Clothing fetish
Encyclopedia
Clothing fetish or garment fetish is a sexual fetish that revolves around a fixation upon a particular article or type of clothing, a collection of garments that appear as part of a fashion or uniform, or a person dressed in such a garment.
The clinical definition of a sexual fetish would require that a person be fixated on a specific garment to the extent that it exists as an exclusive (or recurrent) stimulus for sexual gratification.
One who exhibits a clothing fetish may be aroused by the sight of a person wearing a particular garment, or by wearing the garment oneself which can be because of the look one achieves by wearing it or the way it feels while it is being worn (and might also get some arousal by seeing somebody in it and imagining how it feels). In later case arousal may originate from the way its fabric feels (see clothing fetish by fabric type) or from the way the garment feels and functions as whole (restrictive clothing being an example).
Others with a clothing fetish may be aroused by the sight of such garments, even without wearing them and in the absence of other person wearing them, and may also derive pleasure from collecting them.
s and the jackets.
s. A wide range of other garments have been the subject of less common fetishes.
Separate from fetishes as a paraphilia, are garments worn to enhance appearance (tight jeans, other eyecatching clothing); in this case the differentiator is whether for the person concerned, the clothing is the focus of a sexual fetish, or is merely appreciated and found pleasing and enhancing.
enthusiasts and it has common appearance in bondage-related fetish fashion
. Such restrictive fashion, among others, includes corset
s, hobble skirt
s and high-heeled footwear (particularly ballet boot
s in extreme case). Because items it includes are what in modern western society mostly belongs to women's fashion, male restrictive clothing fetishists can have problems in obtaining and using such items without being labeled as transvestites.
and bondage corset
has also become a staple in fetish wear, particularly among dominatrices. A submissive or slave may also be forced to wear a tightly laced corset as a form of punishment or simply restriction. And the masochistic practice known as tightlacing
creates a particular type of pleasure for the wearer. In the 1980s, pop music performers such as Madonna
and Cyndi Lauper
reintroduced and popularized the corset as a daring outerwear garment. This influence continues to the present day in both fetish and mainstream fashion.
is a long, tight skirt, extending below the knees and often ankle length, which is so tight that it is difficult to walk in. When used as fetish clothing, it is often made of latex
or PVC
and sometimes corset
ed, to increase the restriction.
Such skirts were briefly a mainstream fashion in the 1910s, however, they were soon abandoned as impractical. They were revived in the 1950s by John Willie
and others as a bondage/fetish style.
Like feet
and shoes
, sock fetishists often require some specific attraction in the object which may include special colors, shapes, or smells. People with a fetish for socks may have no special attraction to feet or shoes. Some speculate that the strong attraction some men exhibit to the smell of socks worn by women may be an example of the existence of human pheromones – the hypothesis being that the sweat from women's feet may contain chemical attractants that arouse a male subject and that when a male subject is exposed to the smell of womens'feet or footwear at a young age that young man may carry a strong psycho-chemical imprint which motivates his enthusiasm for worn socks or shoes.
Many male sock fetishists are also highly specific regarding the nature of the socks that stimulate them, and this may be coincidental with the type of socks worn by the originator of the female foot odors which first stimulated the psycho-chemical imprint. For example, if a young male subject grows up in a northern climate, and in his period of early pubescent development has a baby sitter who wore the kinds of heavy wool socks that people wear during a northern winter-if that young lady happened to have strong smelling feet and frequently shared close physical proximity to the male subject where he was able to notice the scent of her feet, that young man may develop the aforementioned psycho-chemical imprint and exhibit a fetish for seeing young women wearing heavy wool socks. This belief is supported by observations that the nature of sock fetishism appears to differentiate according to age brackets and periods of clothing trends. Among men who exhibit an interest in women's socks who are currently in their 30s and 40s, and who were therefore in their early pubescent period during the late 80s/early 90s when slouch socks were a popular clothing trend there is a tendency to exhibit a strong interest in very heavy slouchy socks, whereas younger men with a sock fetish tend to show greater interest in the short little ankle-style socks that became popular in later years.
and like boot fetishism it can be accompanied by a fetish for the material from which it is made for example the rubber which the outsole and sidewall are made of can be a source of rubber fetishism.
. In a survey, researchers at the University of Bologna found that 9% of people were heavy aroused by nylon puffer-jakets jackets, making it the third most popular garment fetish after shoes and costumes.. The most popular jackets amongst jacket fetishists are the Snorkel Parka, the MA-1 bomber jacket
and down jackets with a nylon shell.
s, dresses, or blouse
s. Certain gender-related elements of clothes could be the source of a fetish, include lace
, ruffle
s, floral print, embroidery
, back closure
s, or various colors (such as mauve
and pink).
