Alt.sex.fetish.fashion FAQ
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Posted monthly (if possible) on the 22nd of each month in
alt.sex.fetish.fashion, alt.answers and news.answers
- or when significant updates require it.
Your input is very welcome!
Send suggestions, additions, updates and corrections
to me and it'll be included in this document.
The contents of this document is a compilation
and paraphrasing by me of the information supplied by
the readers of this newsgroup.
You can obtain it by E-mail as well if you have no ftp access, by sending an E-mail message to: mail-server@rtfm.mit.edu containing the single word 'help' (without quotes) in the message body to receive instructions.
You can browse it via WWW via my homepage at URL: http://login.dknet.dk/~pg
You can also view it (and many other FAQs) via WWW using the URL: http://www.cis.ohio-state.edu/hypertext/faq/usenet/FAQ-List.html and proceed through "Alt Sex" and then on to "Fetish Fashion".
I will add all material posted in alt.sex.fetish.fashion or related newsgroups that I feel has a general relevance for new users or which is simply interesting, and I'll naturally add a note as to who wrote it. If the material is noted as copyrighted (by the poster), I'll still include it but will include the copyright notice as well.
If you do not want your name in the FAQ (for whatever reason) when posting to the newsgroup then you must add a note to this effect to every article you post, or contact me directly by E-mail. I will also add stuff mailed to me directly, and as I'm often unable to verify the correctness of the supplied information, I'll add it and rely on you for verification.
If you mail me stuff, I'll not always write a 'thank you' note in return as I'm often busy doing other things than just maintaining this document. This doesn't mean that I'm not grateful! - I am! - Very! - I'm just very busy and don't always have the time to write these notes.
You are always welcome to ask me to remove your name from the FAQ, or to use a pseudonym or an anonymous id instead. I respect and comply to such wishes, but I will not consent to remove the information itself unless it is invalid, incorrect, outdated or similar.
Also, in case this FAQ is published in a book, on a CD-ROM or similar, a minimum of one free copy of the final product delivered to the author free of any charge is required for permission to use anything from this document.
Reproducing this FAQ or parts thereof by any means, included, but not limited to, printing, copying existing prints, publishing by electronic or other means, implies full agreement and consent to the above non-profit-use clause, unless upon explicit prior written (non-electronic) permission of the author. It also implies full consent to the above one-free-copy-clause with no exceptions.
In absolutely no event shall the author be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, exemplary, or consequential damages (including, but not limited to, procurement of substitute goods or services; loss of use, data, or profits; or business interruption) however caused and on any theory of liability, whether in contract, strict liability, or tort (including negligence or otherwise) arising in any way out of the use of the informations herein contained, even if advised of the possibility of such damage.
I'd also like to emphasize that I'm in no way connected to any of the businesses mentioned in this document, and that I'm doing this work purely for the benefit of the numerous people of the fetish fashion community and that I do not receive any kind of payment for any part of the work contained - and I don't want to.
Please do not offer any kind of bribery or 'special services' in return for favorable mentioning or recommendations. I'll not accept it and I will continue to do my very best to keep this document as objective as possible.
I don't mind accepting favours without strings attached... ;-)
Following a stray suggestion, I first created the group with the name alt.sex.fetish.dfp (dressing for pleasure), but then I got a dozen messages telling me that acronym group names was a Really Bad Idea. I then issued a rmgroup message for alt.sex.fetish.dfp and a new newgroup message for alt.sex.fetish.fashion, realizing the idea for real.
Due to propagation difficulties of the initial newgroup message, a second newgroup message was issued two days later from a kind soul (mathew@mantis.co.uk) in UK which finally set this newsgroup in motion. Subsequent newgroup messages has been issued both from me and other kind people to combat persistent propagation difficulties, and there's still new sites picking up the group to this day!
This document was written and is maintained in HTML-format at my private PC using the text editor QEdit 3.00C, my own database program called LstMaint for the big supplier list, my own HTML->Text conversion utility called HTML2TXT and a couple of my own batch-scripts to automate the end preparation of both the HTML-versions for WWW access and the 9 parts of plain text that is posted to the newsgroup itself using yet another of my own programs named YPost, which is a part of the YES package for the Yarn offline newsreader.
As the UseNet fetish hierarchy developed, I observed something I
found pretty peculiar: There was no newsgroup for perhaps the biggest
fetish of them all: Fetish clothing and dressing for pleasure.
The alt.sex.fetish.feet newsgroup did partially cover the topic
of high heels but most people there was more into bare feet and
painted toenails than anything you might put on a foot; some even
expressed a dislike of high heels due to the possible 'damage' they
could cause on a foot.
But there was no newsgroup for the connoisseurs of sexy, skintight
clothing in leather, PVC, latex-rubber and Spandex, and the art
of enhancing the posture and sexiness of a womans legs and body by her
wearing high heels, or ditto for men.
This all made me propose and subsequently create this group,
which has the following major topics:
Please refer discussions about tatoos and piercing to the
rec.arts.bodyart newsgroup, and pure B&D and S/M stuff to the
alt.sex.bondage newsgroup where it belongs.
Some B&D and S/M are welcome here (in particular stuff like
bondage clothing, straightjackets and so on), but as a general rule it
must relate to the main topic as well, i.e. it must have fetish
clothing or designs in some form as a central issue.
About bodypainting: Discussions are welcome here until they get
their own forum, but alas, this document has already grown to monstrous
proportions and I've decided not to include anything relating
to bodypainting in this FAQ, other than these words.
From: Lani Teshima-Miller <teshima@uhunix.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu>
This is a sexually oriented newsgroup about an area sometimes
considered a taboo or deviant behavior. Sexually explicit language
will occur now and then so please do not be offended. If you dislike
this, please unsubscribe now for your own good, and stop reading this
document - and do it now!
