Archive-name: alt-sex/fetish-fashion/part1
Alt-sex-fetish-fashion-archive-name: FAQ-Part1
Version: 2.0
Last-modified: 07-Jul-94
Lines-excluding-headers: 1437

              F R E Q U E N T L Y   A S K E D   Q U E S T I O N S
                            (and other information)

                                      for

                        ((( alt.sex.fetish.fashion )))


                   Posted bi-weekly (on the 8th and 22nd) in
             alt.sex.fetish.fashion, alt.answers and news.answers
                   - or when significant updates require it.



                          Created and maintained by:

                       Per Goetterup <pg@login.dknet.dk>


                         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.


                             ====================

   The latest version of this FAQ is (along with countless others) available
       by anonymous ftp from rtfm.mit.edu [18.181.0.24] in the directory
    /pub/usenet/news.answers/alt-sex/fetish-fashion - where the parts will
     simply be titled part1, part2, part3 and so on - or in the directory
   /pub/usenet/alt.sex.fetish.fashion, where the three parts will be titled:
                     FAQ-Part1, FAQ-Part2, ... FAQ-Part5.

   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.

       Alternatively you can request it by E-mail from me by sending me
(pg@login.dknet.dk) an E-mail message with a subject containing the words
  'faq-request' (the message body will be ignored). An automatic reply demon
     will then send you the complete FAQ in return to the sender address.
   Use a 'Reply-To' header if you want the FAQ sent to another address than
     the one the request was sent from, as this takes precedence over the
     'From' header (RFC-822). Please do not include messages to me in the
    message body of your request as I'll never see the contents of messages
                         processed by the reply demon.

      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".

                             ====================

        Dedicated to the late Thorkild Borup of Avantgarde (She-An-Me),
          Copenhagen, who made me aware of the fetish fashion world.
                                    R.I.P.

                             ====================

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

     Editorial, Copyright and Disclaimer.

<< Part 1/5 >>

     1. General.
           1.1  FAQ Revision History.
           1.2  Legend.
           1.3  What is this newsgroup all about?
           1.4  Netiquette on alt.sex.fetish.fashion.
           1.5  Credits.
           1.6  Other related newsgroups.
           1.7  About the FAQ maintainer.

     2. Frequently Asked Questions and other information
           2.1  Questions and answers.
           2.2  Jessica - Wearing high heels for an extended period of time.

<< Part 2/5 >>

     3. Vocabulary.
           3.1  UseNet jargon.
           3.2  High heels.
           3.3  Outfits.
           3.4  Bondage fashions.
           3.5  The materials.

     4. The people behind the fashions.
           4.1  The designers.
           4.2  The models.
           4.3  The photographers.
           4.4  Advocacy groups.
           4.5  Fetish Ball organizers.

     5. Fetish fashion in literature, comics, on movies and TV.
           5.1  About fetish fashion.
           5.2  Containing or using fetish fashion.
           5.3  Fetish videos or films.

     6. Guides.
           6.1  Product Guide.
           6.2  Magazine Guide.
           6.3  Shop guide - Reviews

<< Part 3/5 >>

     7. The big shop list.
           7.1  England

<< Part 4/5 >>

           7.2  Europe and the Far East

<< Part 5/5 >>

           7.3  North America

                             ====================

EDITORIAL.

           This document was originally written by Per Goetterup, but has
     been expanded again and again with the interesting stuff surfacing in
     the newsgroup - and stuff mailed to me directly - all edited and still
     maintained by Per Goetterup.
           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 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 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.


COPYRIGHT!

             This FAQ is Copyright (C) 1993, 1994 by Per Goetterup
            and the members of the UseNet fetish fashion community
                      for their individual contributions.
                             All rights reserved.

           Permission to use, copy and distribute this FAQ, or parts thereof,
     by any means and for any purpose EXCEPT PROFIT PURPOSES is hereby gran-
     ted, PROVIDED that *both* the above Copyright notice and this permission
     notice appear in all copies of the FAQ itself, that the parts used are
     totally unaltered contents-wise and that information as to how to obtain
     the newest and most current release of this document is included, in
     particular when dealing with a published media inheritly outdated at
     time of release, like a printed publication or CD-ROMs.
           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 elec-
     tronic or other means, implies full agreement and consent to the above
     non-profit-use clause, unless upon explicit prior written (non-electron-
     ic) permission of the author. It also implies full consent to the above
     one-free-copy-clause with no exceptions.


DISCLAIMER!

           This FAQ is provided by the author ``as is'', and any express or
     implied warranties, including, but not limited to, the implied warran-
     ties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose are dis-
     claimed.
           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 objec-
     tive as possible.
           I do not mind accepting favours *without* strings attached... ;-)

                             ====================


                        << Part 1/5 - Introduction >>

1. GENERAL

1.1  Changes - FAQ Revision History.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
     Version 2.0
     ===========
     May 21, 1994:           Added lots of shoe types in the vocabulary
                             section. Added a few new entries to the list of
                             people seen wearing fetish fashion. Updated the
                             shop list (removed a few entries for shops gone
                             out of business).
     June 7th, 1994:         Added more high heel types, more magazines and
                             lots of new shops to the list. Also added a few
                             Q&A's on technical matters. Fixed another bug
                             in the list database program that caused two
                             shops ('Discreete Boutique' & 'UZI') to be
                             missing. Thanks Bill, for noticing!
     June 21st, 1994:        A few updates and corrections here and there -
                             Removed entry for Gwendoline as this shop is
                             reported not to exist anymore. Added entries
                             for Jaybird, Hair Club and Moda Mode in Bruxel-
                             les, and Playmates and Trashy Lingerie in Los
                             Angeles.
     July 7th, 1994:         A few updates here and there.

