Opinion of steampunk?

[bedstuy]

It can be really cool aesthetically, although I wonder whether it's rather that the general Belle Epoque/Gilded Age-Turn of the century era that steampunk borrows from that was really cool aesthetically.  Personally, I'm just in love with the architecture, clothing and industrial design of that period especially.  They shot a bunch for an HBO show set in that period near my apartment last year and I got super jealous of the actors and their awesome turn of the century garb.  I'm not as sold on the whole steam engine and superfluous gear thing, but that can be cool too.