When writing (posting) to the newsgroup, please respect other
peoples feelings and desires, and do not try to harass anyone by
persistent questioning and obnoxious comments. Persistent harassment
will be reported to the culprits system administrator and may result
in the loss of access to UseNet or perhaps your account entirely.
The behavioral keywords must be: Be towards others as you'd like
them to be towards yourself. Don't be a jerk or try to be funny by
making fun of any of us or our interest. Nobody finds it funny and
you'll only hurt yourself in the process.
NO personals please! - Use alt.personals.bondage or
alt.personals.misc or best of all: alt.personals.fetish!
No commercial advertisements! - Answers to direct questions are very
welcome, but only the answer and not kilobytes of other 'useful
information'. If you're new in the business or just new on the net,
please send me all the information needed for a good entry in the
supplier list. This is the only allowed way of 'advertising' ones
presense on the net!
Anonymous posting to this group is very welcome, but note that
any abuse (for instance by harassing someone) will be reported to the
system administrator for the anonymous reposting site immediately and
this will most likely cause a ban for the abusers use of this particular
server and perhaps even disclosure of culprits true name and
address to the victims or the group as a whole. We've had two cases so
far, and both lost their access to the anon-server as a result of the
complaint filed. You have been warned.
To find out how to post anonymously, you could check out the
anonymous contact server at penet.fi that does carry this newsgroup
and allow posting to it. It is in Finland and thus far out of US
juristriction. Send a message (subject and contents doesn't matter)
to: help@anon.penet.fi - and you will receive adequate instructions.
There are other anonymous servers around but I have no information
about these. You might try contacting someone using a pseudonym
from one of these to get more information.
Please use alt.binaries.pictures.erotica.fetish for this purpose.
I would also like to thank the people at DKnet for making it
possible for me to maintain and post this document using their systems.
And to Gitte, my very best and dear friend, for support in this
and life in general. Also a few thoughts to: Henna (in Florida), Nina
(and her delightful taste in fashions), Höhne, Oskar, Mia, Klaus and
to all true MAGNAs!
Please use the proper newsgroup for your posting! - This in
particular applies to the bandwidth-consuming binaries! - Failure to follow
this will undoubtedly result in lots of complaints to both yourself and
your sysadm!
I spend most of my daytime as a student at the University of
Copenhagen with a major in computer science. In the sparetime I'm
working as a free-lance programmer, author, photographer, graphic
designer and musician (keyboards).
I've been into fetish fashion for most of my life, but left the
'closet' about 7-8 years ago and began to attend fetish and BDSM
oriented gatherings.
I'm male, 29 years of age, living in Ballerup which is about 10
miles west of Copenhagen in Denmark (Northern Europe).
English is not my primary language but I understand, speak, read and
write it fairly fluently. You are welcome to write to me in either:
Danish, swedish, norwegian, german, french or english/american. Expect a
reply in danish (for the scandinavian langauges) or english otherwise.
Please keep submissions for the FAQ in english, please!
Warning: Anything sent by snailmail to me unsolicited or without
proper return postage should not be expected returned!
Bodypainting isn't really considered to fall into the category
of bodyart for the purposes of rec.arts.bodyart, unless you're talking
about something like henna that will last for a long time (weeks?).
Part of the enjoyment of bodyart is the permanency, and involvement of
either the pain or ritual of getting a permanent piece done on your
body.
(Maintainer of the FAQ for rec.arts.bodyart)The Picture Policy
Following a poll made in August/September 1994, posting of
pictures (binaries) to alt.sex.fetish.fashion is no longer allowed!
How to reach me:
You are always welcome to contact me for whatever reason related
to this newsgroup. There are lots of ways to reach me - Feel free to
use one of them!:
If you call me on the phone, please do not forget that Denmark is in
timezone GMT+1 (or UTC+1). Calls to the GSM number will be routed to
an answering service if I'm not reachable at the moment or has the
phone turned off. The outgoing message is in danish but all it really
says is: Leave a message after the beep. Please do!
Kornvænget 22, 1.th.
DK-2750 Ballerup
Denmark
(+45) 4059 2969 (GSM, 24h)
Xenobyte @ Auggie BBS (bbs.augsburg.edu)
Xenobyte @ ISCA BBS (bbs.isca.uiowa.edu)
Per_Goetterup@p10.f20.n235.z2.fidonet.org
Also spelled 'fetich'.
Also spelled 'fetichism'.
Lani Teshima-Miller <teshima@uhunix.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu> writes:
Even 7" heels exist, but these are rarely seen.
It is a die-hard myth that all high heels damage the foot.
This is not true! - Badly designed (cheap) heels might
cause corns or worse, but well-designed, well-fitting high
heels DOES NOT damage anything when worn even on a daily
basis, as long as the feet gets to rest at least during
the sleep period or similar (the feet needs shoeless
rest). Fanatic 24h wear is another story...
Other good tricks are to rub the feet with hand lotion and
go to bed with cotton socks on. Three nights in a row of
this will make even my 6" heels comfortable for a full
evening. Exercise will help to stretch the tendons in the
ankles and calves. A good one is just to walk on your toes
for a bit each day. Another good one is one skiers do -
put your toes on the edge of a phonebook with your heels
hanging off, raise and lower your heels stretching gently.
If she is walking in high heels on a pile rug, offer your
arm for support. Many women feel "unstable" in high heels
and the extra support is comforting.
To get her into bed with the shoes on, you might just try
carrying her to the bed while she is dressed, and removing
everything but the shoes. If all else fails, you could
always go for the bondage shoe straps which lock the heels
on, but I suspect this would freak her out worse than the
shoes.