     Version 1.9
     ===========
     April 17, 1994:         Reorganized revision history order, putting
                             last entries first. Rewrote copyright and edi-
                             torial sections. Added blurb on the FAQ request
                             reply demon.
     April 21, 1994:         Minor updates. Added Q&A on how to repeair
                             rubber/latex. Updated the list entry for Mr. S
                             Leather Co.
     May 5, 1994:            Fixed header to reflect that the FAQ now is in
                             5 parts, not three... Also added blurb on how
                             to access this FAQ via WWW.
     May 7, 1994:            Added addresses for Fem-Fashions, Marquis De
                             Sade Emporium and Just For Kicks. Removed ad-
                             dress for Little Shop of Horrors. Added Q&A on
                             how to make high heels fit better and how to
                             learn to walk in high heels. Expanded Q&A on
                             the definition of fetish and fetishism.

     Version 1.8
     ===========
     March 11, 1994:         Reorganized section 1, putting the revisions
                             first and renumbered the subsection according-
                             ly. Added Q&A on how what to do if your site
                             doesn't carry a.s.f.fashion.
     March 20, 1994:         Added a few new addresses to the list.
     March 22, 1994:         Added subsection with shop reviews.
     April 7, 1994:          Added a few new addresses surfacing in the
                             group. Removed the entries for Pagan Metal,
                             Jensen & Morrow and Loco which sadly has gone
                             out of business. Updated the address for Bou-
                             tique Fancy in Basel which has been relocated.

     Version 1.7
     ===========
     February 26, 1994:      Wrote database program (LstMaint) and converted
                             the big list to entries in this database. The
                             big list generated from this has been split
                             into three parts due to size considerations -
                             The list got too big for some news servers.
                             This increased the number of FAQ parts to 5.
     March 6, 1994:          Updated most of the german entries and added a
                             few more (thanks 'tapir'!)

     Version 1.6
     ===========
     February 13, 1994:      Moved section 6 from part 3 to part 2 in an
                             attempt to reduce the size of part 3, which now
                             only contains the big list. Added two new Q&As,
                             corrected the address for Syren (thanks Jeff!),
                             and similar for The Pleasure Chest, Innovations
                             in Leather and removed the entry for Fetters
                             Inc., which has combined with Mr. S in San
                             Francisco and closed their Tampa, FL location
                             (thanks Ms. Margo!). Added about a dozen new
                             entries to the fetish person & movie list, all
                             taken from the alt.sex.fetish.feet FAQ. Now
                             just one list here as well.
     February 20, 1994:      Added 30 new list entries from a list posted on
                             several newsgroups. Added entries for Zaks De-
                             signs and Noelle Nielsons Software, bringing
                             the list up to 366 entries. Corrected the phone
                             number for Northbound Leather in Canada (thanks
                             Zen Faulkes!). Added another book about fetish
                             fashion (thanks Evelyne!).
     Version 1.5
     ===========
     January 11, 1994:       Added updates about r.a.b and updated Jeffs
                             address. Added section 1.6 (other related news-
                             groups). Added two more Q&A's. Reworked the way
                             the FAQ is posted, rewriting all scripts and
                             batch files. Updated the magazine section (new
                             issue of <<O>> acquired).
     January 16, 1994:       Major list re-organization and expansion! - Now
                             just one single list almost twice the size of
                             the previous one. Increased total number of
                             entries from 102 to 190 (86.3%!), removing 72
                             double-entries in the process (from 262 to
                             190). Rewrote initial blurb, added disclaimer
                             and moved the copyright section.
     January 18, 1994:       Expanded the Picture Policy section, rewriting
                             parts of this, further clarifying the reasons
                             behind it. Added a section with a little info
                             about myself.
     January 21, 1994:       Added editorial and changed the wording of the
                             copyright and the disclaimer following a debate
                             in the FAQ-maintainers mailing list. Added one
                             more entry to the big list. Moved the vocabu-
                             lary from part 1 to part 2.
     January 22, 1994:       Last minute major update. List expanded with no
                             less than 113 new entries (59.2%) - now con-
                             tains 304 addresses, 198% more than in the
                             previous release. Credits section updated.
     February 8, 1994:       Added list entries for Domination Mailorder
                             Service and Il Bolero, and removed entry for
                             High Heels, Munich, which sadly has gone out of
                             business. Changed address for Jeffrey Hurwit
                             and added some names to the credits list. Added
                             21 new entries (7% increase) to the big list
                             from a list by Jennifer Wells, bringing the
                             total up to 335 entries.

