I like to see myself as a non-conformist which is a bit odd since I have been a Goth for most of my adult life, however:

I also very much enjoy wearing suits which is actually quite steampunk/dieselpunk and in these modern times also quite non-conformist. I do not long for the days which ended sometime in the 1960’s or 1970’s when it suddenly was no longer cumpulsory to wear a suit in a non-menial job, that would be stupid. Wearing a suit is just my personal thing, just like a tie to go with it and a shirt with cufflinks. I like wearing suits even when the general dresscode is casual because for me a suit is casual.

Back in 1998 during my glorious Nottingham days I went to [1] Rock City quite often wearing a suit, nobody cared, why should they? I can still dance to my favourite music (which back then was Punk, Hardcore, Goth and Metal, same as today) wearing a suit. It also makes for a good wannab-detector: Everyone who comes up to you and says: “You can’t dance like this, you are not dressed like…” is highly likely a wannabe.

Basically, being fond of wearing a suit in this day and age even in your leisure time achives a few good things:

1. You dress in a not so fashionable way and therefor are unlikly to  be a fashion victim.
2. With just a few (if any) alterations to your ensemble you look quite the part in a steampunk or dieselpunk setting. Added bonus: The inside-pocket of the jacket accomodates a pair of goggles quite nicely.
3. A factlet which I consider unfortunate and which tells a lot about the state of customer care in Germany:
   You get much better service in most shops and department stores when you wear a suit. I all likelyhood, they presume you have more money to spend.
4. A thre-piece suit also accomodates a pocket watch very nicely. Some jackets also come with a smaller pocket outside on the right. This small pocket also is very useful if you prefer pocketwatches (like I do).

So, it pays to be a non-conformist suit wearing freak, if you choose Steampunk or Dieselpunk as your favourite subculture style.