Talk to her if she seems uncomfortable about your requests.
Find out exactly what makes her feel uncomfortable
and help her with those issues. Many women have been
raised to see this kind of behavior as "kinky", "sick", or
"slutty". Assure her that whatever makes two people happy
is just fine. Assure her that you hold her in the highest
respect and don't question her virtue. Assure her that
you want to be perfectly honest with her, rather than
hiding your desires from her.
And last, but not least, compliment her if she does wear
heels for you. Best of luck in your quest. A love for high
heels is a wonderful, abet expensive, joy.
Try not to do your first practice on shag carpet - the
heels will catch.
Try not to use your arms to balance you. Practice walking
with your hands held in the small of your back. This will
keep you from looking like a T-Rex in stilletos.
Take much smaller steps than you normally would. This will
also help to keep your shoes underneath your center of
gravity.
Keep your ankles stong and firm by lifting up until you're
standing on your tiptoes several times a day (best done
without shoes). Or hang your heels off the edge of a
phonebook and lower your heels as far as you can and then
raise up on tiptoe. Don't pull the muscles, just gently
strech.
Take every opportunity to sit down and rest your feet.
Take your escort's arm (even if they don't offer it) and
use them to help balance when going down sidewlks, over
uneven surfaces, or going down stairs.
For three night's before the big occasion, go to bed with
your feet slathered in hand cream and wearing cotton
socks. This will soften up your feet and help prevent
blisters. (Keep a band-aid or two in your bag just in
case. They also come in handy for protecting against rough
seams inside the shoes.)
Throw a pair of flats or sneakers in your car, just so
that if your feet are killing you by the end of the
night, you don't have to climb three flights of stairs to
your apartment in 5" spikes.
PS: boots might support your ankle a bit!
Exercise is a good idea to build up the calf muscles. My personal
suggestion to ensure a pleasuable experience is correct sizing of the
shoes. Do not be convinced that you can't find the write size...women's
shoes can be found in many sizes and widths (which is usually the hard
part). If you are a wide width, do not be satisfied with B width
shoes...go for the D's, Es or whatever it takes. It will make your goal
more obtainable.
Ankle support at first will help. It may be wise to gradually move from
boots to shoes. Pumps provide more stability than slings or sandals, so
work towards pumps first.
One thing that is very important to remember is, that only
very few people can wear off-the-rack corsets. Just about
everyone else is much better off getting a custom made
(and fitted) corset. If the corset doesn't fit perfectly
it will cause problems and perhaps more or less serious
damage.
If you have an item that's very dirty use saddle soap
to clean it before you use the Lexol conditioner. To
make things shine you really have to buff them. Old
jeans or old socks and lots of elbow grease works well.
Source: Michael Singer "Batman Returns: The Official Movie Book", page 28.
I do find that just plain water will remove excess powder
and leave a nice shine. It's cheaper and has no chemical
smell.
Cement, however, bonds things together chemically. The
simplest kind of cement consists of some material that is
the same as what is to be joined, which has been dissolved
in a solvent. When such a cement is applied to the surface
that's to be joined, the solvent eats into the surface,
dissolving or at least softening a small portion of it.
(The action of the solvent is limited by the fact that
it's already been saturated with the material dissolved in
it.) When the surfaces to be joined are brought into
contact, the softened or partially liquefied materials
flow together, forming a chemical weld (when all the solvent
has evaporated) that is indeed as strong or stronger
than the material which is being joined. Examples are
rubber contact cement when used on a rubber that has the
same chemical base as the cement (so that the solvent will
attack it), such as wetsuit cement (neoprene in a solvent),
tire and innertube patch cement; also PVC pipe
cement, airplane "glue" or model cement (effective on styrene
plastics), and the specialized plastic cements (the
correct one has to be used for the particular plastic
involved) available at plastics supply houses.
The main point about cements is that, if the right (chemically
compatible) cement is not being used, you will have
only a glue at best, and the bond probably won't be very
strong at all. In order to find the right cement, the
material to be joined must first be positively identified.
Like someone already mentioned, you have to know if your
rubber is in fact natural rubber (and what kind of rubber
it is), or if it's a plastic synthetic. Whenever I need
to cement something (frequently some plastic thingy that I
need to repair), I usually just take it to a (plastics)
shop, and let the experts tell me what kind of cement I
need for it.
So all you need to do is find out what is the solvent for
latex. If a shop that sells plastics and/or rubber can't
tell you, a chemistry prof at your local university possibly
could. A science librarian at a college library could
also possibly help you find out.
The basic operation is to clean both surfaces of your seam
(allow about 1/2" overlap for seams in most material,
perhaps 1/4" in only the thinnest latex), then apply cement
to both surfaces, and allow it to dry for several
minutes. Allow to dry in free air, without a fan. Seam is
ready to join when cement no longer appears glossy, typically
at_least five minutes. Do not attempt to join
immediately.
After joining the seam, use a narrow roller, such as a
nylon or wooden ink brayer, also available at art stores,
to roll the seam under high pressure. This is necessary
for a good strong joint.
Now the problems:
You'll need to get rubber cement (Elmer's, etc.), rubber
cement thinner, acetone, drafting tape and pure talc.
Place the torn spot face up on a flat surface and work the
split area closed along its original lines. When the tear
is aligned place a strip of drafting tape over the tear
area to hold it togther.
Use drafing tape instead of masking tape!!! Drafting
tape looks just like masking tape but has a greatly
reduced tack to it (it ain't as sticky!).
Next, lay the patch over the area to be glued and apply a
very small piece of tape to keep it aligned (Like a
hinge). Now lay the patch over to expose the gluing surface.
