Fetish Wear

[ 31 December 2007 ]

“I was wondering if you would write an article on fetish dressing. I always find fetish dressing comes off looking extremely tacky and “goth” looking which of course is not the way I want to look. I’d like to be able to incorporate items such as platform “hooker heels”, bondage corsets, pvc, etc. into a more neutral or even girly wardrobe.”

Yes, I know exactly what you mean. There is such a proliferation of cheap “fetish” gaments available, & sometimes it can seem like that’s the only way to make it work. Thankfully, one need not resort to “adult shops” that smell funny & are filled with men in trenchcoats & not much else! You can buy beautiful high-end fetish items online from companies like Coco de Mer, JT’s Stockroom & Madame S.

A lot of designers have also embraced fetish style & made it their own, with high fashion touches — which is great news.

I have to say, though, that while “hooker heels” may look alluring, & cost so little that it’s hard to say no, usually as soon as you wear them for any length of time, you will understand the price, & be wailing “no” all the way down the street. There’s nothing wrong with experimenting with the cheap stuff at first, so you can see whether it’s a style that is going to suit you or not — but if you want to keep it up, I suggest upgrading to the good stuff soon after.

I tend to think that there are a few pieces of criteria to make fetish dressing stylish rather than tacky.

Buy good quality pieces
It’s very easy to go to an adult shop & stock up on PVC trousers, Frankenstein-esque boots & spiked collars — but the reason it doesn’t look good is because you’re basically wearing a whole lot of garbage. PVC doesn’t breathe & you will end up a sweaty mess. In order for it to look more stylish & less goth, you need to buy things which are well made & will last. They must be made with high quality fabrics. Keep your eyes open for handbags or shoes with a PVC finish, anything with an extraneous buckle, things which are spikey, slinky, or exceptionally well-tailored.

Restrain yourself (hee hee)
If you want to give the appearance of being a kinky mistress (or whatever), it’s better to be subtle. You don’t need to walk around in ass-less chaps & a pair of thigh-high boots — it’s too obvious. You want people to give you sideways glances; you want people to have to work at it to figure you out. It’s always best to keep them guessing, & far more alluring. So, when you’re putting your fetish look together, only have a couple of pieces which allude to your cruel & deviant ways. Also, when you’re dressing like this, remember to show off ONE great asset at a time. If your top is all about cleavage, then don’t also show a mile of leg. Retain some modesty — it is much more alluring & stylish.

Do you
Remember — you are not pretending to be someone else, or wearing a costume — you are still you. While it can be fun to get into evil mistress character, it’s not Hallowe’en, & there’s a fine line between being stylish & ridiculous. By this, I mean: keep your make-up light. Don’t pull your hair back in an overly severe manner. Don’t be tempted to load your arms with leather gauntlets or draw angry black slashes around your eyes. Wear your favourite perfume — not Eau de Dungeon. Be charming; smile!

I went to my most recent crush, Polyvore, to see what I could whip up for you… Pun intended.

Helmet Lang crochet back sweater, Vanessa Bruno pleat detail skirt, Fendi large B buckle belt, Alexander McQueen patent Elvie bag, Balenciaga heels, sequinned eye mask from Monsoon, black riding crop, two-finger silver ring.

Derek Lam satin smock dress worn with Christian Louboutin studded mary jane platforms. Aren’t those shoes incredible?! Shoegasm! If this looks too simple, however, you could probably throw some white latex stockings into the mix to spice it up.

If you want to stock your wardrobe with a few stylish fetish essentials, you might want to seek out…
Thigh-high (or over-the-knee) boots
A waist cincher or corset (those crazy old goths have the best information on that)
Latex stockings or lamé leggings from American Apparel
A collar of some description — but no spikes, please!
A figure-enhancing pencil skirt
High-heel Oxfords or ankle boots with interesting detailing — buckles, buttons, straps etc.
Fishnet stockings
A big belt that sits on the waist that looks more like a saddle
Driving gloves
Chunky rings

& just for fun… What’s in my (fetish) handbag?!

Chloé Heloise patent tote, ‘whip me beat me bite me’ patch, ballgag, blindfold, handcuffs, whip, cat mask, Betsey Johnson python driving gloves, Kleenex (boo hoo!) & a Polaroid camera, for capturing those… delicate moments.

Super-love & cupcakes,
Gala

Tags: advice, aesthetic, consumption, how to, inspiration, madame

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Some of those linked sites are really helpfull! Thanks.
bette! · Dec 31, 02:47 PM · #
Those Goths aren’t the only people who can offer corset advice! Not too long ago I did a guest post for Kori at The Fashion-y Blog, as I love corsets and think they’re a beautiful enhancement for women’s bodies (and not to be feared, unlike their reputations).

If any of your readers have questions, need resources, etc., I’d be more than happy to provide them with information as well!
Ashe Mischief · Dec 31, 02:57 PM · #
Hrm. The link, oddly enough, didn’t know up. Here’s the post:
http://modernmagik.blogspot.com/2007/09/guest-post-corset.html
Ashe Mischief · Dec 31, 02:58 PM · #
Interesting article, Gala! Sounds like fun, I think I’ll try it.
jeni · Dec 31, 03:10 PM · #
Teehee, naughty naughty! By jove, that Heloise is the most gorgeous bag I have seen in a good while. I love it in shiny orange as well.
nana · Dec 31, 04:07 PM · #
Tee hee, today, after having a good book-buying-spree, I saw a giant coffee table book on Fetish Dressing, and a great one on French Postcards (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_erotic_photography). Maybe now, I’ll go buy them.

Sadly though, I have a hard time wearing this great style because it tends to make me look incredibly harsh. I guess I just need some practice…! ;D
Retro.Bunny · Dec 31, 04:09 PM · #
Oooh. I’ve been simply wearing black clothes on the skimpier side to the local kink club for a while while I’ve tried to figure out how to make fetish gear not look dumb (because oh ~~god~~ do some of the people there look silly) so I was really excited to see this post. Thanks! :D The eye mask is especially neat.

I don’t suppose you’d have any advice about how to bare skin without looking trashy or ridiculous? At actual play events as opposed to dance-and-look-sexy events it’s difficult to strike a balance between being ready for the night’s activities and actually, you know, wearing clothes. I know balance helps, but sometimes that doesn’t quite work out.
Bea · Dec 31, 05:21 PM · #
I love wearing my cincher corset with everyday clothes. I adore what a great shape it gives me and its a lot more versatile than a full corset, not that those aren’t fabulous either.

I recommend a local Canadian company, www.laceembrace.com for high quality corsets that aren’t over the top expensive.
scout100 · Dec 31, 05:52 PM · #
WHY ARE YOU SO CREATIVE?! =)
iris · Dec 31, 06:24 PM · #
My favourite way to wear fetish stuff is to juxtapose it with something sweet and girly – ie, a vintage lace dress with elbow length leather opera gloves, or a babydoll dress with sky-high fetish heels. Something about the contrast of opposites is very appealing.
Nadia · Dec 31, 10:14 PM · #
I SO agree with your list of essentials!

P.S. Your picture of Angelina Jolie is perfect for the article. Love!
weily · Jan 1, 09:07 AM · #
I really, really love your polyvore concoctions :) You pull together some beautiful things.
Natalie · Jan 2, 01:30 PM · #
Great article thank you so much for writing this. :) thanks for your help.
Katrina · Jan 3, 01:32 PM · #

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Fetish Wear

[ 31 December 2007 ]

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