     Version 1.4
     ===========
     December 27, 1993:      Added blurb on how to obtain this document by
                             ftp or mail-server.
     January 4, 1994:        Added various updates to the list of fetish
                             appearances in movies and videos. Added Q&A
                             about rubber glue and advice on how to make
                             ones girlfriend wear high heels.
     January 6, 1994:        Added new entries to the list, for Pentonville
                             Rubber, Paradis, SubWave Design, LL&SS and RVG-
                             Import Oy. Added the Fetish Ball organizers
                             subsection with the address for Dressing For
                             Pleasure (Constance Ent.) and Ms. Yumi at
                             Azzlo, Japan. Additions and enhancements to the
                             magazine subsection.
     January 7, 1994:        Fixed some spelling errors, updated the address
                             for Ms. Margo and other minor corrections
                             throughout the FAQ.

     Version 1.3
     ===========
     December 21, 1993:      Copyright notice added. Minor corrections
                             throughout the document.
     December 22, 1993:      More corrections. The policy on posting pic-
                             tures was clarified a great deal.

     Version 1.2
     ===========
     November 15, 1993:      Reformatting of the three parts. Now treated
                             with an automatic script for easier updating.
     December 3, 1993:       Jessica's story added. The supplier list updat-
                             ed. This document was finally approved for
                             posting to news.answers and alt.answers.

     Version 1.1
     ===========
     November 1, 1993:       Vocabulary section added. Advocacy group sub-
                             section added. Split into three parts due to
                             size considerations. Answers to the how-to-put-
                             on-my-latex-suit question added. Posting fre-
                             quency changed. David's supplier list updated.

     Version 1.0
     ===========
     October 28, 1993:       First release.


1.2  Legend.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
           This newsgroup was created by me on October 27, 1993, following
     my proposal early in September of a fetish newsgroup, originally named
     alt.sex.fetish.fashion, and later discussion in alt.config where I got
     nothing but support for the idea (and lots of it).
           Following a stray suggestion, I first created the group with the
     name alt.sex.fetish.dfp, 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 at my private PC
     using WordPerfect 5.1, my own database program entitled LstMaint for
     the big supplier list and a couple of my own batch-scripts to automate
     the end preparation of the 5 parts for transfer to a Unix-based system
     and proper posting, which is primarily automatic as well.


1.3  What is this newsgroup all about?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
           First of all: To spread the knowledge about fetish fashion and
     dressing for pleasure; what it is, why we wear it, where to get it and
     so on. To show that we're not perverts, weirdos, psychopaths or worse,
     but only regular people with a special taste in clothing and/or
     footwear - people, that are dressing for pleasure. And finally: To
     create a forum where we can meet and talk about our common interest
     more or less in private.

           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, skin-
     tight 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:

        -  The materials: Leather, PVC, Spandex and rubber.
        -  The sexy footwear to match the clothing: High heels - shoes and
           boots.
        -  The fashion designs using the above mentioned materials and the
           designers.
        -  The art of depicting these fashions, the models, the photogra-
           phers and the publications.
        -  Bodypainting (by request, not welcome in rec.arts.bodyart (see
           below)).
        -  Stories relating to some or all of the above; your own (!)
           experiences or fiction. Do share your experiences and fantasies
           with us!
        -  Pictures (GIF, JPEG etc.) relating to the topics for this group.
        -  Literature, comics, music, movies and TV with a fetish fashion
           element.

           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 mon-
     strous proportions and I've decided not to include anything relating
     to bodypainting in this FAQ, other than these words.

           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.

                  From: Lani Teshima-Miller <teshima@uhunix.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu>
                                (Maintainer of the FAQ for rec.arts.bodyart)


1.4  Netiquette on alt.sex.fetish.fashion.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
           Here's a few words on how to behave on alt.sex.fetish.fashion.

           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.
           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 og best of all: alt.personals.fetish!

           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 particu-
     lar 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 (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 informa-
     tion about these. You might try contacting someone using a pseudonym
     from one of these to get more information.

     The Picture Policy
     ==================
           Posting of *relevant* pictures to alt.sex.fetish.fashion is
     welcome - In moderate doses. Don't flood the group! - Use of
     alt.binaries.pictures.erotica is most recommended but many sites don't
     get that newsgroup or allow access to it for various reasons (due to
     plain censorship, the size of the traffic or to avoid problems with
     copyright issues), so posting of relevant pictures is okay here as
     well, as the only remaining forum for them.
           BUT! - And this is important - Please try to avoid breaking any
     copyrights when posting pictures. Let me explain why I emphasize this.
           In the past months a heated debate has been ongoing in
     news.admin.policy and several other newsgroups about the blatant
     copyright violations in the picture-newsgroups in general and in
     alt.binaries.pictures.supermodels and .erotica in particular. I felt
     it was clear that magazines vigorously enforcing their copyright were
     bound to hit on the Internet in the near future (as they have on
     'regular' BBS'), and knowing some of the fetish magazines attitude
     towards their copyright, it was pretty obvious that they would be
     among the first in line to sue.
           Clearly they had no way of shutting the entire Internet down,
     but they could hit sites carrying the newsgroups in question (for
     storing the copyright violations) and this might cause nervousness and
     make sites drop any and all newsgroups that involved these copyright
     violations. Now, if we allowed copyright violations to occur in
     alt.sex.fetish.fashion then we'd be asking for trouble, and giving
     sysadms another perhaps more legitimate reason for not carrying our
     newsgroup (other than the usual plain censorship).
           Don't forget: *YOU* own the copyright on any pictures you take
     of yourself or your partner/friends so you can post those without
     creating any copyright violations. Remember to get permission to use
     them from *all* the participants, especially if they contain anything
     sexually explicit. It is common decency and even required by law in
     some parts of the world.
           Any other pictures is up to *you* to verify the rights are given
     free. Pictures from Skin Two and <<O>> are most certainly *not* public
     domain and you need to obtain an explicit written permission from the
     publisher (address can be found in part 3 of this document) to post
     any of these. I doubt this will be given but you have to try to get
     one.
           For your information, most of the NMXBO-series (100 pictures)
     was scanned from various issues of <<O>> and Skin Two *without*
     permission (but they are nevertheless very nice to look at!). Don't
     post any of these, please.
           As a general rule, if *you* didn't make the picture and you
     don't know the person who did, it's most likely scanned from some
     magazine and they're *all* protected by copyright. So don't post it! -
     Don't get us closed down because of copyright violations! - Please!