It helps to put some waxed paper under the patch so
that you don't slop glue onto areas not to be patched.
Pour some of the acetone onto a cloth and clean the areas
to be cemented. This includes the patch as well. Do this
in a ventilated area.
Thin a small quantity of the rubber cement by about half
with the cement thinner and apply it to both surfaces
(patch and patch area). Wait about two minutes or so until
the glue has dried (maybe longer) and then gently roll the
patch over the tear area.
Wait a few minutes before removing the tape but DO remove
the tape!
Sprinkle the patched area with talcum powder to kill the
tack of the remaining cement and voila'. Away you go.
The most common method is to measure from the base of the heel to the
point where the heel first meets the sole, i.e. the inside edge of the
heel. The height is measured in eighths of an inch.
The other method used is to measure from the base straight up the
centerline of the heel until it intersects the sole. This gives a slightly
higher measurement than the first method.
In either case, the actual increase in your height is greater because you
get elevated by the amount at the back of the heel.
Also, the larger the shoe size the easier it is to wear a higher heel.
It's got to do with the triangle formed by the heel height and length of
the shoe. A smaller size has a much steeper angle for the same heel
height.
The problem is not with feet--it's with your back and your
posture. High heels throw your whole spine out of whack
because of the way it makes you stand--makes it curve
differently. I think it used to lead to sore backs for me.
There is one very important thing to remember about high
heels and starting to wear them, is that many people don't
have trained ankles. You have to first learn how to walk
in them, learn how not to wobble (by training your balance
and ankles), and learn how to react when you happen to
bend your ankle. I used to do this A LOT but never
sprained it because I'd worn high heels all the time. But
if your ankle's not used to it, watch out!
First good thing to try is to ask her, but not when you're
already in bed. Try some evening after dinner, "I really
think you have beautiful legs and feet. I would love it if
you would wear heels to bed some time." It's always easier
if the other person feels that they are giving you a
gift rather than being pressured into doing something that
might make them uncomfortable. Buy her a really nice pair
of heels. Well made, and unfortunately expensive, shoes
will fit better and be much more comfortable than the $20
"all man made materials" throwaways that most shoe stores
carry. I have a pair of extremely expensive thigh-high
leather boots that fit perfectly. I can be on my feet all
night, either at home or out at an event like ManRay, and
my feet don't hurt. Shoe pads are good. The little Dr.
Scholls (sp?) pads for the balls of the feet will make any
high heels more comfortable. More comfortable = worn more
often!
Patent leather stretches a little eventually, as does any
shoe material. Also, the material is of course new, so
consequently a bit stiff. Once you put a few "miles" on
them, they should soften up and have more give. If these
were plain leather (not patent), I'd recommend neetsfoot
oil to accelerate the softening process. But the patent
finish would be impervious to it, and the oil (if applied
from inside the vamp) could damage the finish.
I would suggest (unless it's too late) that you spend
several hours with them on carpeted floors to make sure
that they'll work out, so that you can return them if they
don't.
Noire writes:
I put double half-sole cushions in the bottom, right under
the ball of the foot where the most pressure (and pain)
builds. The pads take up enough space that the shoes fit
fairly comfortably and they also keep my feet from sliding
forward. I'd recommend using them for any heels.
In my experience it does-- the
higher heels tend to shift your weight more to the balls
of your feet. Your feet will also tend to slide forward,
putting more pressure on your toes.
Ms. Margo writes:
Yes it does, since most of your weight
will be on the balls of your feet and that's a lot of
pressure on your toes. If all else fails, go to a dance
shop and buy some lambswool (which they sell for toe
shoes) to wrap around your toes to prevent blisters.
Ankle training and ankle strength are very important, or
you could twist an ankle and seriously hurt yourself. I
found that walking (and hiking), bicycle riding, and ice
skating all helped. Balance is of course important. Think
of a line, like the blade of an ice skate, under the mid-
dle of your foot from heel to toe, and try to center your
weight over it for each foot as you walk. Experiment with
your posture to balance your weight between your heels and
the balls of your feet, first while standing still, then
while walking. You'll probably want something or someone
handy to help steady yourself while you're getting the
knack. When you do go out, always be conscious of where
you walk. Finally, restrictive clothing probably isn't a
good idea while you're trying to learn...
Ms. Margo writes:
Well, take an emory board or a small bit of sandpaper and
rough up the bottoms so they're not so slick. That will
help to keep the shoe from sliding out from under you if
you get your balance wrong.
I have found that some people can wear heels "much" easier than others.
I have been wearing heels since the second grade and never had a problem
with heels and now wear exclusivly 5" or higher. If you are one of those
who are "stilletolly chanllenged" then I suggest exercise the calf
muscles, walk on the balls of your feet even when barefoot, and try a
clunky heel to get used to the heigth of the heel.
Karen (karenc@ottawa.net) writes:
The key here is that you have to work at it. It takes balance, and
strength to wear heels consistently. I have worked myself up to a
minimum height of 3.5 inch heels for everyday wear (boots for winter and
shoes for the office).
Get an old pair of your jeans. Put them on. Sit down on
the floor. Polish the leather on your thigh until it feels
like the jeans are going to catch on fire.
Different types of leather polish differently. Some types
of leather will polish minimally, others will take a good
gloss.
Lexol is the stuff you want. Be careful using it on
thin or garment leathers because while the item is
still damp with Lexol it can be stretched very easily.
I ruined a nice pair of gloves once by putting them on
when they were still damp after being Lexoled. Allow
them to dry well before use.
ISBN 0-553-37030-8
Baby powder helps here, or if you look at SCUBA diving wet
suit material, one version has smooth nylon on the inside
and latex on the outside.