, waitress, cheerleader and Playboy Bunny
. Some people also regard nun
s' habits
or even apron
s as uniforms. Sometimes, a uniform may be used appropriate to what is being done. For example, someone may wear a nurse's uniform to administer an enema
, a police uniform to handcuff and cage someone, or two equals dress as inmates for cell mate on cell mate activities in a prison setting or as submissive to a third (guard) player. This may add a sense of authenticity to the game play.
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Fur fetishism refers to the sexual fetishism
that revolves around people wearing fur, or in certain cases, to the garments themselves.
These materials may be fetishised because the garment acts as a fetishistic surrogate or second skin
for the wearer's own skin. The material may be regarded as providing a superstimulus
that is more intense than the normal response associated with real skin. This is heightened by the fact that the fur
was originally an animal's skin and hair.
The most famous, and one of the earliest depictions of the topic was the semi-autobiographical novel Venus in Furs
(1870) by Leopold von Sacher-Masoch
. After the novel's success, Sacher-Masoch apparently decided to take on a fetish sadomasochism-lifestyle. In 1884, he had sent a copy of the novel to Richard von Krafft-Ebing, who gave Sacher-Masoch immortality when, in 1891 he used this ancient Austrian nobility
name as an eponym
for what today is called bottoming.
It can also refer to sexual arousal by means of wearing a fursuit
, as seen in the furry fandom
.
The feel of tight leather garments worn may be experienced as a form of sexual bondage
. Some bondage equipment is made from leather straps. The term "leather culture" was applied in the 1960s in the USA gay sadomasochistic subculture
as an umbrella term for alternate sexual practices. The pony
fetish involves the use of equestrian like gear fitted to humans.
Latex fetish is the fetishistic
attraction latex latex clothing
or garments and sometimes called rubber fetishism as latex is a type of rubber. Latex or rubber fetishists may refer to themselves as "Rubberists". Varieties of latex fetishism include body inflation
and attraction to transparent rubber. Latex fetishism includes wearing clothing made from latex, observing it worn by others, and enjoyment of erotic fantasies featuring latex garments, catsuits, hoods, divers
or industrial protective clothing. A common latex fetish icon is the dominatrix
wearing a skin-tight glossy black latex or PVC catsuit
.
PVC fetishism is often closely associated with latex fetishism even though the two materials are very different. PVC fetishism involves an erotic attraction to shiny plastic clothes made from polyvinyl chloride
(PVC), polyurathane or similar man made materials. PVC may be mistaken for shiny patent leather
. PVC fetishism also includes an erotic attraction to clothing such as clear plastic raincoats, slipcover
s, custom clothing made out of clear PVC or inflatable items.
Nylon fetishism includes the wearing of shiny raincoats, jackets and trousers. In the case of heterosexuals, special preferences often include nylon clothing items designed for or belonging to the other sex.
attraction to people wearing stretch fabric
s or, in certain cases, to the garments themselves, such as leotard
s. One reason why spandex and other tight fabrics may be fetishised is that the garment forms a "second skin
," acting as a fetishistic surrogate for the wearer's own skin. Wearers of skin-tight nylon and cotton spandex garments can appear naked or coated in a shiny or matte substance like paint. The tightness of the garments may also be seen as sexual bondage
. Another reason is that nylon-spandex fabric (preferred by many spandex fetishists) is often produced with a very smooth and silk-like finish, which lends a tactile dimension to the fetish – as well as a visual one. There is a sexual attraction to leotard
s and other dance related clothing. This also goes for gymnasts too.
In comic books, superhero
es, superheroines, and supervillain
s are generally depicted as wearing costumes made of spandex or a similar material. The superheroines always wear skintight, very flashy and bright-coloured costumes that usually cover only just enough of the body to be presentable. Fantasies involving superheroes or the wearing of superhero costumes are commonly associated with spandex fetishism.
Full-body suits called zentai
entirely immerse the wearer in skin tight fabric. The suits are essentially catsuit
s with gloves, feet, and a hood. The wearer gets to experience total enclosure
and those who enjoy erotic objectification might make use of the garment's anonymizing aspect. Zentai
fetishism appears to be quite popular in Japan and Europe. The word zentai
means whole body in Japanese.
Soft Knitted Fabrics
Some fetishists obsess over seeing young women garbed in very soft tactile clothing. The fascination may be particularly strong when a young woman is wearing fabrics which "halo" – meaning they have tiny super-soft fibers that are clearly visible. Such fabrics may include angora, alpaca wool and chenille. A "Soft Knit" fetishist will likely purchase soft clothing for a female partner – including sweaters, hats, scarves, cable-knit tights and socks made from the extra soft fabrics that the soft knit fetishist adores.
