While those fantastic pinstripe corsets and skirts with bustles might be a bit too avant-garde for a coffee date or your office gig, these wonderfully cool steampunk goggles can easily be translated into a daily accessory! Sure, your cubicle isn't exactly the high flying zeppelin of your dreams, but we're sure these glasses can keep your clockwork heart ticking as you wait for the next Victorian ball. We've collected 8 of the best steampunk and steampunk-inspired glasses found online, perfect for your next ocular odyssey, so strap in and prepare for lift-off!
1. V168-vp Style Vault Steampunk Round Sunglasses: $7.95-$14.95, Amazon
These prices average at $11.95, but they do range based on the color and style you choose. As is almost always the case, the most chic colors are often in the higher price range, but $14.95 is still well within average prices. Some of the glasses have mirrored lenses while some are more translucent, but they all provide 100% UV protection, so there’s no worry about eye safety in these beauties. Whether you want gold frames or silver, whether you see the world through rose-colored glasses or take a darker look at the world, your preferred shades are most definitely here. There isn't a bad looking one in the bunch, and the styles range from just subtly steampunk to very Victorian. The frames are solid enough to withstand everyday wear, so they're great to wear for a day of jetting around town.
2. Vivian & Vincent Vintage Hippie Retro Metal Round Circle Frame Sunglasses
: $12.99, Amazon
As the name suggests, these glasses are clearly more intended to mimic the hippie style of glasses than the steampunk style. They look a bit more John Lennon than they do Jules Verne. However, they have the same goggle-style edging as steampunk glasses, and the lenses come in different colors like green, blue, and champagne. When paired with the right outfits these glasses blend perfectly into a steampunk aesthetic, but it takes a bit more doing. Of course, that also means these subtler glasses can fit more easily into your everyday wardrobe. Any steampunks who wish to channel their inner flower children will find these glasses perfectly fit their look, once again at an accessible price point.
3. Steampunk Victorian Goggles welding Glasses diesel punk--gcg: $24.99, Amazon
These goggles aren't low-key steampunk garb. They are a statement piece! That might not be best for every person or every style, but these goggles are perfectly at home in a steampunk aviator (or aviatrix) costume. One critique of these goggles is the elastic strap: it doesn’t exactly exude authenticity nor is it particularly reliable. The strap can be replaced with a little DIY know-how and a sturdy piece of leather, but for some $24.99 may not be worth a pair of goggles that need alteration right out of the package. But the sturdy frames of these goggles and the movable and usable magnifiers make these worth it for those handy folks who already have the leather on hand.
4. FUNOC® Vintage Retro Unisex Cyber Goggles 50s Cool Round Glasses Sunglasses
: $4.79, Amazon
These glasses are similar to the other earlier ones in their low-key styling. There's not a particularly wide variety of styles as compared to the other glasses featured, which means unless you love dark lenses and silver frames you may not find the pair that sings to you here. But these glasses come at a really low cost! Beware, however, that cost is really a trade-off for less durable frames. They have a tendency to bend, so they have to be kept in a sunglasses case if you want to keep them looking like new. What they lack in durability they make up for in weight though: these are some of the lightest glasses in our line-up.
5. Lennon Style Steampunk Glasses Steampunk Costume John Lennon Glasses 2441: $21.88, Amazon
While these have a very cool look, and the sides have springs in them for a perfect fit, there’s just one problem: they are too small! These glasses look like they’re designed for someone with quite a narrow face. If you are one of the lucky few with a narrow enough face to wear these, they might be a good bet for you. These glasses put the “punk” in “steampunk,” so they’d be as at home with a leather jacket on the mean streets as they are with a waistcoat in a zeppelin. Where exactly they go is entirely up to you...that is assuming they fit, of course.
6. Mirror lens Round Glasses Cyber Goggles Steampunk Sunglasses: $15.99, Amazon
The silver mirrored version of these glasses do double-duty in both steampunk and cyberpunk costuming. They’re reminiscent of Morpheus from “The Matrix,” and that mirrored finish gives you a mysterious and inscrutable air perfect for the time-hopping enigma you want to be. These glasses also come in blue, gold, and green. They work particularly well as sunglasses, so they might be tricky to wear indoors but they’re perfect for a day out and about. The frames are sturdy and well-fitting, and they’re altogether a cool addition to any alternative fashion wardrobe.
7. Steampunk Victorian Goggles welding Glasses diesel punk--rsw: $19.99, Amazon
These are another pair of heavier goggles more suited as a statement piece than an everyday accessory. However, these goggles are unique in that they have clear lenses rather than tinted sunglasses lenses. The strap has similar issues to the earlier pair of goggles, but the lower price point may make some more willing to get it and DIY the strap later. Also, the magnifying lenses on these goggles may be more fragile, so take care of these!
8. FUNOC® Vintage 50s Unisex Sunglasses Steampunk Flip Up Cyber Round Goggles Glasses: $2.99, Amazon
These glasses are unique on this list for their horn-rimmed frames. Most of the other glasses are just round, but by going for the horn-rimmed look these stand out. That is, if you don’t notice the fact that they flip up first! The flip-up glasses convert these from sunglasses to plain glasses at will, which can come in handy. They don’t exactly scream “steampunk” like, say, a pair of goggles does, but they do fit into the steampunk aesthetic if you want them to. And they’re pretty cute regardless!
Deciding on which of these great products to get is a tough job. For costuming purposes, there are some great goggles that scream “steampunk” and will make you the talk of the ball. However, for a more practical look, some of these glasses can bring your steampunk passion into your daily life and help you see things in a more fantastical way. But since all of these glasses come at an accessible price point, who says you have to choose just one?
Happy shopping!