I firmly believe that one should use pure talc for latex
rather than baby powder, which contains oils. However, I
know that there are plenty of laissez-faire folks out
there who use baby powder and have never had a problem.
For the record, I use only pure talc on my latex. I'm a
bit paranoid since I had a lovely hood that disolved a
hole from being put away without being washed. I have
learned my lesson; you can't cheat when it comes to caring
for latex. I use Black Beauty polish when I want a serious
shine. (Tip: Apply it with one of those large flat foam
brushes that hardware stores sell for painting moldings.)
The following is from a piece of
paper the guy at Body Worship gave me when I made my pur-
chase. It is entirely a direct quote.
TAKING CARE OF YOUR LATEX
Glue sticks things together by adhesion. It more or less
flows into the "rough" surface (of even something smooth,
like glass) of whatever it is you want to join, creating a
bond. Examples are using rubber contact cement to glue
wood, paper, etc. (but not rubber), white glue on anything,
superglue (believe it or not), and most adhesive
tapes. The main point about glues is that the bond is only
physical, based on its ability to grip the surface it's
being used to join.
If you don't mind doing a little more research, and your
own simple chemistry, you could possibly make your own
(glue). Many rubber and plastic cements (eg. such as the
neoprene cement surfers and divers use to patch wetsuits)
are nothing more than some of the rubber or plastic dissolved
in an appropriate solvent. When applied to the
material to be bonded, the solvent eats into and softens
the surface, allowing it to integrate with what's dissolved
in the solvent. As the solvent evaporates, the
whole thing becomes bonded together.
Tony@morgan.demon.co.uk (Tony Kidson) writes:
As an ex-chemist, I believe that Xylene is a good solvent
for this application.
Bill Lemieux <blemieux@nyx.cs.du.edu> writes:
Best-Test paper cement is a _latex_ based cement available
at art stores. Any other cement you can find that contains
latex as a binder, and heptane as the solvent, will also
work. You will also need to buy some Bestine cement thinner.
Thin the cement about 1:1- it contains too little
solvent as it comes in the can.
The real trick invovles holding the seam together while
you glue the patch in and also in keeping the patch from
curling after you apply the cement. Here's how I've done
it repairs for over 25 years now...
*** NOTE ***
Now place a strip of tape over your patch material (on the
shiny side) and you may now cut (with scissors) a patch
that will exactly cover the area to be repaired (I always
give about 1/4 to 3/8 of an inch of coverage on either
side of the tear).Sitting on a chair, wearing your usual hosiery or socks,
place your foot on a plain piece of cardboard. Have someone
hold a different piece of cardboard vertically at the
heel, then draw a line where the two cardboard pieces
meet. Then hold the cardboard at the end of the longest
toe. Draw a line here as well. Now remove your foot and
measure the distance in centimeters or millimeters between
the two lines. Now consult the shoe size conversion table
in the next part of the FAQ.
There are at least two different ways that manufacturers measure the
height of a heel.
At the height of its popularity the corset was available in
many specialized forms. There were tennis corsets, swimming
corsets, hip corsets, electrical corsets, abdominal strengthening
corsets, men's corsets, training corsets (complete with crossing
shoulder straps and attachable thigh-high boots, to prevent the
young trainee from removing her corset), and amazingly, maternity
corsets. There were several magazines exclusively devoted to
corset culture. Most notably among them was "The Wasp", published
in London. It was felt that corsets not only molded a Lady's body,
but also her character. It compressed her waist, raised her bosom,
flattened her stomach, rounded her hips, straightened her back,
lifted her head, shortened her steps to an appropriate 12" gait,
kept her from being wild and tomboyish in her behavior, and
"instilled a properly submissive attitude."
B.R. Creations is run by Ruth Johnson. She is very dedicated
to corsetry and makes the best corsets on American soil.
(Actually, she produces some of the only ones, but who's
quibbling.) Her corsets are meant for daily wear are very durable.
She also produces a corsetry newsletter that comes out four times
yearly. Her color catalog is $7.00 for the U.S. and Canada, $10
for overseas. The Corset Newsletter (6 issues/year) is $18.00 for
the U.S. and Canada, $24.00 for overseas.
As you go further into waist training, you find that
adjustments have to be made in the lifestyle, especially in
eating habits. Meals will have to be much smaller and more
frequent. Since the corset compresses the intestines rather
severely, a large heavy meal will cause discomfort at best
and serious pain at worst. It is recommended to have 5-6
light meals, rather that the 3 large meals most people eat,
and to let out the laces a few inches before eating -
retightening an hour or so later. Since the success of the
training depends on the amount of time that a corset is worn,
rather than how tightly it is laced, sleeping will be altered
to include sleeping in the corset. Eventually only a few
hours a day for washing will be spent without the corset.
Rapidly lacing to a very small waist will appear to have the
quickest results, but it is the easiest way to actually harm
your body. It is much better to lace the corset snugly, but
not uncomfortably so, and wear it for a longer period of
time.
The world's smallest waist belonged to Mrs. Ethel Granger
(deceased). At her ultimate her waist measured just 13".
This took a lifetime of work to achieve and she lived to the
ripe old age of 77. However, her figure was so modified,
with her lower ribs collapsed, that few would find it
attractive.
My ASCII art skills are minimal, but I will attempt the
drawings:
To keep the pressure on the lower back to a minimum have a
well fitting corset; this will help to support the body
rather than crimp it. Do not overlace it; pull the laces
snug and tight, but not uncomfortably so. If the compression
is painful, unlace the corset and start again. Do not lace
it too rapidly; lace it snugly and if necessary tighten the
laces after the corset has been worn for a few hours. Do not
try to lace the corset tight in one pass; tighten the laces
in stages to allow your internal organs time to adjust to the
compression. Lace from both ends to the middle pullers
rather than from top to bottom; this will help to keep the
laces from sliding and also help to keep from overlacing the
bottom of the corset relative to the top. Do not try to
force positions that the corset will not allow. Especially
harmful to the back is bending forward from the waist.
