Guides

How to put together a dominatrix costume

A dominatrix costume comes down to four things: something black and close-fitting, boots that climb toward the knee or past it, long gloves, and a crop in your hand. Get those right and the rest is detail. Below is where the look came from, which pieces matter, how latex, PVC, leather and wet look compare, how to survive a Halloween party in it, and how to keep latex alive past 1 November.

Where the look came from

The uniform is younger than the job. London's 19th-century houses of discipline ran on birch rods and canes. The black leather catsuit only entered dominant fetish culture in the 1950s, through AtomAge magazine and its designer John Sutcliffe, according to Wikipedia's history of the dominatrix. Television carried the catsuit into the mainstream in the 1960s with The Avengers, and thigh-high boots picked up the nickname "kinky boots" along the way.

The props are older. Early 20th-century art already put a whip, a flogger or a riding crop in the dominant woman's hand, and the crop has stayed there ever since. Our page on what a dominatrix actually is covers the history before the costume.

The pieces that make it

Think in layers, from the base out:

• The base: catsuit or corset. A catsuit is the one-piece version and the most recognisable. A corset over a pencil skirt, leggings or a short dress does the same job and is easier to live in for a whole evening.
• Boots. Thigh-high is the classic and knee-high still works. If you'll be standing for hours, a block heel or platform beats a stiletto.
• Gloves. Opera length, above the elbow. They do more for the look than any other single piece.
• The crop. A real riding crop from an equestrian shop usually feels sturdier than a costume-shop one.
• Finishing touches. Red lipstick, hair scraped back, a choker or a peaked cap. Pick one or two, because a dominatrix wearing everything at once looks like she's carrying it.

Latex, PVC, leather or wet look

The shine you picture comes from four very different materials, and they cost, wear and feel nothing alike.

Latex garments usually run between about 0.18 and 0.5 millimetres thick, says Wikipedia's latex clothing article, and the thin end looks sleeker but tears more easily. Catsuits in general are having a moment, too. In our Google Trends check this October, searches for "catsuit costume" were up about 80 percent on the year before, and "leather catsuit" about 50 percent.

My advice: for one Halloween party, wet look wins. It photographs well in low light, survives a spilled drink and costs a fraction of latex. If you're dressing for a fetish club, or for someone who knows the difference, go latex or leather.

Wearing it to a Halloween party

Halloween is the one night a dominatrix costume is just a costume. A few practical things decide whether you enjoy it:

• Walk in the boots for an evening at home first. Thigh boots that slide down or pinch at the knee spend the party in your hand.
• Plan for temperature. Latex and PVC trap heat on a dance floor and give none of it back on a cold street at 2am, so bring a coat.
• If you'll be sitting down to eat, lace the corset a little looser than you would for photos.
• Check the dress code. Fetish clubs usually publish one, and a costume-shop outfit doesn't always pass. A house party is more forgiving.
• The crop is a prop. Carry it, pose with it, and keep it off strangers. Consent still applies on Halloween.

Looking after latex

Latex is the material people ruin fastest, usually in the first week. The care rules from the latex maker Vex come down to this:

• Dress with talc or a silicone-based dressing aid. Never oil, lotion or baby oil, which damage the rubber.
• Keep it away from copper and brass, including cheap jewellery and buckles. They stain latex.
• Shine it with a silicone polish once it's on.
• After wearing, wash it by hand in cool water with mild soap, dry it out of the sun, then dust it with talc.
• Store it on a plastic hanger in a dark bag somewhere cool, and keep dark colours away from light ones.

Some makers chlorinate latex so it slides on without powder. Wikipedia notes that the treatment can change metallic colours, so ask before you order a silver catsuit that way.

Wearing it like you mean it

The costume is half of it. The rest is how you move: slowly, upright, never rushing to fill a silence. Hold the crop rather than waving it. Let people come to you.

If you want to see it done properly, watch the women in the strip above for a few minutes. They wear this look for hours at a time on camera and know exactly what each piece is for. The latex and leather pages explain how to ask a performer for a particular look without sounding like you're ordering from a menu.