The clinical definition of a sexual fetish would require that a person be fixated on a specific garment to the extent that it exists as an exclusive (or recurrent) stimulus for sexual gratification.
One who exhibits a clothing fetish may be aroused by the sight of a person wearing a particular garment, or by wearing the garment oneself which can be because of the look one achieves by wearing it or the way it feels while it is being worn (and might also get some arousal by seeing somebody in it and imagining how it feels). In later case arousal may originate from the way its fabric feels (see clothing fetish by fabric type) or from the way the garment feels and functions as whole (restrictive clothing being an example).
Others with a clothing fetish may be aroused by the sight of such garments, even without wearing them and in the absence of other person wearing them, and may also derive pleasure from collecting them.
Relative prevalence of garment fetishism
In order to determine the relative prevalences of different fetishes, researchers at the University of Bologna obtained a sample of at least 5000 individuals worldwide from 381 Internet discussion groups. The relative prevalences were estimated based on (a) the number of groups devoted to a particular fetish, (b) the number of individuals participating in the groups and (c) the number of messages exchanged. The top garment fetish was footwear related (high heels) followed by the costumeCostume
The term costume can refer to wardrobe and dress in general, or to the distinctive style of dress of a particular people, class, or period. Costume may also refer to the artistic arrangement of accessories in a picture, statue, poem, or play, appropriate to the time, place, or other circumstances...
s and the jackets.
By garment type
Though almost any type of garment in theory can be the subject of a fetish, common clothing fetishes include footwear, female underwear and uniformUniform
A uniform is a set of standard clothing worn by members of an organization while participating in that organization's activity. Modern uniforms are worn by armed forces and paramilitary organizations such as police, emergency services, security guards, in some workplaces and schools and by inmates...
s. A wide range of other garments have been the subject of less common fetishes.
Separate from fetishes as a paraphilia, are garments worn to enhance appearance (tight jeans, other eyecatching clothing); in this case the differentiator is whether for the person concerned, the clothing is the focus of a sexual fetish, or is merely appreciated and found pleasing and enhancing.
Restrictive clothing
Clothing that limits the wearer's movement is commonly used for this property, particularly among bondageBondage (BDSM)
Bondage is the use of restraints for the sexual pleasure of the parties involved. It may be used in its own right, as in the case of rope bondage and breast bondage, or as part of sexual activity or BDSM activity.- Private bondage :...
enthusiasts and it has common appearance in bondage-related fetish fashion
Fetish fashion
Fetish fashion is any style or appearance in the form of atype of clothing or accessory, created to be extreme or provocative. These styles are not usually worn by the majority of people on any regular basis. They are usually made of materials such as leather, latex or synthetic rubber or plastic,...
. Such restrictive fashion, among others, includes corset
Corset
A corset is a garment worn to hold and shape the torso into a desired shape for aesthetic or medical purposes...
s, hobble skirt
Hobble skirt
A hobble skirt is a skirt with a narrow enough hem to significantly impede the wearer's stride, thus earning its name. A knee-long corset is also used to achieve this effect...
s and high-heeled footwear (particularly ballet boot
Ballet boot
The ballet boot is a contemporary style of fetish footwear that merges the pointe shoe with a high heel. The idea is to force the wearer's feet almost en pointe, like those of a ballerina, with the aid of long, slender heels...
s in extreme case). Because items it includes are what in modern western society mostly belongs to women's fashion, male restrictive clothing fetishists can have problems in obtaining and using such items without being labeled as transvestites.
Corsets
The training corsetTraining corset
A training corset is generally a corset used in body modification. A training corset may be used for orthopedic reasons or for cosmetic reasons The term "training corset" is also sometimes used for BDSM corsets used for discipline.In addition, the...
and bondage corset
Bondage corset
A bondage corset, used for BDSM, is a full-figured corset that is sometimes called a discipline corset.A bondage corset is very long, rigid, and restricting. It is constructed to place severe limitations on the wearer's movements...
has also become a staple in fetish wear, particularly among dominatrices. A submissive or slave may also be forced to wear a tightly laced corset as a form of punishment or simply restriction. And the masochistic practice known as tightlacing
Tightlacing
Tightlacing is the practice of wearing a tightly-laced corset to achieve extreme modifications to the figure and posture and experience the sensations of a very tight corset. Those who practice tightlacing are called tightlacers...
creates a particular type of pleasure for the wearer. In the 1980s, pop music performers such as Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
and Cyndi Lauper
Cyndi Lauper
Cynthia Ann Stephanie "Cyndi" Lauper is an American singer, songwriter, actress and LGBT rights activist. She achieved success in the mid-1980s with the release of the album She's So Unusual and became the first female singer to have four top-five singles released from one album...
reintroduced and popularized the corset as a daring outerwear garment. This influence continues to the present day in both fetish and mainstream fashion.