Instead, bend the knees and reach down. Keeping your body in
good shape will also help to strengthen your back. You might
want to start a regime of "crunches" (not straight leg
sit-ups) or other exercises that strengthen the muscles of
the abdomen and lower back. Eventually, you'll feel more
comfortable in your corset than out of it.
One must remember the three components of successful figure training:
Diet, exercise, and the proper selection and use of the garment. The
diet component is interpretive: Other than the fact that special
attention should be paid to the waist area muscles, any regimen which
reduces body fat is satisfactory. It is important to remember that fat
exists on the inside of your body, as well as the outside, and hinders the
proper transit and relocation of internal organs during tightlacing (It
also simply takes up space, and the goal of corset training is to reduce
mass). Six meals, rather than the customary two per day, is suggested.
Obviously, these meals should be small, and consistent with comtemporary
healthy diet recommended.
Your first corset should be purchased in a size that is four inches less
than your measured girth; that is, CLOSED. The importance of having your
corsets professionally fitted, especially for training purposes, cannot be
overemphasized. Your comfort and health, to say nothing of proper visual
impact, DEPEND upon an exact fitting. In addition, most chaffing can be
avoided by wearing a properly sized garment.
The key word in garment-size progression is "gradual". One wants to treat
oneself with love, and it takes TIME for a body to acclimate itself to the
strictures of tightlacing. These four inches should be taken in slowly,
day by day, or week by week if necessary. Once this has happened, and one
is comfortable, the next progression should be to a garment a further four
inches smaller--This may take two months or six, depending on the
trainee. The older corset should be used for night confinement: One
should almost ALWAYS be corsetted, except for toilette ac- tivities.
Never be without a corset for more than an hour. If this is impossible, a
wide training belt should be purchased--organ and lower rib displacement
is the goal and the body reacts well to consistency. However, one must
NEVER be uncomfortable, especially when sitting (in a straight-backed
chair, of course!).
You must pay special attention to your skin: The wearing of a corset will
of, course, deprive healthy skin of proper exposure to air (oxygen). This
will tend to dry it or, at times (depending on the wearer) cause
chaffing, especially if perspiration is present. Thus, it is important to
apply moisturizing oils or lotions to the skin at every possible
opportunity, followed by talc, especially if one has a tendency to
perspire excessively.
Care must also be paid in keeping the garment clean, as oil and chemicals
will tend to shorten its life. One of the more popular devices used for
such purpose is a sheath made of a material commonly referred to as
"bathing suit" cloth; these spandex-like tubes can easily be fashioned
and worn underneath the corset. Of course, you must have a clean one for
every new corsetted day! While many like the idea of pretty lingerie
underneath, be aware that corset pressure will tend to stretch and/or rip
delicate fabrics (the spandex tube, however, will shrink to accommodate
your ever-smaller stays!).
Efficient ways for donning your stays include the lacing bar, and laying
prone on the floor. Both these methods allow the waist to contract to its
smallest circumference, permitting easier application of the garment.
Also bear in mind that it is possible for you (with practice) to put on
your own corset, without assistance, after you are down to your desired
girth. However, it is recommended that you employ a SENSITIVE partner to
help you during training, as the rigor can be demanding. Remember that
only the person inside a corset truly knows, from moment-to-moment, the
effects of the lacing.
A well-made corset will be sold with an insert, generally made of the same
material as the garment itself, which will fit under the lacing, to
prevent binding of the skin as the laces are pulled closed.
So far as choice of materials for a corset, one will find that various
types fulfill various requirements. For instance, a leather corset will
mold easily to the body and breathe, while a latex or hard rubber garment
will induce perspiration, which, for some, provides an excellent way to
spur on weight loss. However, the average person will find a cotton or
coutil garment (perhaps with an overlay of brocade or silk to add spice
and sexiness) to be quite satisfactory. One should just keep in mind that
most garments, regardless of material, require a "breaking-in" period of
several wearings.
Most corsets come with cotton lacings. I recommend they be replaced with
the stronger (and less bulky) nylon version.
A well-constructed garment, especially one made for training, will have
double-stays (the sprung-metal rods sewn into the corset vertically at
regular intervals all round). In addition, a strong cloth "ribbon",
usually sewn into the interior, should circle the corset horizontally from
the lacingstay to the frontbusk (a busk being a much wider stay which
anchors the front hook-and-eye clo- sure). This feature strengthens the
corset and aids in the prevention of tearing.
Those who value posture training while preparing for a small waist might
also consider optional shoulder-straps. These will hold the shoulders
back and, thus, the head erect. Of course, a matching laced
"neck-corset" achieves the same end with more aesthetic quality.
The effect of a tightly-laced corset is further enhanced by the wearing of
high-heeled shoes, even while training. These tend to thrust the body
forward, providing a visually pleasing balance to the your picture of
loveliness.
A tiny waist is a wonder to behold - exotic artistry of the female form;
the end-result of such diligent training is highly satisfying. But the
pride of knowing that one is capable of the self-discipline to accomplish
such a feat is reward unto itself!
The following was written by Ms. Margo <margo@netcom.com> in
response to a letter from dq861@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (R. Thomas
Haden), both of whom has very kindly given me permission to
publicise it. If you find any errors or omissions in this
segment, please do post a follow-up. It will be appreciated.
