Steampunk

As I heard different teens talk about 'Steampunk' I found myself with a general idea but no specifics about this subculture and the literary works that go with it. Up on further investigation I have developed at least a working idea of 'Steampunk'. It seems that style (clothes, jewelry, etc) as well as books, films, games, music,

etc. are all affected in 'Steampunk'. Usually there is a connection to Victorian or Edwardian style with its lace and corsets and flexible clothing as sports became an acceptable leisure activity during this time. Some art of the time falls into the "Steampunk' category. Art Nouveau, for example, inspire some 'Steampunk' art. It seems that metal is a must, often clock works. There's a concentration on the science of these past eras. So pieces like, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and Wells' Time Machine would fit in- and are actually credited as the earliest 'Steampunk' works. This movement has been around since the late seventies, but has really caught on in the past ten years as a subculture. Teens have moved this forward and it has spread even into the mid-west, where we are notoriously 'behind' in these sorts of things. Anyway, recent books would include: Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare; Leviathan and Behemoth by Scott Westerfeld. Movies with the 'Steampunk' flare: Sherlock Holmes, Treasure Planet, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, and Van Helsing- just to name a few.

One cite described 'Steampunk' as eclectic; retro-futuristic; and including elements of speculative fiction, anachronistic science fiction, and imaginative fantasy. What's your take on it?