The Steampunk Aviator: Leather, Goggles and an Airship Captain’s Coat

Disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links, marked by the products they name. As an Amazon Associate, steampunkary.com earns from qualifying purchases. A purchase through these links may earn the site a commission at no cost to you, and it never affects what is recommended. How this works.

Of all the characters a steampunk costumer may adopt, the aviator is the most forgiving, for its pieces are few, its colors are brown and tan, and nearly all of it can be worn again. Historical Emporium holds that aeronauts and air pirates may wear a leather aviator helmet, and that ruffled, puffy shirts suit the aeronaut. We take the matter in order: what the real garments were, what to buy at three budgets, and how to put them together. For the whole wardrobe from which an aviator is drawn, see our guide to steampunk clothing.

Steampunkary · Ad

The Outfitters' Catalogue

Everything named in this guide, by budget

AllThriftyMid-rangeHeirloom

Fig. 1Thrifty

Aviator costume goggles

Light plastic with a strap; the signature piece, and for appearance only.

See it

Fig. 2Thrifty

Aviator scarf

A long scarf worn loosely at the neck; the least costly layer.

See it

Fig. 3Thrifty

Faux-leather aviator cap

A flat-cap or helmet shape with ear flaps, in leather-look material.

See it

Fig. 4Mid-range

Canvas duster coat

The motoring coat that is the foundation of the look.

See it

Fig. 5Mid-range

Leather-look tall boots

Plain, dark and tall; modern shoes are the commonest fault.

See it

Fig. 6Mid-range

Brass pocket compass

A navigator's prop that lends the captain a reason to be lost.

See it

Fig. 7Heirloom

Genuine leather aviator helmet

Real leather, lined; for the reader who will wear it often.

See it

I.The Real History Behind the Look

An airship captain is a fiction, but the clothes are not. The costume descends from late-Victorian and Edwardian motoring dress, which sought to keep a traveler clean in an open car. The men’s version was a duster in tan, khaki or natural linen, gauntlet gloves, and goggles with leather trim, metal frames and glass lenses. The women’s version added long veils or scarves and low-crowned hats, with goggles whose oval lenses sat in a leather mask in yellow-orange, green or brown. The National Gallery of Victoria in Australia holds a pair of Dunhill motoring goggles with a case, made in London between 1895 and 1905, in velvet and silk.

This is a more modest history than that of the bold airman of legend; the goggles date, as we say in why goggles mean steampunk, from the end of the Victorian age and not from its heart. It is nevertheless a better foundation than invention, and a costumer who knows it can explain every piece.

II.The Pieces of an Aviator

1. The coat. A duster, or an aviator-style jacket, or a military coat with epaulets; Dark Knight Armoury names an “airship captain” and “pilot” look among its steampunk costumes.
2. The goggles. Worn upon the cap or about the neck in company. Our goggles guide treats the buying and the making.
3. The cap or helmet. Historical Emporium suggests a leather aviator helmet for aeronauts and air pirates; for a lady, a low-crowned hat follows the motoring precedent. Other shapes are discussed in steampunk hats.
4. The scarf and gloves. An aviator scarf, long and worn loosely; gauntlet gloves for the men’s version.
5. The boots. Tall, plain and dark. Modern footwear is the commonest fault of a steampunk outfit.
6. The props. A pocket watch and a compass are the customary pair, and either gives the character a purpose.

III.What the Aviator Costs at Three Budgets

The thrifty aviator. HalloweenCostumes.com lists seven styles of costume goggles at regular prices of $9.99 to $19.99, with five reduced when we looked. Dark Knight Armoury sells an aviator scarf at $5.40 and a Men’s Steampunk Adventurer Costume at $51.30, made of polyester, faux leather and plastic. That costume is a base and not a finished look; the coat, in particular, is not a duster.

The mid-priced aviator. Historical Emporium sells a Classic Canvas Duster in brown at $99.95 and a Canvas Duster at $147.95. Its Glacier Goggles are $37.95 and its Screw Ring Goggles $38.95. The coat is the greater part of the outlay and worth it, as it lends the outfit its silhouette.

The heirloom aviator. The dearest single item the outfitter lists for this look is the Bessie Vintage Aviator Boots for women at $369.00. We found no sourced price for leather helmets or bespoke coats and offer none. The reader who wishes to spend more is better advised to spend it on boots and a coat that fit than on additional ornament.

IV.A Word on Safety

Costume goggles are not eye protection, and an aviator’s goggles, however handsome, must not be worn for cutting, sanding, soldering or spraying. The reasons, and the rule that governs workplace eyewear, are set out in our goggles guide. A leather cap with ear flaps also muffles sound and narrows the view; the reader who intends to cross a crowded convention floor will find that it is better worn than pulled down.

V.How to Put It Together

The persona comes first. Costume guides agree that the character decides the coat, the hat and the accessories, and there is a plain pleasure in the aviator’s: a long coat open over a waistcoat and a shirt, trousers or a long skirt tucked into tall boots, the goggles upon the cap. A costumer who writes on the subject adds that since the period never existed, there is no correct steampunk costume; the reader may therefore add or leave as the character suits.

Keep to brown, tan and brass. The reader who wishes to add a second layer may take a waistcoat from the thrift store or a plain wool jacket beneath the duster; the coat is meant to be seen open, and what lies beneath should be quiet. A pair of leather gloves, a satchel across the body and a worn leather belt will do more for the character than any quantity of glued-on gears. Modern shoes, and bright plastic, are among the commonest ways in which a good costume is spoiled. For the explorer and the inventor, who share much of the wardrobe, see steampunk characters to dress as.

VI.Frequently Asked Questions

What is a steampunk aviator costume?

A costume built on Edwardian motoring dress: a long duster, a leather cap or helmet, gauntlet gloves and goggles. Brown and tan are the usual colors.

What do you wear for a steampunk airship captain?

A long coat or duster, a waistcoat, tall boots, goggles and a cap, with a pocket watch and compass as props. Dark Knight Armoury names an airship captain look among its steampunk costumes.

How much does a steampunk aviator costume cost?

As of October 2026, goggles run $9.99 to $19.99 at a costume shop, a canvas duster $99.95 to $147.95 at a period outfitter, and women’s vintage aviator boots $369.00.

Were aviator goggles Victorian?

Not really. They belong to early motoring and flying, and the National Gallery of Victoria dates a Dunhill pair to 1895 to 1905.

What did women wear for motoring?

A duster, a long veil or scarf, a low-crowned hat and goggles with oval lenses in a leather mask.

Can I use aviator goggles as safety glasses?

No. Costume goggles are for appearance and must not be worn for cutting, sanding or spraying; see our goggles guide.

Sources