Hobble skirts
A hobble skirtHobble skirt
A hobble skirt is a skirt with a narrow enough hem to significantly impede the wearer's stride, thus earning its name. A knee-long corset is also used to achieve this effect...
is a long, tight skirt, extending below the knees and often ankle length, which is so tight that it is difficult to walk in. When used as fetish clothing, it is often made of latex
Latex
Latex is the stable dispersion of polymer microparticles in an aqueous medium. Latexes may be natural or synthetic.Latex as found in nature is a milky fluid found in 10% of all flowering plants . It is a complex emulsion consisting of proteins, alkaloids, starches, sugars, oils, tannins, resins,...
or PVC
PVC
Polyvinyl chloride is a plastic.PVC may also refer to:*Param Vir Chakra, India's highest military honor*Peripheral venous catheter, a small, flexible tube placed into a peripheral vein in order to administer medication or fluids...
and sometimes corset
Corset
A corset is a garment worn to hold and shape the torso into a desired shape for aesthetic or medical purposes...
ed, to increase the restriction.
Such skirts were briefly a mainstream fashion in the 1910s, however, they were soon abandoned as impractical. They were revived in the 1950s by John Willie
John Willie
John Alexander Scott Coutts , better known as John Willie, was a pioneering fetish photographer, illustrator, and bondage artist.- Life and work :...
and others as a bondage/fetish style.
Stockings and socks
Stocking fetishists usually find sexual partners clothed in sheer nylon or silk stockings to be sexually stimulating, or find the act of a person donning or removing a pair of stockings arousing. Some men find it arousing to collect and wear stockings, sometimes hidden under a pair of trousers.Like feet
Foot fetishism
Foot fetishism, foot partialism, foot worship, or podophilia is a pronounced sexual interest in feet. It is the most common form of sexual preference for otherwise non-sexual objects or body parts.-Characteristics:...
and shoes
Shoe fetishism
Shoe fetishism is the attribution of attractive sexual qualities to shoes or other footwear as a matter of sexual preference, psychosexual disorder, and an alternative or complement to a relationship with a partner. It has also been known as retifism, after Nicolas-Edme Rétif , called Rétif de la...
, sock fetishists often require some specific attraction in the object which may include special colors, shapes, or smells. People with a fetish for socks may have no special attraction to feet or shoes. Some speculate that the strong attraction some men exhibit to the smell of socks worn by women may be an example of the existence of human pheromones – the hypothesis being that the sweat from women's feet may contain chemical attractants that arouse a male subject and that when a male subject is exposed to the smell of womens'feet or footwear at a young age that young man may carry a strong psycho-chemical imprint which motivates his enthusiasm for worn socks or shoes.
Many male sock fetishists are also highly specific regarding the nature of the socks that stimulate them, and this may be coincidental with the type of socks worn by the originator of the female foot odors which first stimulated the psycho-chemical imprint. For example, if a young male subject grows up in a northern climate, and in his period of early pubescent development has a baby sitter who wore the kinds of heavy wool socks that people wear during a northern winter-if that young lady happened to have strong smelling feet and frequently shared close physical proximity to the male subject where he was able to notice the scent of her feet, that young man may develop the aforementioned psycho-chemical imprint and exhibit a fetish for seeing young women wearing heavy wool socks. This belief is supported by observations that the nature of sock fetishism appears to differentiate according to age brackets and periods of clothing trends. Among men who exhibit an interest in women's socks who are currently in their 30s and 40s, and who were therefore in their early pubescent period during the late 80s/early 90s when slouch socks were a popular clothing trend there is a tendency to exhibit a strong interest in very heavy slouchy socks, whereas younger men with a sock fetish tend to show greater interest in the short little ankle-style socks that became popular in later years.
Sneakers
Sneaker fetishism is another specific form of Shoe fetishismShoe fetishism
Shoe fetishism is the attribution of attractive sexual qualities to shoes or other footwear as a matter of sexual preference, psychosexual disorder, and an alternative or complement to a relationship with a partner. It has also been known as retifism, after Nicolas-Edme Rétif , called Rétif de la...
and like boot fetishism it can be accompanied by a fetish for the material from which it is made for example the rubber which the outsole and sidewall are made of can be a source of rubber fetishism.
