatly diminished by a simple change of clothing.” Such arguments are unquestioningly rational, however, there have been discontented rumblings amongst the female population, which suggest that should a woman choose to don these outfits to facilitate ‘her freedom’ she will indeed be ‘free’ for the rest of her life. “No woman enjoys wearing a corset,” an anonymous female spectator stated, flatly. “But I want a husband and a home of my own, and no man will walk down the street with a woman wearing a smarter suit than he is.” Several anonymous unattached men were also polled for their opinion on the impact of e Rational Dress Society’s plea that women could be more physically active if modern trends allowed for rational clothing. “Women just don’t have the stamina that men do,” one young constable insists, “ere’s nothing stopping women from enjoying sports: walking, badminton, horseshoes, things like that. Women are upset because they can’t keep up on the fields of the more aggressive sports: field hockey, basketball, lacrosse, rowing. And I don’t think prancing around in men’s britches is very dignified for women. Perhaps single women are finding this whole Rational Dress lark amusing now, but what happens when they become wives and mothers? A woman can’t be always handing off the baby so she can go run around a field. Even if she has help, once a woman is committed to a family, she needs to be thinking of them. And politics has always been a man’s field. Really, I think this whole Rational Dress Society is just a way for women to pretend that they don’t have to live with the natural burdens of life. A way for women, in fact, to try to not be women. To try to be men.” Obviously, Amelia Bloomer’s crusade is by no means universally accepted among women, since the establishment of e Rational Dress Society was founded there has been a disturbing change in trend in the world of men’s fashion. Mrs. Amelia Jenks Bloomer
Transcript of The Aether Chronicle -...
T h e A e t h e r C h r o n i c l eT h e I m a g i n a r y A l t e r n a t e H i s t o r y o f t h e St e a m p u n k E m p i r e Fr o m M o n d a y J a n u a r y 2 5 , 2 0 1 4 t o F r i d a y J a n u a r y 3 1 , 2 0 1 4
Feminist Party Stands Bifurcated!
For a while now the Steampunk Empire has tolerated the muted rumblings of the so-called Feminist Party. Their doctrine of “human rights” has often contradicted itself, and some of their methods in abolishing those handicaps which prevent them from exercising those human rights have garnered ridicule and shame, rather than esteem. This reporter is immediately reminded of Ms. Carrie Amelia Moore Nation, a radical member of the American Temperance movement, whose ultimate goal was the opposition of alcohol (again, a dubious position in this reporter’s mind, if alcohol is available for both men and women to enjoy.) When men in American watering holes did not respond to her reasoned arguments she asserted her views through vandalism. She is most noted for destroying the property and threatening the imbibers at local taverns with her trusty hatchet. The latest escapade of the London Feminists is the promotion of The Rational Dress Society. The Rational Dress Society protests against any fashion of dress that inhibits the movements of the wearer, garments that cripple or deform the female body, thus doing long-term damage to a woman’s health. The Rational Dress Society has set their face like steel against tightly-fitting corsets, high-heeled shoes, and heavily-weighted skirts. They argue these garment are unhealthy, and they encourage women across the globe to cast off their “hobbling attire” and seize their own destinies by clothing themselves in beautiful, comfortable dress regardless of societal trends. Leading members of the Society were Lady Harberton (who created the divided skirt), Mary Eliza Haweis and Constance Wilde (wife of Oscar Wilde), who originally found favour with the women’s cycling organizations, and so-called “female athletes.”
Mrs. Amelia Jenks Bloomer has recently caused a sensation with an article written for her feminist publication ‘The Lily.’ In this article, she encouraged women to abandon their petticoats in favour of a bifurcated item she has dubbed ‘the Bloomer.’ She
insisted most vehemently that men’s trousers were more comfortable, more practical, and (scandalously) perhaps even more attractive than voluminous petticoats. A number of young women have been seen roaming the streets wearing this alternative style of dress, handing out pamphlets and making speeches to gathered crowds. In general, the public has been rather appalled by the notion of ‘Rational Dress’, and, moreover, the style of the so-called ‘Rational Dress’ itself. One Ms. Cromwell was seen in Sator Square standing on the bench of a fountain in a costume of scarlet velvet. The split tunic and puffed pantaloons resembling male britches and waistcoat in appearance, which she accompanied with a white frilled blouse and cravat. Her appearance and impassioned words were so upsetting that several more traditional ladies in crowd fainted clear away!
Mrs. Bloomer does not see anything provocative or untoward about her style of trousers: they hang to the ankle, are fastened with a frilled cuff, and she claims, should be worn with a knee length skirt and bodice, in the Turkish style.
Shockingly, Mrs. Bloomer has acquired a small following amongst radical young women. These ‘Bloomers’ are being favoured by female athletes as
a practical and hygienic cycling costume. Their argument is that trousers are safer for women wear when cycling because there are no trailing garments to tangle in the cog or wheels.
‘Practical Dress’ a Danger to the Family Unit?
