Life is trying to regain some sort of normality. Whether this is good or not I’m not sure. Most people are facing up to it sensibly, still wearing masks in public places and keeping a social distance. As we slowly emerge into a world of events and activities it is nice, though, to do those things we did in our life before. Today I went to Haworth to a steampunk gathering.
Pat and I donned our best steampunk outfits and set off. We parked up and walked into Haworth. We were passed by walkers and cyclists and your every day normally dressed person. We had a little moment of panic where we thought we were going to be the only people with a smidgen of burlesque mixed with a handful of Victorian and a whole heap of eccentric, weird fun. People smiled indulgently at us and we held our goggle topped hats high and walked confidently on. It was a relief to see other people as we neared the top of the cobbled high street dressed in wonderful costumes. There were pith helmets, goggles, corsets, masks, amazing weaponry, but most of all there was a feeling of community. Everyone smiled and greeted each other, it was like a Victorian promenade.
It is amazing to see the imagination and inventiveness of people. Anything goes. Some people just had a token that gave them entry into the steampunk community, others had the most marvellous creations. It didn’t matter how much or how little people had put into their costumes because we were all there to enjoy ourselves.
At previous events the cobbled streets have been crowded with steampunkers and there were lots of stalls. Today it was quieter, but this was probably a good thing. We all had space and I didn’t feel uncomfortable at any time, yet it felt like a return to some sort of normality. I use the term ‘normality’ even though we looked anything but normal.
I loved dressing up and just walking up and down Haworth. It is amazing that a crazy costume can unite strangers and that a promenade can induce smiles and conversations, but it did. What a great day.
need2bleed 