Swimwear
Swimwear fetishism is a sexual fetish relating to swimwear. It can also involve printed or electronic material with swimwear being worn.Jackets and coats
Jacket fetishism is most usually associated with the fixation or attraction to padded nylon jackets – though can also be associated with leather jackets, particularly in association with Bondage (BDSM)Bondage (BDSM)
Bondage is the use of restraints for the sexual pleasure of the parties involved. It may be used in its own right, as in the case of rope bondage and breast bondage, or as part of sexual activity or BDSM activity.- Private bondage :...
. In a survey, researchers at the University of Bologna found that 9% of people were heavy aroused by nylon puffer-jakets jackets, making it the third most popular garment fetish after shoes and costumes.. The most popular jackets amongst jacket fetishists are the Snorkel Parka, the MA-1 bomber jacket
MA-1 bomber jacket
The MA-1 bomber jacket was first developed in the mid 1950s. The MA-1 and its predecessor, the B-15 Flight Jacket, were needed at that time because the emergence of the jet age created new requirements for pilot performance, safety and comfort.- History :Prior to the invention of jet aircraft,...
and down jackets with a nylon shell.
Jeans
The style and cut of jeans can also enhance their sexual appeal to fetishists of either gender. Jeans without pockets on the back are often viewed as showing off one's buttocks and therefore more flattering. Stretch jeans are often viewed as attractive because they have the appearance of being skin tight, while not binding like regular denim jeans would. An extreme example of fetish denim would be "Zip Around Jeans", so called because their zipper unzips starting in the front and continues all the way to the back. Other popular styles include the lace up jean and multi button style jeans.Gender-related clothes
Fetishism may include various garments typically worn by, and associated with persons of a particular gender. For example, this could be a male attraction to women who are wearing skirtSkirt
A skirt is a tube- or cone-shaped garment that hangs from the waist and covers all or part of the legs.In the western world, skirts are usually considered women's clothing. However, there are exceptions...
s, dresses, or blouse
Blouse
A blouse is a loose-fitting upper garment that was formerly worn by workmen, peasants, artists, women and children. It is typically gathered at the waist so that it hangs loosely over the wearer's body. Today, the word most commonly refers to a woman's shirt but can also refer to a man's shirt if...
s. Certain gender-related elements of clothes could be the source of a fetish, include lace
Lace
Lace is an openwork fabric, patterned with open holes in the work, made by machine or by hand. The holes can be formed via removal of threads or cloth from a previously woven fabric, but more often open spaces are created as part of the lace fabric. Lace-making is an ancient craft. True lace was...
, ruffle
Ruffle
In sewing and dressmaking, a ruffle, frill, or furbelow is a strip of fabric, lace or ribbon tightly gathered or pleated on one edge and applied to a garment, bedding, or other textile as a form of trimming...
s, floral print, embroidery
Embroidery
Embroidery is the art or handicraft of decorating fabric or other materials with needle and thread or yarn. Embroidery may also incorporate other materials such as metal strips, pearls, beads, quills, and sequins....
, back closure
Back closure
A back closure is a means for fastening a garment at the rear, such as with a zipper, hooks-and-eyes or buttons. Back closures were once common on Western female clothing, but have recently become less so, especially on female casual and business attire...
s, or various colors (such as mauve
Mauve
Mauve is a pale lavender-lilac color, one of many in the range of purples. The color mauve is named after the mallow flower....
and pink).
Uniforms
Among the most common uniforms in uniform fetish are those of a schoolgirl, nurse, French maidFrench maid
French maid refers to a strongly modified style of servant’s dress that evolved from typical maids’ black and white afternoon uniforms of the nineteenth century . The designs of the French maid dress can range widely from a conservative look to revealing...
, waitress, cheerleader and Playboy Bunny
Playboy Bunny
A Playboy Bunny is a waitress at the Playboy Club. The Playboy Clubs were originally open from 1960 to 1988. The Club re-opened in one location in The Palms Hotel in Las Vegas in 2006...
. Some people also regard nun
Nun
A nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
s' habits
Religious habit
A religious habit is a distinctive set of garments worn by members of a religious order. Traditionally some plain garb recognisable as a religious habit has also been worn by those leading the religious eremitic and anachoritic life, although in their case without conformity to a particular uniform...
or even apron
Apron
An apron is an outer protective garment that covers primarily the front of the body. It may be worn for hygienic reasons as well as in order to protect clothes from wear and tear. The apron is commonly part of the uniform of several work categories, including waitresses, nurses, and domestic...
s as uniforms. Sometimes, a uniform may be used appropriate to what is being done. For example, someone may wear a nurse's uniform to administer an enema
Enema
An enema is the procedure of introducing liquids into the rectum and colon via the anus. The increasing volume of the liquid causes rapid expansion of the lower intestinal tract, often resulting in very uncomfortable bloating, cramping, powerful peristalsis, a feeling of extreme urgency and...