1.5  Credits.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
           These are the net.people who have contributed in some way to
     this document or the creation of this fetish fashion group (listed in
     order of first contribution, but you were all equally important!),
     making sure it expands and lives. Thanks, all of you!

     - David <David@world.std.com>
     - Mathew <mathew@mantis.co.uk>
     - Joseph Spenner <Jems@cybernet.cse.fau.edu>
     - Jessica Collins [address withheld by request]
     - Rich Greenberg <richgr@netcom.com>
     - Mr Hogtie <hogtie@hedonism.com>
     - Cecilia M. Tan <ctan@world.std.com>
     - Jeffrey Hurwit <jhurwit@netcom.com>
     - Tony Kidson <Tony@morgan.demon.co.uk>
     - Ms. Margo <margo@netcom.com>
     - Tomi Tero Haarala <haarala@tukki.jyu.fi>
     - Jonathan David Block <jdblock@ic.sunysb.edu>
     - Leonard <ixion@mindvox.phantom.com>
     - Rachel Marriott <kbw@po.cwru.edu>
     - Lani Teshima-Miller <teshima@uhunix.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu>
     - Bill Lemieux <blemieux@nyx.cs.du.edu>
     - Shawn Conahan <sconahan@ccantores.wcupa.edu>
     - Kris Davidson <halen@nevada.edu>
     - Roger Neumann <roger@sondbar.gold.muc.de>
     - Tina H. <terjeh@ifi.uio.no>
     - Peter Knudsen <100031.2174@CompuServe.COM>
     - Clive Jones <clive@nsict.org>
     - Mike Sforza <msforza@sobeco.com>
     - Jennifer Wells <72467.3063@compuserve.com>
     - Mark Amann <mamann@Nimitz.mcs.kent.edu>
     - Dave <david@c-cat.UUCP>
     - The Road Warrior <the.road.warrior@n9csa.com>
     - Zen Faulkes <ZENF@UVVM.UVic.CA>
     - Evelyne Pichler <pichler@edvvie.edvg.co.at>
     - 'Tapir'
     - an70925@anon.penet.fi (twist id)
     - R L Reid <ro@panix.com>
     - Leo 'Bols Ewhac' Schwab <ewhac@shell.portal.com>
     - Allison Thurman <athurman@phoenix.cs.uga.edu>
     - Nikola Uzunovic <niksoft@diku.dk>
     - Ido Amin (3rd World Fox) <iddos@math.tau.ac.il>
     - Hunter L. Brown <ez028081@bambam.ucdavis.edu>
     - 'Giulio'
     - Thomas Dale Elrod <dale@dungeon.com>
     - Michael Young Ko <vincie@cs.jhu.edu>
     - WWays <wways@aol.com>
     - Strangeblades <sblades@aol.com>
     - Rubber Lover <an68270@anon.penet.fi>
     - Dale <benedict@radical.rtp.dg.com>
     - Remco den Besten <besten@faculty.chem.ruu.nl>
     - Noire <shariann@access.digex.net>
     - Cheryl Ann Trooskin <sev@uclink2.berkeley.edu>
     - Kim Fatica <at103@cleveland.Freenet.Edu>
     - Hayo Schreijer <P.H.Schreijer@pobox.ruu.nl>
     - Heikki A. Levanto <heikki@lsd.ping.dk>
     - Ms. Lisbetta <lisbetta@fantr.com>
     - Dale Kassel <spelvin@netcom.com>
     - 'Momo'
     - David Franco <David.Franco@leotech.mv.com>
     - Ron C Carman <rccarm00@mik.uky.edu>
     - 'The Horseman' <an7053@anon.penet.fi>
     - 'Ralf'
     - Cedric Mialaret <cmialaret@cix.compulink.co.uk>
     - Marsha Jamie Lee <anon2926@nyx.cs.du.edu>
     - Arnold Kasemsarn <ak1@merle.acns.nwu.edu>
     - 'David'
     - 'Inflate123' <Inflate123@aol.com>
     - 'Pamela' <an74482@anon.penet.fi>
     - 'RP'
     - Charles R. MacDonald <ul401@freenet.victoria.bc.ca>
     - IAM <iam@hp01.boku.ac.at>
     - <DAVEKUHN@delphi.com>
     - The Weatherman <an95460@anon.penet.fi>
     - Bob Holt <bobh@fashion.win.net>

           I would also like to thank the people at DKnet for making it
     possible for me to maintain and post this document using their sys-
     tems. 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 footwear), Hohne, Oskar, Mia, Klaus and
     to all true MAGNAs!