The corset is a very old garment. If we use the term to
loosely describe a garment meant to constrict the waist of the
wearer, then there are examples of corsets depicted on statuettes
from Minoan Crete dating to approximately 1600 B.C. The corset as
we know it today, with its stays, busk, and laces, came into
general vogue in the mid 1700's and reached it's height of
popularity at the turn of the century and began to decline in the
1920's with the invention of camiknickers, the forerunner of the
modern teddy, and brassieres.
Post Office Box 4201
Mountain View, California 94040
U.S.A.
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Body Play
Subscriptions (4 issues/year) are $45.00 U.S. and Canada,
$55.00 overseas. Back issues are $12.00 U.S. and Canada, $14.00 overseas.
c/o Insight Books
Post Office Box 2575
Menlo Park, California 94026
U.S.A.
Sandmutopia Guardian
Subscriptions (6 issues/year) are $24.00 U.S. and Canada,
$35.00 overseas. Order back issues from:
Desmodus, Inc.
Post Office Box 410390
San Francisco, California 94141
U.S.A.
RoB, Inc.
24 Shotwell Street
San Francisco, California 94103
U.S.A.
The following was written by:
Corset training is, by its nature and intended outcome, a "labour of
love". Without commitment, all efforts will fail.
THOMAS B. LIERSE <staylace@aol.com>
Copyright © 1992 by Tes Staylace
PRESIDENT, LONG ISLAND STAYLACE ASSOCIATION
(AVOCATIONAL VICTORIAN AND EDWARDIAN CORSETRY)
Shoes with a type of toe box that is very rounded like a little girl's shoe.
They are heels which are so hign that the only part of the toe that touches the ground is the tip, much like a ballet dancer's toe shoes. The heels are usually 7" high, but with a tiny platform under the toe they can be as high as 17" (custom made). You can't really walk in these shoes, they're just for enjoyment.
A boot with a moderate height, usually reaching to somewhere between the ankle and the calf.
A form of sandels, where you have a strap between your big and your second toe.
Centimeter <=> Inch conversion: 1" = 2.54 cm.
This gives: 2" = 5.08 cm 3" = 7.62 cm 4" = 10.16 cm 5" = 12.70 cm 6" = 15.24 cm 7" = 17.78 cm 8" = 20.32 cm 9" = 22.86 cm 10" = 25.40 cm
- Louis XV:
- The typical form of a 'high heel':
( \ /\ V \ I \____>- Queeny:
- Like the Louis XV but the tip of the heel is placed more to the toe:
( \ \/\ I \_____>- Block:
- Massive heel (opposite of stiletto), usually used for platform shoes:
( \ I I\ I I \ I__I \_____>- Bell bottomed:
- Begins like a normal heel but ends wide:
( \ /\ X \ /_\ \_____>
They have no back at all. The upper ends at mid-arch, much like clogs do. Mules are usually high-heeled and often are open-toed. Maribu feathers are optional. :)
Slender straight heel. Closed, slightly pointed toe. Without straps or decorations. Vamps that don't show much toe cleavage. Sides cut fairly high. Opera pumps are usually black patent or black kidskin. Just think of your typical representaion of a fetish shoe and you've got it.jhurwit@netcom.com (Jeffrey Hurwit) writes:
Also, no straps or adornment of any kind, self (ie. one) colored, frequently jet black or at least a dark color, and (strict interpretation) the sides are of one piece with no stitching half way between heel and vamp.
margo@netcom.com (Ms. Margo) writes:
High heeled Oxfords will have a closed toe box and lace closed with a tongue that extends to the ankle.
Any shoe that has extra height added under the toes. It's a cheaters way to have very high heels. A 6" heel with a 3" platform feels the same (has the same rise) as wearing a 3" heel.
margo@netcom.com (Ms. Margo) writes:
A pump is a high-heeled shoe with a full back and toe box. There are also open-toed pumps which have the end of the toe box cut out so the toes show.
The toe box ends at instep. The heel is held in a heel cup. Along the sole from the toe box to the start of the heel cup is open space about 1 to 2 inches depends on size. Toe box and heel cup are seperate from each other. The most sexy of pumps. Usually patent leather.
More or less the inverse of spectators, although one rarely finds high-heeled saddle shoes.
They have straps for the upper. They are usually flat heels, but can be high-heeled as well. Some people refer to any shoe with ankle straps as a sandel.
Like mules but mostly made of wood, - a sort of high heeled clog.
A kind of mules, but with closed toe box.
US shoe sizes are roughly two full sizes more than those in the UK (for example, I take a size 4 1/2 in the UK therefore making me a size 6 1/2 in the US). Oh..and incidentally....I've found that the Canadians follow the same sizing pattern as in the States.Also note that high heeled shoes tend to feel smaller than flats. If you've never worn high heels before and know your size from flats, you should probably add a half (minimum) to your size in high heels. This is not always the case, but often. Just keep it in mind when mail ordering. Shopping in person the first time might be a pretty good idea.However, it should also be noted, that this "two sizes more" rule is general -- as we all know, sizes vary slightly from manufacturer to manufacturer.
See also Ms. Margo's "Corset 101" article.
French designer, considered to be the "bad boy"
of Paris fashion. He's best known for designing
Madonna's "bullet-cone" corsets for her videos
and Blonde Ambition tour, and for designing
similar clothes for the movie "The Cook, the
Theif, his Wife, and her Lover".
English designer who created the PVC and rubber
"punk" look at her shop, Sex, in the 1970's,
and one of the first women to use lingerie as
outerwear.
I dont know much about her work but ive read in
some English magazines that some of her clothing
is PVC.
A Los Angeles label that (if its still in business)
does lots of lycra-spandex wear, usually
with lacing and/or little daggers on it. I've
not seen much of the mens wear, but the womens
is moslty leggings and minidresses.