, a police uniform to handcuff and cage someone, or two equals dress as inmates for cell mate on cell mate activities in a prison setting or as submissive to a third (guard) player. This may add a sense of authenticity to the game play.
Fur
Sexual fetishism
Sexual fetishism, or erotic fetishism, is the sexual arousal a person receives from a physical object, or from a specific situation. The object or situation of interest is called the fetish, the person a fetishist who has a fetish for that object/situation. Sexual fetishism may be regarded, e.g...
that revolves around people wearing fur, or in certain cases, to the garments themselves.
These materials may be fetishised because the garment acts as a fetishistic surrogate or second skin
Second skin
The concept of a second skin is common to a range of clothing-related fetishes.One reason why these materials may be fetishised is that the garment acts as a fetishistic surrogate for the wearer's own skin — a second skin...
for the wearer's own skin. The material may be regarded as providing a superstimulus
Superstimulus
A supernormal stimulus or superstimulus is an exaggerated version of a stimulus to which there is an existing response tendency, or any stimulus that elicits a response more strongly than the stimulus for which it evolved....
that is more intense than the normal response associated with real skin. This is heightened by the fact that the fur
Fur
Fur is a synonym for hair, used more in reference to non-human animals, usually mammals; particularly those with extensives body hair coverage. The term is sometimes used to refer to the body hair of an animal as a complete coat, also known as the "pelage". Fur is also used to refer to animal...
was originally an animal's skin and hair.
The most famous, and one of the earliest depictions of the topic was the semi-autobiographical novel Venus in Furs
Venus in Furs
Venus in Furs is a novella by Austrian author Leopold von Sacher-Masoch, the best known of his works. The novel was part of an epic series that Sacher-Masoch envisioned called Legacy of Cain. Venus in Furs was part of Love, the first volume of the series...
(1870) by Leopold von Sacher-Masoch
Leopold von Sacher-Masoch
Leopold Ritter von Sacher-Masoch was an Austrian writer and journalist, who gained renown for his romantic stories of Galician life. The term masochism is derived from his name....
. After the novel's success, Sacher-Masoch apparently decided to take on a fetish sadomasochism-lifestyle. In 1884, he had sent a copy of the novel to Richard von Krafft-Ebing, who gave Sacher-Masoch immortality when, in 1891 he used this ancient Austrian nobility
Austrian nobility
Historically, the Austrian nobility was a privileged social class in Austria. The nobility was officially abolished in 1919 after the fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Former noble families and their descendants are still a part of Austrian society today, but they no longer retain any specific...
name as an eponym
Eponym
An eponym is the name of a person or thing, whether real or fictitious, after which a particular place, tribe, era, discovery, or other item is named or thought to be named...
for what today is called bottoming.
It can also refer to sexual arousal by means of wearing a fursuit
Fursuit
Fursuits are animal costumes made from various materials. They range from simple tails and ears to full costumes cooled by battery-powered fans. Fursuits can be worn for personal enjoyment, work or charity....
, as seen in the furry fandom
Furry fandom
Furry fandom is a fandom for fictional anthropomorphic animal characters with human personalities and characteristics. Examples of anthropomorphic attributes include exhibiting human intelligence and facial expressions, the ability to speak, walk on two legs, and wear clothes...
.
Leather
Leather fetishism is the name popularly used to describe a sexual attraction to people wearing leather and or to the garments themselves. The smell and the sound of leather is often an erotic stimulus for people with a leather fetish. Leather uniforms may also become a fetish. Leather is occasionally finished with a glossy surface and produced in bright colors, providing visual stimuli for some leather fetishists.The feel of tight leather garments worn may be experienced as a form of sexual bondage
Bondage (BDSM)
Bondage is the use of restraints for the sexual pleasure of the parties involved. It may be used in its own right, as in the case of rope bondage and breast bondage, or as part of sexual activity or BDSM activity.- Private bondage :...
. Some bondage equipment is made from leather straps. The term "leather culture" was applied in the 1960s in the USA gay sadomasochistic subculture
Subculture
In sociology, anthropology and cultural studies, a subculture is a group of people with a culture which differentiates them from the larger culture to which they belong.- Definition :...
as an umbrella term for alternate sexual practices. The pony
Pony
A pony is a small horse . Depending on context, a pony may be a horse that is under an approximate or exact height at the withers, or a small horse with a specific conformation and temperament. There are many different breeds...
fetish involves the use of equestrian like gear fitted to humans.