1.6  Other related newsgroups.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
           These other newsgroups cater to subjects and areas related in
     some way to the world of fetish fashion:

     alt.fashion             General fashion newsgroup?
     alt.lycra               For those into the fabric lycra (spandex).
     alt.pantyhose           For those into pantyhose.
     alt.personals.bondage   BD contact newsgroup.
     alt.personals.fetish    Fetish contact newsgroup
     alt.personals.misc      Mixed area contact newsgroup.
     alt.personals.spanking  SM contact newsgroup (discontinued?).
     alt.sex.bondage         General BDSM group.
     alt.sex.fetish.diapers  For those into baby wear and infantilism.
     alt.sex.fetish.feet     Foot lovers, tickling etc.
     alt.society.underwear   General underwear discussions?
     alt.clothing.lingerie   Lingerie connoisseurs...
     alt.transgendered       For transvestites and cross-dressers.
     rec.arts.bodyart        Piercing and tattoos.

     Please use the proper newsgroup for your posting!


1.7  About the FAQ maintainer.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
           Besides being the original author and maintainer of this FAQ, I
     was also the proposer (and defender) of the idea of a fetish UseNet
     newsgroup - and subsequently the creator.
           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 5-6 years ago and began to attend fetish and BDSM
     oriented gatherings.
           I'm male, 27 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!

     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!:

     talk:       Sorry, usually too busy.
     E-mail:     Absolutely preferred. Just reply to this article (the FAQ)
                 and I'll get your letter.
     IRC:        You might look out for me on IRC (Internet Relay Chat)
                 where I usually use the nickname 'Xenobyte'. I'm not there
                 every day but arrangements can be made...

     Snailmail:  Per Goetterup
                 Kornvaenget 22, 1.th.
                 DK-2750 Ballerup
                 Denmark

     Phones:     (+45) 4497 1144
                 (+45) 4059 2969 (GSM, 24h)

     Internet BBS'es:  Xenobyte @ Shadow BBS (shadow.acc.iit.edu)
                       Xenobyte @ Auggie BBS (bbs.augsburg.edu)
                       Xenobyte @ ISCA BBS (bbs.isca.uiowa.edu)

     Other accounts:   ballerup@diku.dk
                       Per@cybernet.cse.fau.edu (Cybernet BBS)
                       pgoetter@nyx.cs.du.edu

                       NB:   To be used *only* if mail to the primary ad-
                             dress fails!

     Fidonet:          2:231/91.10
                       Per.Goetterup@p10.f91.n231.z2.fidonet.org

     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!

     Warning: Anything sent by snailmail to me unsolicited or without
     proper return postage should not be expected returned!

                            ====================

2. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS AND OTHER INFORMATION.

           These are the questions I've seen asked often on both this and
     other newsgroups, or those I've asked myself when I first got into
     this wonderful world. I've compiled the answers from all over, and put
     it all together - this is the result.

2.1  Questions and answers
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
     Q:    What is a fetish and what is fetishism?

           A:    According to Websters Unabridged Encyclopedic Dictionary,
                 (1989 edition)... (ain't dictionaries wonderful?)

                 Fet-ish:
                       1.    An object regarded with awe as being the em-
                             bodiment or habitation of a potent spirit or as
                             having magical potency.
                       2.    Any object, idea etc., eliciting unquestioning
                             reverence, respect, or devotion.
                       3.    (Psychology). Any object, part of the body
                             etc., that, although not of a sexual nature,
                             causes an erotic response or fixation.

                       Also spelled 'fetich'.

                 Fet-ish-ism:
                       1.    Belief in, or use of fetiches.
                       2.    (Psychiatry). The compulsive use of some object
                             or part of the body as a stimulus in the course
                             of attaining sexual gratification.
                       3.    Blind devotion.

                       Also spelled 'fetichism'.

                 For our use it is clearly the definitions 2 and 3 (for
                 'fetish') and 2 plus perhaps 3 (for 'fetishism') that is
                 relevant, the object being some form of clothing, outfit
                 or footwear.

     Q:    Who are wearing fetish fashion?

           A:    All kinds of people! - There's secretaries, editors, pres-
                 idents, housewives, students, workmen, politicians, models
                 and even unemployed among those known to enjoy the fash-
                 ions. Perhaps you're next?

     Q:    When do people wear their fetish fashions?

           A:    Often to fetish parties or while engaging in a scene at
                 home. Some wears something along with regular clothing on
                 a daily basis, just to 'stay in touch' with their fetish.

     Q:    My site doesn't carry alt.sex.fetish.fashion - How can I partic-
           ipate in the discussions?

           A:    You need to find a site that carries this newsgroup, as
                 there's currently no way to get the stuff posted here
                 without being able to read the newsgroup itself. The traf-
                 fic is not being archived anywhere and there's no mailing
                 list link. You might try getting a guest account somewhere
                 that do carry this newsgroup, but this naturally requires
                 that you're able to telnet out onto the Internet. I know
                 of the following sites that offer free guest accounts and
                 carry our newsgroup:

                       cybernet.cse.fau.edu    (login: bbs / Username: New /
                                               Password: New)
                       nyx.cs.du.edu           (login: guest / Password:
                                               guest)

                 If anyone know of more sites that offer this, or changes
                 in the policies of the above mentioned, let me know!

