Steampunk is a counter-intuitive sci-fi concept. It's about the future, but set in the past, usually Victorian era England. The technology is pre-digital and steam-powered, but it's also quite modern and computer-driven. Analog computers, that is, that float over cities on dirigibles. See? Confusing. Let's stick to the aesthetics of it.

If you enjoyed the look of City of Lost Children, Van Helsing, Howl's Moving Castle or Lemony Snicket, then you like steampunk. One of the most distinctive visual characteristics is a quasi-Victorian mechanism, with lots of polished brass and clockworks.



Interested? Well, before you pull out the superglue and renovate your laptop, start by decorating yourself with some mechanically beautiful necklaces, cufflinks, earrings and brooches from Rivkasmom on Etsy. They really capture the essence of steampunk, with clocks, trains, balloons, and so much shiny brass! The items are all handmade, original designs, and one of a kind, so if you see something you like in the gallery, rush over to Etsy before some steampunk beats you to it!

We love all of the amazing independent designers out there. In order to find out more about just what makes all of these creative types tick, we present to you an ongoing segment called Indie Designer Interviews.

Today we'd like to introduce you to custom handbag and accessory designer Theresa M. Goodwin of Sakura Urban Studio. We love her leather poppy wristlets, pouches, necklaces and bracelets, not to mention all of her other fabulous designs!

We love all of the amazing independent designers out there. In order to find out more about just what makes all of these creative types tick, we present to you an ongoing segment called Indie Designer Interviews.

Today's interview is with avant garde independent designer Desira Pesta. Her dreamlike Spring 2008 collection is full of ruffles and perfect tailoring and is inspired by the circus, Iceland, and Film Noir.

We love all of the amazing independent designers out there. In order to find out more about just what makes all of these creative types tick, we present to you an ongoing segment called Indie Designer Interviews.

Today's designer interview is with jewelry artist Susan W. Saltzman of SToNZ. She creates the perfect companion pieces for a summer day at the beach: her sterling silver jewelry incorporates natural beach stones and sea glass that she gathers from the shores of Lake Erie in Ohio.

We love all of the amazing independent designers out there. In order to find out more about just what makes all of these creative types tick, we present to you an ongoing segment called Indie Designer Interviews.

Today's interview is with a very talented young French designer, Emmanuelle-Marie, who creates whimsical yet modern women's clothing that seems like something out of a fairy-tale dreamworld.

Some days you don't feel like being serious. You know what we mean -- the days when you wake up reciting Jabberwocky and wanting to eat ice cream on top of your waffles for breakfast.

On those days, shouldn't your outward appearance represent the character inside, even if you have to go and act like a real grown up all day long?

We love all of the amazing independent designers out there. In order to find out more about just what makes all of these creative types tick, we present to you an ongoing segment called Indie Designer Interviews.

Meet blugrn design, a line of clever, modern jewelry and accessories for girls and guys. Combining natural elements like fossilized shells and shark's teeth with sterling silver, this collection is truly unique.

We love all of the amazing independent designers out there. In order to find out more about just what makes all of these creative types tick, we present to you an ongoing segment called Indie Designer Interviews.

Today's interview is with jewelry designer Sharla Oliveri of Sharma Designs. She creates bold, one-of-a-kind pieces for the modern woman at totally affordable prices. Sharla also co-authors a fabulous shopping blog which showcases other independent artists at Rare Bird Finds.

By this point we've all heard how important it is to buy eco-friendly products, and that includes fashion. But is it all just hype? Just another marketing gimmick employed by corporate America to try and get us to spend more dollars but feel less guilty about doing it? Many companies have been accused of greenwashing, and it's certainly true that buy buy buy is not the way to help our environment.

No matter what though, people will always want to dress in a way that makes them feel good about the way they look. We shouldn't have to compromise style in our quest to save the planet. Sure, we need to adjust our habits, but that doesn't mean that we'll all end up looking like a bunch of dirty hippies. Here's our list of the top 5 ways to really green up your wardrobe.

So, you want to embrace this season's trend of ethnic prints, but you're not sure you're ready for this -- that's okay. The great thing about bold trends in prints and colors is that you don't have to commit to a whole outfit. You can accessorize to get the look, and as an added bonus, you won't break the bank!

I'm a big fan of all of the amazing independent designers out there. In an effort to get inside the mind of the indie designer and find out just what makes all of these creative types tick, I present to you an ongoing segment I call Indie Designer Interviews.

Today's interview is with Manyi Au, designer and owner of MAUstudio, an online boutique which offers Manyi's own adorable paper goods, stickers, buttons and cellphone charms in addition to a variety of other handmade jewelry and accessories from like-minded independent designers.

Tell us a little about yourself and your shop. I'm a graphic and web designer and have always loved making crafts since I was little. I enjoy designing fun characters to use on my stationery and accessories. I'd been wanting to start a business ever since college. The skills that I learned as a graphic designer helped me make my dream come true. MAUstudio started out as a shop to showcase my own products. After 2 years, I decided to offer my shop as an opportunity to showcase other talented indie artists and designers who share the same passion as I do.

I'm a big fan of all of the amazing independent designers out there. In an effort to get inside the mind of the indie designer and find out just what makes all of these creative types tick, I present to you an ongoing segment I call Indie Designer Interviews.