Latex/PVC
Latex fetish is the fetishistic
Sexual fetishism
Sexual fetishism, or erotic fetishism, is the sexual arousal a person receives from a physical object, or from a specific situation. The object or situation of interest is called the fetish, the person a fetishist who has a fetish for that object/situation. Sexual fetishism may be regarded, e.g...
attraction latex latex clothing
Latex clothing
Latex rubber is used in many types of clothing. Rubber has traditionally been used in protective clothing, including gas masks and Wellington boots. Rubber is now generally being replaced in these application by plastics...
or garments and sometimes called rubber fetishism as latex is a type of rubber. Latex or rubber fetishists may refer to themselves as "Rubberists". Varieties of latex fetishism include body inflation
Body inflation
Body inflation is the practice of inflating or pretending to inflate a part of one's body, often for sexual gratification. It is commonly done by inserting balloons underneath clothes or a skin-tight suit and then inflating them. Some people have specially made inflatable suits, commonly made from...
and attraction to transparent rubber. Latex fetishism includes wearing clothing made from latex, observing it worn by others, and enjoyment of erotic fantasies featuring latex garments, catsuits, hoods, divers
Underwater diving
Underwater diving is the practice of going underwater, either with breathing apparatus or by breath-holding .Recreational diving is a popular activity...
or industrial protective clothing. A common latex fetish icon is the dominatrix
Dominatrix
Dominatrix or mistress is a woman or women who takes the dominant role in bondage, discipline and sadomasochism, or BDSM. A common form of address for a submissive to a dominatrix is "mistress", "ma'am", "domina" or "maîtresse"...
wearing a skin-tight glossy black latex or PVC catsuit
Catsuit
A catsuit is a close-fitting one-piece garment that covers the torso and the legs, and frequently the arms. They are usually made from stretchable material, such as lycra, chiffon, spandex , leather, latex, PVC, or velour, and frequently close using a zipper at the front or back.Catsuits, which...
.
PVC fetishism is often closely associated with latex fetishism even though the two materials are very different. PVC fetishism involves an erotic attraction to shiny plastic clothes made from polyvinyl chloride
Polyvinyl chloride
Polyvinyl chloride, commonly abbreviated PVC, is a thermoplastic polymer. It is a vinyl polymer constructed of repeating vinyl groups having one hydrogen replaced by chloride. Polyvinyl chloride is the third most widely produced plastic, after polyethylene and polypropylene. PVC is widely used in...
(PVC), polyurathane or similar man made materials. PVC may be mistaken for shiny patent leather
Patent leather
Patent leather is a type of japanned leather that has been given a high gloss, shiny finish. The process was brought to the United States and improved by Newark-based inventor Seth Boyden in 1818, with commercial manufacture beginning September 20, 1819. Boyden's process, which he never patented,...
. PVC fetishism also includes an erotic attraction to clothing such as clear plastic raincoats, slipcover
Slipcover
A slipcover is a fitted protective cover that may be slipped off and on a piece of upholstered furniture. Slipcovers are usually made of cloth...
s, custom clothing made out of clear PVC or inflatable items.
Nylon fetishism includes the wearing of shiny raincoats, jackets and trousers. In the case of heterosexuals, special preferences often include nylon clothing items designed for or belonging to the other sex.
Spandex
Spandex fetishism is a fetishisticSexual fetishism
Sexual fetishism, or erotic fetishism, is the sexual arousal a person receives from a physical object, or from a specific situation. The object or situation of interest is called the fetish, the person a fetishist who has a fetish for that object/situation. Sexual fetishism may be regarded, e.g...
attraction to people wearing stretch fabric
Stretch fabric
Stretch fabric is a term that refers to synthetic fabrics which stretch. Stretch fabrics are split into two categories: 2-way stretch and 4-way stretch....
s or, in certain cases, to the garments themselves, such as leotard
Leotard
A leotard is a skin-tight one-piece garment that covers the torso but leaves the legs free. It was made famous by the French acrobatic performer Jules Léotard ....
s. One reason why spandex and other tight fabrics may be fetishised is that the garment forms a "second skin
Second skin
The concept of a second skin is common to a range of clothing-related fetishes.One reason why these materials may be fetishised is that the garment acts as a fetishistic surrogate for the wearer's own skin — a second skin...
," acting as a fetishistic surrogate for the wearer's own skin. Wearers of skin-tight nylon and cotton spandex garments can appear naked or coated in a shiny or matte substance like paint. The tightness of the garments may also be seen as sexual bondage
Bondage (BDSM)
Bondage is the use of restraints for the sexual pleasure of the parties involved. It may be used in its own right, as in the case of rope bondage and breast bondage, or as part of sexual activity or BDSM activity.- Private bondage :...