                 If you do not know what telnet is, or how to do it, con-
                 sult your local Unix guru or the appropriate FAQ, avail-
                 able on rtfm.mit.edu and in news.answers.

     Q:    Is this document available on WWW as a true html-document?

           A:    No, not yet. But I've been given permission in principle
                 to make it available on a server at DKnet - as soon as a
                 proper server is set up. I will announce when it is ready
                 for initial testing.

     Q:    What is the WWW?

           A:    The World-Wide Web, a hypertext-based multimedia informa-
                 tion system. Please consult comp.infosystems.www or the
                 FAQ for this newsgroup for any other or additional infor-
                 mation.

     Q:    Are there any sites on the WWW that carry fetish fashion orient-
           ed pictures?

           A:    Not directly, but there is a section with fetish pictures
                 at the BDSM WWW-site, whose home page has URL:

                 http://elbow.cs.brown.edu:8100/dcr/bdsm/bdsm.html

     Q:    Is it true that high heels damage the foot?

           A:    No, not when we're talking quality footwear and healthy
                 feet. All footwear may cause damage to the feet if too
                 small or too badly designed. High heels are no exception,
                 but studies even show that it actually may be healthy
                 (better) to wear heels in the range 2"-3" than to wear
                 flats!

                 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.

                  From: Lani Teshima-Miller <teshima@uhunix.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu>

     Q:    Why do some women (and men) enjoy (or even prefer) to wear high
           heels?

           A:    Ask them! - No, seriously, it may be that they both find
                 them comfortable and enjoy what they're doing to the pos-
                 ture. There can be no doubt that high heels enhance both
                 the legs and the overall posture and this makes the ap-
                 pearance much more sexy. And sex is power...

     Q:    Do some women really find high heels to be comfortable?

           A:    Yes! - Most prefer more ordinary heel heights like 3", but
                 some find higher heels even more preferable, and some even
                 find 5" heels to be comfortable!  Some even wear 6" heels
                 on a regular basis, although those are more often to be
                 found in connection with a scene - worn in the bedroom.
                 Even 7" heels exist, but these are rarely seen.

     Q:    Can excessive wearing of high heels in any way be damaging?

           A:    Yes, but in no way permanent. Non-stop wear can cause a
                 shortening of the tendons in the back of the legs, causing
                 pain when wearing heels lower than usual. Ignoring this
                 pain *can* damage the tendon permanently, but the condi-
                 tion can be cured by wearing slightly lower and lower
                 heels for an extended period. Some of the people suffering
                 from this problem chose to handle it by wearing high heels
                 all the time, and the story of one of these, Jessica, a 24
                 year old woman, can be found in the next sunsection in
                 this part of the FAQ.

                 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...

     Q:    Is there anything important to know when starting to wear high
           heels?

           A:    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!

                  From: Lani Teshima-Miller <teshima@uhunix.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu>

     Q:    How do I get my girlfriend to wear high heels (or boots or
           clogs) more often, particularly in the bedroom?

           A:    Ms. Margo writes:

                 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 easi-
                 er 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!

                 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 re-
                 quests. 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.

     Q:    My brand new patent leather high heels seem too tight in the
           toes and too wide in the heel - What do I do?

           A:    Jeffrey Hurwit writes:

                 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.

     Q:    I've comfortably worn shoes that were this tight in the toes,
           but never such high heels. Does that make a difference?

           A:    Jeffrey Hurwit writes: 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.

     Q:    Do you have any tips on learning how to walk in high heels?

           A:    Jeffrey Hurwit writes:

                 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.

                 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.

     Q:    What is PVC?

           A:    PVC is an acronym for PolyVinylChloride, a form of plas-
                 tic. It is in many ways similar to rubber (latex) but is
                 less stretchy and is usually sown together instead of
                 being glued or molded. It comes in many colors, including
                 transparant, but red and black are the most common.

     Q:    Isn't tight clothing uncomfortable?

           A:    Nope. Correctly designed it's both supportive and shape-
                 enhancing and doesn't need to be any more restrictive or
                 uncomfortable than whatever you'd consider 'normal' cloth-
                 ing. Naturally it *can* be uncomfortable but then it's
                 worn particularly for the uncomfortability or to achieve
                 some special effects like a small waist or to show off the
                 legs or the butt particularly well.

     Q:    Is it true that wearing rubber can cause the skin to rot?

           A:    Yes and no. If you let the skin breathe now and then, and
                 keep a good hygiene, there should be no problems whatsoev-
                 er.

     Q:    Is corsets dangerous to wear?

           A:    No more than a scarf or a tie - if it's too tight it may
                 cause serious damage, but when worn correctly, it's just
                 like any other garment.

     Q:    Do people still wear corsets today?

           A:    Sure! - A lot fewer than in the Victorian Age, but there's
                 still thousands all over the world that wouldn't be caught
                 dead without the corset laced on, and I'm not talking
                 about fat, old ladies that needs to keep the fat under
                 control!

     Q:    How and with what do I polish leather?

           A:    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.

                                          From: margo@netcom.com (Ms. Margo)

     Q:    What material was CatWomans outfit in the Batman II movie made
           of, who designed it and can I get one too?

           A:    It was designed by Paul Barrett-Brown of The Rubber Mask
                 and Costume Company... although Andy Wilkes of Syren _man-
                 ufactured_ all the suits used for filming. You can contact
                 Syren (address in part 5) for details on how to get your
                 own CatWomans outfit. The material used was latex rubber,
                 polished to a shine.