Leaders of The Rational Dress Society Viscountess Harberton and Mrs. King object to the restrictions that ‘traditional’ female garb place upon the body. “Restrictive corsetry causes immobility in women, while permanently deforming the body. No man would accede to walking around every day hobbled like a horse: he would consider it
unnecessary and demeaning. And Yet every women is expected, no, commanded, to walk about every day wearing seven pounds of under garments alone! “ Explains the Viscountess. “Without such weighty restrictions, women might be a part of the new craze for healthy activity. Many young women would enjoy cycling, ball games, and team sports, but are physically unable due to the garments outdated fashions force upon her.” Mrs. King asserts. “In addition, the high number of accidents resulting from skirts and petticoats tangling in bicycle wheels would be greatly diminished by a simple change of clothing.” Such arguments are unquestioningly rational, however, there have been discontented rumblings amongst the female population, which suggest that should a woman choose to don these outfits to facilitate ‘her freedom’ she will indeed be ‘free’ for the rest of her life. “No woman enjoys wearing a corset,” an anonymous female spectator stated, flatly. “But I want a husband and a home of my own, and no man will walk down the street with a woman wearing a smarter suit than he is.” Several anonymous unattached men were also polled for their opinion on the impact of The Rational Dress Society’s plea that women could be more physically active if modern trends allowed for rational clothing. “Women just don’t have the stamina that men do,” one young constable insists, “There’s nothing stopping women from enjoying sports: walking, badminton, horseshoes, things like that. Women are upset because they can’t keep up on the fields of the more aggressive sports: field hockey, basketball, lacrosse, rowing. And I don’t think prancing around in men’s britches is very dignified for women. Perhaps single women are finding this whole Rational Dress lark amusing now, but what happens when they become wives and mothers? A woman can’t be always handing off the baby so she can go run around a field. Even if she has help, once a woman is committed to a family, she needs to be thinking of them. And politics has always been a man’s field. Really, I think this whole Rational Dress Society is just a way for women to pretend that they don’t have to live with the natural burdens of life. A way for women, in fact, to try to not be women. To try to be men.” Obviously, Amelia Bloomer’s crusade is by no means universally accepted among women, since the establishment of The Rational Dress Society was founded there has been a disturbing change in trend in the world of men’s fashion.
Mrs. Amelia Jenks Bloomer
said that within the bounds of civilized society, some of these “peacocks” (as a Conservative gentleman named them) have been celebrated by the upper class: Lord Byron for one, Oscar Wilde for another, but these men have been so marketed to advance their careers, so financially dependent on the wealthy and poor alike for the basic necessities of life, that such Conservatives claim they can neither pretend to an aristocratic lifestyle, nor make any claims to such status by means of their small fortunes, gleaned through their success as, let’s be frank, tradesmen. But these “stuffed shirts” (to coin another Conservative phrase) enacted radical changes in gentlemen’s fashions. Following the Prince Regent’s look, the Dandies began to construct their own wasp-waisted, broad-shouldered look. The cuts of men’s waistcoats rose higher and higher in front! The lining of the shoulders and upper chest of the coat was sometimes nipped and tucked, sometimes quilted or pouffed to improve the fit! Recently this reporter has been informed by several bespoke tailors of Savile Row that these Dandies are now donning boned corsets to give them a small waist to best compliment the more severe cuts of the aforementioned waistcoats!
One Beau Brummell, patron of the male aesthetic, arbiter of men’s fashions, and boon companion of one royal figure who shall remain nameless, confirms that the pursuits of the Dandy have the ability to raise men from apes to new Godhood. However, he does confess that the firm-stomach look is nearly impossible to achieve while partaking in the fine-dining that is synonymous with the upper class. He also claims that the look of the Dandy has evolved even from there, to include broad shoulders, bulging thighs and muscular calves, that is not practical for a class that declines exercise. According to Mr. Brummell “One can adhere to the aforementioned restrictive silhouette with the aid of reinforced corsetry, and strategically placed padding. Is it comfortable? Certainly not! But I say, if I survived living in the Wilds (with a cheeky wink, he explained in a ghastly whisper: “outside of London!”) then I can survive a bit of physical discomfort for the sake of achieving the ideal! A state of grace, the apex of civilization, charm, and beauty.” Beau Brummell is self-confessedly a financial backer and a key proponent of a successful range of male beauty products, some of which are effeminate even by a female’s standards! Some of his most prized beauty aids are being marketed in this issue.Incidentally, Mr. Beau Brummell asserts that he finds The Rational Dress Society “rather distasteful.” He doesn’t care for the “bifurcated look of the female bloomer-suit” and feels these women decrying for more comfortable dress to be “rather letting the side down.”