She used to work closely with Peter W. Czernich, publisher of "Skin Two, Deutsche Ausgabe" then <<O>>, as photographer but now works with several others. Her pictures has been in Playboy, Bild and in particular in early issues of <<O>>.
She released a techno-dance maxi-single entitled "The Fetish" in 1991. The video for this song have been shown on MTV and in it she shows a wide selection of her PVC and latex wardrobe...
About this maxi-single, Ido Amin writes:
Quality? Not rec.music.materpieces stuff, being
two years old, and not up to current MTV or
dance standards. I kinda like it anyway.
The label is BOO RECORDS. I have "The Fetish" on
BOO 00512 (12") and on its cover it mentions
it's also available on BOO 00507 (7"), BOO
00515 (12"PD), BOO 00505 (5"CD). On the cover
it also says GEMA LC 6559. Distributor is Discovery,
Pf 1255, 4044 Kaarst., Germany, which
is also A.K.'s fanclub.
Has now begun a career as a fetish fashion designer with a shop
appropriately named 'Anette K. Fashion' in
Dusseldorf, Germany.
They are an organization for BDSM and fetish oriented
people in Denmark. They provide counselling, club facilities in
four major danish cities (Copenhagen, Aalborg, Aarhus and
Odense) which are open 1-3 days a week, parties (both theme-oriented
and more regular social gatherings) and both an internal newspaper
and an external magazine (called SMil-bladet).
(myself, with additional information by Heikko Levanto)
AXIS provides a newsletter 10 times a year of around 30 -
40 pages which contains advice, reviews, stories and anonymous
personals. Subscription is 45 pounds sterling for a year.
The stated aims of the society are "To assist our members
to fulfill their dreams and fantasies through contact with
others or merey by reading about the subject dealt with by other
enthusiastic members."
Further information about AXIS can gained by sending a SAE
to the above address.
590 Valley Rd
Has regular fetish/bdsm/debauchery nights, Sundays, 9pm - 2am.
Bill Lemieux <blemieux@nyx.cs.du.edu> writes:
The above information was cribbed from Skin Two, issue 13.
Ms. Yumi organizes fetish fashion parties throughout the year. You can
reach her at her shop:
They promote the "leather lifestyle", which includes DFP
and some BDSM. It is the only sort of U.S. Nationwide advocacy
group, so it is important for people in the US to know about it.
Jeffrey Hurwit <jhurwit@netcom.com> writes:
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
They publish a periodic newsletter (I don't know how frequently)
called FIRST LINK. As of the date of this brochure, which is
dated November 1990, their mailing address is:
P.O. Box 17463
Annual membership dues are $25.00 US, or $30.00 US outside of
North America.
Seattle, Washington, 98107
USA.
Tel: (206) 789-8990.
Sorgenfrigade 8b, 2.
DK-2200 Copenhagen N.
Denmark
Phone: (+45) 3181 0550
AXIS,
P.O. Box 27,
Stalybridge,
Cheshire SK15 2ED
This is a small spanish language magazine, made by interested
contributors, which is sold and distributed only on an individual
subscription basis and has no profit interests, its main aim being to
serve as a discussion forum and information interchange between Spanish
alternative sex amateurs. The magazine is:
ESENCIA S/M
Ediciones PLG
Apartado 7.053
28080 Madrid (Spain)
(usually the last weekend in Oct.)
Dressing For Pleasure
ixion@mindvox.phantom.com (leonard) writes:
Constance Enterprises
Box 43079
Upper Montclair, NJ 07043
Phone: 201-746-0072
Boutique:
Upper Montclair, NJ 07043
Phone: 201-746-5466
Los Angeles, CA
(213) 463-7868
Los Angeles, CA
Has pervery and fetishism on a regular basis. Info from James
Stone at: (213) 463-7868.
Ms. Yumi or her husband Jean-Marie at Azzlo (fetish fashion store).
21 Sakamanchi,
They are open from noon till 10 every day.
Shinjuku-ku,
Tokyo 160.
Japan
Tel: 03-3356-9267
Some TV-series and movies have characters wearing various fetish-related items as well, both in the regular cast and on the special guest stars. Music videos often have some form of fetish wear included in the visual attraction, in particular the bands from the techno scene use fetish fashion very often in their videos and stage shows.
Published by the Penguin Group, Viking Penguin which
is a division of Penguin Books USA Inc. New York: 375
Hudson Street, New York 10014, U.S.A.
London: Penguin Books Ltd, 27 Wrights Lane, London W8
5TZ, England.
besten@faculty.chem.ruu.nl (Remco den Besten) writes:
In Europe published by:
Vermillion (imprint of Ebury Press)
Random House UK Ltd.
20 Vauxhall Bridge Road
London SW1V2SA
ISBN: 0-09-177387-3
The german publisher is HEINE Verlag.
Some of these entries were taken from the alt.sex.fetish.feet FAQ, written by Mark Amann.
During the whole movie Jamie Lee Curtis
is wearing knee-high patent-leather boots with
4" heels. Contains one scene with her 'brother'
breathing in and blowing up her boots before
making love to her.
On the dance cd-single, "Heavenly Melancholy"
she's lying on what looks like a latex
sheet, dressed in a full-length latex catsuit,
with gloves and heels. "Lullabies for a Troubled
World" she sports what looks like a PVC
jacket and thigh-high boots.
"Free Your Mind". Music video where the
four girls of En Vogue appear in nice black
shiny high heeled boots. Two of them have thigh
high boots, one has about knee high boots and
one has ankle "high" shoes. They wear also
spandex suspenders, miniskirts, and stretch
pants.