     Q:    Did Michelle Pfeiffer really wear high heeled boots in the
           Batman II movie, or was it a trick?

           A:    No, it wasn't a trick. She did wear boots with no less
                 than 5" stiletto heels for *all* her shots, but the stunt-
                 woman doing the stunts for her wore considerably lower
                 heels. Michelle handled herself very well indeed on those
                 high heels, running, spinning and performing martial arts
                 movements flawlessly - to the amazement of most of the
                 crew. Way to go, Michelle!

                                   Source:     Michael Singer
                                               "Batman Returns: The official
                                               movie book", page 28.
                                               ISBN 0-553-37030-8

     Q:    How do I get my latex or PVC garment on?

           A:    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.

                                    From: Rich Greenberg <richgr@netcom.com>

     Q:    How do I make my latex or PVC garment shiny?

           A:    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.)
                 I do find that just plain water will remove excess powder
                 and leave a nice shine. It's cheaper and has no chemical
                 smell.

                                          From: margo@netcom.com (Ms. Margo)

     Q:    What is the best care for latex garments?

           A:    Kris Davidson writes: 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

                 WEARING     Before wearing, remove all jewelry as it may
                             catch and tear your rubber. Ensure that your
                             body is completely dry. Smooth a small amount
                             of powder onto your skin and lightly dust the
                             inside of the garment. Take your time getting
                             into your garment. You will quickly learn the
                             best and easiest technique for dressing. On 
                             sleeved garments that must be pulled on over
                             the head, we advise that you put one arm in
                             first then the head and lastly the remaining
                             arm. Ease the rubber onto your body, being
                             careful not to grab with fingernails.

                 CLEANING    Follow these simple steps and your latex will
                             look flawless every time you wear it. Wash in
                             hand warm water with a drop of liquid hand
                             soap. Clean inside and out and rinse well in
                             clean water. Hang up to dry away from direct
                             sunlight and when complataly dry, dust with a
                             little powder and store in a cool, dry place.

                 POLISHING   To bring out the deep glossy shine of the la-
                             tex. First wipe off any powder from the outside
                             with a soft lint free cloth. Using either
                             "Black Beauty" or "Armorall", spray a light
                             film onto the surface and buff to an even
                             shine.

                 DO'S & DONT'S  -  DO USE WATER BASED LUBRICANTS IF NEEDED.
                                -  DO STORE IN A COOL DARK PLACE.
                                -  DO CLEAN YOUR LATEX AFTER USE.
                                -  DO DRY AND POWDER YOUR LATEX FOR STORAGE.

                                -  DON'T USE OIL OR GREASE PRODUCTS (BABY
                                   OIL, VASELINE, ETC.)
                                -  DON'T EXPOSE TO STRONG SUNLIGHT OR U.V.
                                   LIGHT.
                                -  DON'T EXPOSE TO HEATERS OR NAKED FLAME.
                                -  DON'T WASH YOUR LATEX IN ANY TYPE OF
                                   WASHING MACHINE.
                                -  DON'T DRY YOUR LATEX IN ANY TYPE OF DRY-
                                   ER.
                                -  DON'T USE HARSH ABRASIVES, STRONG CLEAN-
                                   ERS OR SOLVENTS ON YOUR LATEX.

     Q:    Which glue is used to repair rubber?

           A:    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 dis-
                 solved 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 dis-
                 solved in the solvent. As the solvent evaporates, the
                 whole thing becomes bonded together.
                 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 possi-
                 bly could. A science librarian at a college library could
                 also possibly help you find out.

                                   From: Jeffrey Hurwit <jhurwit@netcom.com>

                 As an ex-chemist, I believe that Xylene is a good solvent
                 for this application.

                                 From: Tony@morgan.demon.co.uk (Tony Kidson)

                 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
    :Path: planet!isdnlin.mtsu.edu!darwin.sura.net!udel!MathWorks.Com!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!howland.reston.ans.net!EU.net!dkuug!usenet
From: FAQ Maintainer <pg@login.dknet.dk>
Newsgroups: alt.sex.fetish.fashion,alt.answers,news.answers
Subject: alt.sex.fetish.fashion FAQ (1/5): Changes, Introduction, Q&A's
Summary: This FAQ serve both as a general introduction to the world of
Keywords: fetish, fashion, latex, rubber, PVC, leather, high heels...
Message-ID: <2vhtte$i72@news.dknet.dk>
Date: Thu, 7 Jul 1994 01:00:00 GMT
Expires: Fri, 22 Jul 1994 01:00:00 GMT
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                 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:
                 1)    As soon as you put cement on the latex, the solvent
                       will swell the surface, causing a lot of curling. 
                       This is _impossible_ to prevent with any glue that
                       will make a decent joint. To make the latex manage-
                       able, especially on curved seams, make a clamping jig
                       that is considerably longer than the seams you'll
                       want to glue. It can be made of wood, or angle iron,
                       so long as it will provide even and complete compres-
                       sion, the length of the seam. Now, clamp one end of
                       the seam at one end, and stretch the seam until it is
                       straight, then close the jig on it, holding it flat
                       and stretched out. Too much stretch will make the
                       seam curl over. Now do the same to the mating edge,
                       and glue as above. I never said it would be easy.
                 2)    Heptane is incredibly bad for you, despite the fact
                       that it smell very nice, as solvents go. Use only in
                       a _well_ ventilated area, and keep a fan (on slow) at
                       your back, to carry the fumes away from you. Failing
                       that, get and use a respirator mask that will remove
                       organic solvent vapors.

