Silk/Satin fetishism
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Silk/satin fetishism is a sexual fetish relating to garments or other articles made of silk or satin fabric — primarily women's clothing and lingerie. The silk/satin fetish is usually directed toward people (generally female) wearing silk or satin garments, but it can also be directed towards the garments themselves, and many fetishists collect silk, and satingarments for their own personal use.
The history of silk and satin fetish is not well documented. Although, the origins may come from the vibrant Silk Trade that occurred between the West and East. Only affluent and wealthy rich could afford satin and silk cloths. Most of which were aimed to show the degree of wealth, elegance and supremacy that only royals could be fitted for such material.One might look as far back 2000 years in Egypt when the queen Cleopatra lived in a royal luxury.
Then, of course, the middle ages in Europe was also a time in which aristocrats and loyalists to the king lived a life of affluence and pure luxury. Clothing became a form of symbol that showed who was on top and who belonged 'below'.
Silk and satin fabric is commonly used to make lingerie, formal apparel and bedding, and the articles made from these fabrics are universally associated with elegance, glamour, romance, opulence and status. Ironically, and perhaps because of its ubiquity, silk/satin is not as commonly fetishized as other materials such as leather, spandex or PVC/rubber.
Lingerie fetishism is the most common variety of silk/satin fetish. Blouses are another commonly fetishized article, as well as skirts, pants, dresses, bed sheets, jackets, coat linings and even sporting trunks.
Scarf fetishism is a less common but increasing subset of Silk/Satin fetishism, characterised by two distinct interests: (1) Those who love silk scarves purely as items of fashion apparel and (2) Those who focus on scarves as an accessory for BDSM play - gags, blindfolds, bindings. This latter group typically also enjoys scarves when they are used as chic accessories. Scarf fetishists will, in common with other fetishists, go to some lengths to satisfy their needs and there have been anecdotal reports of scarf thefts from ex-girlfriends, female relatives, boutiques and airport duty-free outlets. Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn and Jacqueline Onassis epitomise the style of woman that scarf fetishists most admire.
Satin Blouse fetishism is a more common form of fantasy.Mostly popular during the late 1970s, 1980 and 1990 when the cloth started becoming cheaper and more affordable because of globalization. Wearing satin, usually became common amongst special events like weddings, new years parties, valentine parties and business corporate events.
Satin blousefetish was also heavily influenced with the leisureimage that was coming out of American Soapsand Western TV Shows. Thus, Media and the fashion industries creatly influenced the spread of satin. As an example, the Hollywood carpet, the Oscars, and other television awards commonly hold glamour events in which famous celebrities dress in satin attire . Since, the late 1990's many famous celebs have been spotted in wearing satin: Jamie Lee Curtis, Angelina Jolie, Carol Voderman, Bettina Cramer,etc.
Another phenomena is the common wearing of silk and satin amongst female weather-reporters and News-anchors.
The softness, smoothness, drape and shine of charmeuse silk and satin — as well as its elegant feminine qualities — are what fetishists generally find most attractive. Silk/satin fetishists frequently display an affinity for all shiny articles of clothing, even those that aren't made from silk or polyester satin material.
Common fantasies often involve a secretary, boss, schoolteacher, news-reporter, attorney, office worker,track athlete, female airline waitress, restaurant waitress, female artist, female musician, female comedian , businesslady or some other kind of elegant, classy or dominant woman dressed in silk or satin garments. Like many clothing fetishes, the silk/satin fetish arises from the ideal that an elegantly-clothed figure is more erotically teasing than a nude one.
Many silk/satin fetishists are heterosexual men, though a number of females do enjoy wearing, modeling and collecting silk and satin garments. Silk/satin fetishism is often related to transvestic behaviors in men.
Much of the silk/satin fetish photography available on the Internet is produced in Europe. Since there is a relative lack of pornographic material dealing exclusively with silk/satin fetish, many fetishists collect pictures of subjects in silk/satin material wherever they can find them.
One of history's most famous silk/satin fetishists was the great German composer Richard Wagner, (1813 - 1883). Wagner's love of expensive fabrics was partly due to the sensitivity of his skin (he suffered from erysipelas, a form of shingles), but silk also served as an imaginative prop in the creation of his operas, along with perfumes, wall hangings, and furs, and there may also have been an erotic aspect to his fetish.
Although Wagner himself tried to conceal his fetish (he gave detailed instructions to servants on the purchasing of fabric lengths) it eventually became public knowledge, causing concern amongst the ministers of Wagner's patron, King Ludwig the Second of Bavaria, who lavished large sums of money on Wagner. It was known that Wagner often wore silken undergarments, and Ludwig's ministers feared this and his music might have a corrupting influence on the young.
An important academic work on lingerie and silk/satin fetishism is Valerie Steele's 'Fashion and Eroticism: Ideals of Feminine Beauty from the Victorian Era tp the Jazz Age' (Oxford University Press, New York, 1985 ISBN 0195035305), which explores the psychosexual appeal of silk, satin, and women's underwear in several chapters.
External links
- [Satin Fetish Links] - Directory of silk/satin fetish sites
- [The Scarf Website] - Excellent resource for silk scarf fashion and bondage content
- [Eromaxx] - European producer of satin fetish content
- [Vana's Silky Satin Lingerie] - The UKs longest running satin fetish website.
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