Men’s “Dress”As Mrs. Amelia Bloomer calls for a revolution in the word of female fashion, the actions of a few radicals seems to have had an effect on the empire of men’s attire as well. The sudden priority placed upon aesthetic, the emphasis on physical appearance, refined language and leisurely hobbies has given birth to a new brand of gentleman: the dandy. While London has always hosted a certain breed of aristocratic gentleman, for a rising middle class, Dandyism has elevated aesthetics to a living religion. The ideal of beauty taken to the extremes for these men, who often go to lengths even the so-called ‘belaboured females’ above reject as being deforming!
The Dandy is BornAccording to an expert, one Charles Beaudelaire, the true dandy does not merely take excessive delight in clothing and material possessions, but cultivates these things as a symbol of “an aristocratic superiority of mind.” Here in the Empire, we have seen these Dandies cropping up all over London. In an almost regressive political state, these middle-class social climbers can be seen at the opera, at Parliament, speaking broadly and gesturing with a flourish, as they hearken back to ancient feudal systems, or the theory of Divine Selection that graced the heads of ancient Kings. If The Rational Dress Society can be blamed for attempting to “level the playing field” of female fashion, by bestowing upon all women a simple mode of comfortable dress, the Dandies might be seen to be almost anti-egalitarian in their views, donning a style of stiff, restrictive clothing, as a mark of the upper class to which they aspire.
Gentlemen of more conservative dress have been heard openly denouncing this brigade of presumptuous, affected, effeminate middle-class men, pretending to airs and manners above their station. It must be
An example of the modern Dandy. A whalebone corset is required to achieve this contoured silhouette.
Mr. Beau Brummell, patron saint of the Wasp-Waistcoat.
The Aether ReviewOf Books
n Aether Review of Books exclusive feature by renowned Australian reporterette, ‘The Tassie Lassie,’ ‘The Wunduh from down Unduh,’ ‘The gal from the Aether, that inspires the heavy breathers,’ Miss
Sheila Jigglesworth. Last time Ichabod Temperance featured in The Aether Chronicle he featured the first chapter of his recent work “A Matter of Temperance”. An in-depth exclusive is provided by our visiting reporterette, outlining his inspiration, his drive, and his hopes for the future.
Krikey! Good day, mates! I am joined by inventor turned author, Mr. Ichabod Temperance. Please tell our readers how this change of careers came about for you.
Yes, Ma’am, thank you. Well, as you know, it’s been about six and a half, or maybe coming up on seven years since the passing of the ‘Revelatory Comet’ in the summer of 1869. I was one of the many folks from around the World that found themselves strangely affected by the Comet’s pass. I was struck with the same knack for invention as thousands of others were. This led to my construction of some wondrous goggles that then led to a most momentous contact, my serendipitous meeting of Miss Persephone Plumtartt. To tell the truth, we have been adventure-prone and happenstance-stricken ever since.
I chronicle our adventure in my first novel, ‘A Matter of Temperance’. In this account, she and I battle monsters from another dimension that are intent upon the enslavement of our universe.
Zoinks, Ichabod, what about your second novel?
The second novel involves a homegrown threat from planet Earth. In this tale, many of Earth’s leaders are bent on World domination. Their lust for power opens the way for an evil conspiracy ready to mop up the remains of humanity. We share our odyssey with many colourful characters. This novel is stuck with the clumsy handle of “A World of Temperance’.
Triddie me scuppers! Sounds to be a stout case of the quinty, quinty tufters I should think. Did you survive your third novel?
Just barely, Miss Jigglesworth. Our poor ol’ planet gets into a tight fix, and that’s a fact! ‘For the Love of Temperance’ is
probably the scariest novel of the three.
Can you provide a general overall description of your preferred genre, Ichabod?
Yes, Ma’am, I think I can. These books usually have a trace of the supernatural to ‘em. I have heard a description lately that might be apt: ‘Steampunk.’ These are happily ever after action romances told in a humorous fashion. They are intended for ages teen and up. There is no graphic sex or violence. I do not approve of strong language finding its way into the books; however, they are lightly sprinkled with mild innuendo, so watch out!
Is one required to read the books in order, Icky?
No, Ma’am, it’s not required, but it’s probably better. These are stand alone adventures, but they do take place chronologically. The only ongoing story line is the relationship between me and my gal, the beautiful Miss Persephone Plumtartt. Sometimes, characters reappear to share in further exploits, but it is not a series in the sense that they must be read in order. I would sure appreciate it if your readers would give ‘em a try.
Indeed, Mr. Temperance, perhaps these books do deserve a peek. The silly little fellow has scampered away, so I will go ahead and proclaim this interview, ‘Jiggleworthy’.
Cheers! Mates! -S.J.
See the first two books of the Ichabod Temperance series. The next edition The Aether Chronicle will be featuring Ichabod Temperance’s most recent work “For The Love of Temperance.”
Should you wish to send a Letter to the Editor, submit your written work, or offer a tip regarding a potential story (eg. political upheaval, crime, special events, art and music) please contact Leslie Orton at: [email protected].
Interview: On the Trail of Temperance
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Featured Reporterette Tassie Lassie, currently on Loan from Australia.