                                 From: Bill Lemieux <blemieux@nyx.cs.du.edu>

     Q:    How to actually perform the act of repairing rubber/latex?

           A:    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...

                 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.

                       *** NOTE ***

                       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!).

                 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).

                 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 sur-
                 face. 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.

                                  From: an68270@anon.penet.fi (Rubber Lover)

     Q:    Does sweat damage latex?

           A:    Yes and no. Sweat in itself contains body oil that like
                 other oils slowly disintegrates the material. But it needs
                 time to perform its corrosive deed and thus a simple rins-
                 ing with a mild dishwash soap will clean it enough. Left
                 to itself, the oil with either eat through the material or
                 cause it to harden and become fragile. But the sweat from
                 a days wear will not even begin to do any damage before
                 you remove the garment and rinse it, and thus may be con-
                 sidered 'harmless'.

     Q:    How do I measure the length of my feet to find the correct shoe
           size?

           A:    Sitting on a chair, wearing your usual hosiery or socks,
                 place your foot on a plain piece of cardboard. Have some-
                 one 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.

                                           From: Tina H. <terjeh@ifi.uio.no>

           These answers are not definite nor complete. If you've got a
     better answer (in your opinion), do send it to me along with your
     reason for it. This is a section where your input is needed, so if you
     feel you've got the answer or corrections/expansions to the answers to
     any of these questions - send them to me!


2.2  Jessica - Wearing high heels for an extended period of time.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
           Through a friend on the net I heard about this now 24 year old
     woman named Jessica who's been wearing 4"-5" heels for the past 10
     years or so, more or less non-stop. I got in touch with her and she
     didn't mind sharing her footwear experiences with us. I've edited some
     of her replies to my queries into a whole which follows below - mostly
     in her own words:

           I started wearing them when I was about 15. I started and
     refused to wear anything else because I wanted to get used to them.
     After about a year it was difficult to flatten my foot so I just wore
     heels always instead.  After about 3 years I couldn't wear anything
     lower than 4" or it would really really hurt. I've been in them since.
     I have tried to get help but nothing worked. Most doctors say to
     slowly wear lower heels. When I try anything lower than 4", my calves
     really hurt almost immediately and my calves will hurt for the next
     few days during which I have to wear 5" heels or so, or it will hurt.
           I guess I started wearing them when I was pretty young and still
     growing, and I grew into them, and can't change now.
           I used to really hate the heels because I was so limited, but I
     have accepted it ok. Yes, I have shoes, I think they're called mules,
     that I wear at night sometimes and in the shower. I can walk on my
     toes if I have to, but my calves get tired real fast.
           Mules are heels, like pumps, but with nothing covering the heel
     of my foot, so they sort of slip on like slippers.
           I don't sleep in them often but I have many times. Sometimes
     after I have been wearing them all day it hurts when I try to take
     them off. I guess my foot gets used to being in such a tight shoe all
     day that it can't handle being pulled out of the shoe too fast. So I
     just wear them to bed and usually the next day I can take them off,
     but sometimes it takes even longer. It usually just happens with my
     new shoes. I have a ton. I have about 50 pair of 4" and higher heels,
     and about 5 or 6 pair of boots with 4"-5" heels. Most of them are
     black, because black goes with everything. I have about every color
     though!
           In the winter I wear my boots mostly. The beach?  Well, I don't
     do that too much but I would just wear an old pair of pumps, but it's
     hard for me to walk on sand or anything like that because my heels
     tend to sink into the sand and that causes my foot to try to go flat,
     and it hurts when I let that happen. I work in a professional setting,
     so heels are almost required, so I'm ok thank goodness.
           I started wearing them because I liked how they looked and I
     really wanted to get used to them so that they wouldn't bother me when
     I wore them. I thought that if I just wore them all the time that I
     would get used to them and they would feel normal to me, so I wore
     them and did everything in them all day long.
           I am 24, 5'7" in my heels (that was another reason I started
     wearing them and wanted to get used to them. I was only 5'2"). My
     problem doesn't seem to bother anyone really. I get foot massages all
     the time because I need them so much.
           I don't discourage women from wearing them. In fact, I think I
     almost encourage people since they see me wear them always and have no
     trouble with them.
           I have mixed responses from people. I usually don't really care
     what people think though. I just wear what I want to wear.
           Yes.. I drive a lot, but if it's only a few blocks I'll walk. I
     probably walk just as much as everyone else does. I can handle it. The
     only problem with walking too much in heels is that the heels wear out
     fast.
           I only have a few pairs higher than 5". I have 4 or 5 pair that
     are 5 1/4 I think. My foot is already somewhat hyperextended when I
     wear those though.  I only wear a size 7, so 5" are quite high al-
     ready. I find 4 1/2" to be the most comfortable.

                                                  Used with full permission.

                            ====================

< Per Goetterup                                     "No tears please!         >
< FAQ Maintainer, alt.sex.fetish.fashion     It's a waste of good suffering!" >
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