One of my favorite alternative clothing designers is Lori Marsha, who got her start designing handbags and jewelry almost ten years ago and has more recently expanded her work to include some stunning revamped and recycled wearable works of art. Her pieces aren't for everyone, but for those who aren't afraid to stand out and who are looking for a truly one-of-a-kind look, Lori Marsha's designs are absolutely inspiring.

Tell us a little about yourself and your work. I design one of a kind garments and accessories from primarily recycled components. I work from my home in Redlands, California and enjoy the solitude and joy that comes with the creative process.

I'm a big fan of all of the amazing independent designers out there. In an effort to get inside the mind of the indie designer and find out just what makes all of these creative types tick, I present to you an ongoing segment I call Indie Designer Interviews. Today's interview is with the designer behind Oh So Retro, a line of fun handmade handbags, wallets and accessories.

Tell me a little about your work. I'm Adrienne, a seamstress turned designer hailing from Winnipeg, Canada. As my chosen business name implies, I am a fan of all things vintage and retro from furniture to dishes to textiles and books. I collect a little bit of everything and am always on the look out for vintage stock to incorporate into my designs. I do all of my sewing on a vintage Singer sewing machine from the 1950s which can prove challenging at times but things were made to keep back then. I try to incorporate that mentality in my own designs, to create something that is visually pleasing yet still functional enough to use everyday.

How did you get started running your own business? I started Oh So Retro back in 2004 as a vintage clothing boutique. I had been sewing my own clothing for years before that and took that knowledge into my reselling business by altering vintage clothing and doing custom sewing jobs. I began making matching bags out of the salvaged fabric from floor length gowns and much-too-small tweed skirts and soon enough the bags started outselling the clothing! I knew I was on to something good, and worked on creating my own line of bags and accessories. I was selling well from my own website and did some local consignment but things really took off for me once I started selling on Etsy.com. I'm really happy to have found my home on there.

Who are your favorite designers? The Vintage Zoo does some amazing things with her own brand of vintage + handmade clothing. Nice Face makes the cutest tunics I have ever seen. SRB Designs by Miss Bohl designs the most gorgeous clothing. I want everything.

What are your top fashion & beauty must-haves? It`s hard to be fashionable in the winter, but I try! Right now I`m loving skinny jeans and tunics paired up with bolero sweaters for a little extra warmth. I love flat shoes and I have an amazing pair of mary jane flats from Stops And Starts. I've been using a lot of extra large shoulder bags and still wear my over sized Jackie O sun glasses. I`m very simple when it comes to make up, just a touch of mascara and lip gloss. I use a great lip gloss from The Plaid Mushroom. Thanks to her I've not had chapped lips once this winter!

I'm a big fan of all of the amazing independent designers out there. In an effort to get inside the mind of the indie designer and find out just what makes all of these creative types tick, I present to you an ongoing segment I call Indie Designer Interviews.

Tell me a little about your company. My name is Genie, the owner of DistinQue Co. I constantly look for up-to-date designs and study them, but most importantly, I create my own design from them. I like to use all materials: silver, gold, pearl, copper, brass, leather, silk, etc. As you can see from the name of the company, my motto is "Distinctive + uniQue". It's been only 8 months since the grand opening, but DistinQue is receiving lots of buzz.

What inspires your work? Nature. It's simple. Everything comes from the nature for me: leaves, flowers, trees, sky, ocean, sand, shells, wind, etc. I love their unique colors and forms that cannot be found anywhere else. Anything in the nature, even a little tiny thing, is unique. There's no two of a kind. I also love abstract figures. You can see that in my jewelry.

What are your top fashion & beauty must-haves? A necklace and earrings you can wear anytime and anywhere. A black suit. AND, lipgloss!

The following is part of an ongoing segment I call Indie Designer Interviews.

Tell me a little about yourself and your company. I'm Wendy, the owner, operator, designer, model, seamstress, copy editor, accountant, ad rep, pin pusher, house keeper, material sourcing researcher, etc. of Moop. Moop is a small company (myself and my husband) devoted to well designed and fabricated handmade bags. We're working really hard to grow Moop into something that will last a long long time. I feel like I'm in a unique position to take advantage of the attention and energy surrounding Moop to keep this going with a focus on sustainability (80% of every bag comes from up-cycled materials left over from major manufacturers and fabric wholesalers) and fair labor (as we grow we're committed to keeping things here in house, not outsourcing to fabricators).

How did you get started as a designer? I started this business before I knew it would even be a business. I was a teenage single mom looking for a way to make clothes for my kid that didn't look like every other kid on the block, so I bought a sewing machine and taught myself to make things. 10 years later, armed with two degrees (a BFA and an MFA), a husband, a lovely 10 year old girl, a cat named Mouse and a really big sewing machine, I started Moop with one pretty alright bag. That bag has since become a really great bag..refined, honed, modern, understated and really well made.

Who are your favorite designers? I love Built by Wendy (there's no relation). Last season she had this cotton ripstop shift dress that I was completely in love with. I finally decided to order one, only to find they were sold out in my size and every size close to it. I've been thinking of it ever since. So, maybe in a weird way, that dress influenced some bags. I work a lot with ripstop. I love the subtlety of the grid.