. Another reason is that nylon-spandex fabric (preferred by many spandex fetishists) is often produced with a very smooth and silk-like finish, which lends a tactile dimension to the fetish – as well as a visual one. There is a sexual attraction to leotard
Leotard
A leotard is a skin-tight one-piece garment that covers the torso but leaves the legs free. It was made famous by the French acrobatic performer Jules Léotard ....
s and other dance related clothing. This also goes for gymnasts too.
In comic books, superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
es, superheroines, and supervillain
Supervillain
A supervillain or supervillainess is a variant of the villain character type, commonly found in comic books, action movies and science fiction in various media.They are sometimes used as foils to superheroes and other fictional heroes...
s are generally depicted as wearing costumes made of spandex or a similar material. The superheroines always wear skintight, very flashy and bright-coloured costumes that usually cover only just enough of the body to be presentable. Fantasies involving superheroes or the wearing of superhero costumes are commonly associated with spandex fetishism.
Full-body suits called zentai
Zentai
Zentai is a term for skin-tight garments that cover the entire body. The word is a contraction of zenshin taitsu...
entirely immerse the wearer in skin tight fabric. The suits are essentially catsuit
Catsuit
A catsuit is a close-fitting one-piece garment that covers the torso and the legs, and frequently the arms. They are usually made from stretchable material, such as lycra, chiffon, spandex , leather, latex, PVC, or velour, and frequently close using a zipper at the front or back.Catsuits, which...
s with gloves, feet, and a hood. The wearer gets to experience total enclosure
Total enclosure
Total enclosure fetishism is a form of sexual fetishism whereby a person becomes aroused when having entire body enclosed in a certain way.-Examples:Some total enclosure activities include:...
and those who enjoy erotic objectification might make use of the garment's anonymizing aspect. Zentai
Zentai
Zentai is a term for skin-tight garments that cover the entire body. The word is a contraction of zenshin taitsu...
fetishism appears to be quite popular in Japan and Europe. The word zentai
Zentai
Zentai is a term for skin-tight garments that cover the entire body. The word is a contraction of zenshin taitsu...
means whole body in Japanese.
Soft Knitted Fabrics
Some fetishists obsess over seeing young women garbed in very soft tactile clothing. The fascination may be particularly strong when a young woman is wearing fabrics which "halo" – meaning they have tiny super-soft fibers that are clearly visible. Such fabrics may include angora, alpaca wool and chenille. A "Soft Knit" fetishist will likely purchase soft clothing for a female partner – including sweaters, hats, scarves, cable-knit tights and socks made from the extra soft fabrics that the soft knit fetishist adores.
See also
- Fetish fashionFetish fashionFetish fashion is any style or appearance in the form of atype of clothing or accessory, created to be extreme or provocative. These styles are not usually worn by the majority of people on any regular basis. They are usually made of materials such as leather, latex or synthetic rubber or plastic,...
- Boot fetishism
- Glasses fetishismGlasses fetishismGlasses fetishism is the name used to describe a fetishistic attraction to people wearing prescription glasses.Glasses fetishism in anime, especially on female characters, is called meganekko-moe....
- Glove fetishismGlove fetishismGlove fetishism is a clothing fetish where an individual is sexually stimulated, often to the point of obsession, by another person or oneself wearing gloves on their hands. In some cases, the fetish is enhanced by the material of the glove,...
- Sexual fetishismSexual fetishismSexual fetishism, or erotic fetishism, is the sexual arousal a person receives from a physical object, or from a specific situation. The object or situation of interest is called the fetish, the person a fetishist who has a fetish for that object/situation. Sexual fetishism may be regarded, e.g...
- Shoe fetishismShoe fetishismShoe fetishism is the attribution of attractive sexual qualities to shoes or other footwear as a matter of sexual preference, psychosexual disorder, and an alternative or complement to a relationship with a partner. It has also been known as retifism, after Nicolas-Edme Rétif , called Rétif de la...
- Underwear fetishismUnderwear fetishismUnderwear fetishism is a sexual fetishism relating to undergarments, and refers to the sexual excitement which some people experience from observing or handling certain types of underwear. Some people experience sexual excitement from wearing certain types of underwear...
Sources
- Dr. Trimmer, Eric J. The Visual Dictionary of Sex, ISBN 0-89479-011-0; A & W Publishers, 1977
- Kunzle, David (2004). Fashion and Fetishism. Sutton. ISBN 0-7509-3808-0
- Mario PerniolaMario PerniolaMario Perniola is an internationally acclaimed Italian philosopher, professor of Aesthetics and author. Many of his works have been published in English.-Biography:...
(2004). The Sex Appeal of the Inorganic. Continuum, New York-London. ISBN 9780826462459