I’m going to start out this post with a little disclaimer. I know there are some die hard rubber and latex fans out there who won’t like me doing so, but the sensory nature of rubber and latex is fairly similar so I’m going to lump them together for the sake of this post, or I’ll end up getting my knickers in a twist and confusing everybody in the process.
I have owned both latex and PVC clothing. Whilst PVC has a lovely shine feel to it and is great for the camera, it actually does very little for me, it feels like any other piece of clothing but has an awful scrunching sound to it that I find a bit off putting.
Likewise, I also own latex. It’s where The Keeper and I started our kink journey. However, I find the scent a little too overpowering for my liking. Not only that, because I didn’t get it tailor made for me, it hangs off me in some places rather than looking like a second skin. For that reason I just feel clumsy rather than sexy whilst I’m wearing it.
As you can tell I’m not very clued up on the subject so I thought the best thing to do was to phone a friend, well DM a friend who I knew could give me some insight into the topic. I want to say a huge thank you to @BeauDuJour for managing to answer my question: what’s the rub? I’m going to paraphrase his reply, so hopefully I will do it justice!
At the very core of latex, it’s about being different.
The sensation of latex is very different to any other material. It’s cool to the touch and slippery. It’s not like the feeling of skin. That, coupled with the scent, gives you an out of this world experience. There really is nothing like it.
Whilst most materials yield to your touch or your body, latex doesn’t do that, it forces you to yield to it. Everybody looks incredibly hot in latex, pulling latex on is instant sexiness.
However, probably the most important aspect of latex is its ability to dehumanise you. If you look at most breathplay, dollification or sensory deprivation scenes they often involve latex in some way. Gloves to ball your hands up and restrict you from feeling, hoods isolating you from the world. You are no longer a person, you are a thing to be used.
Whilst I’ve not experienced this with latex I absolutely agree with this statement. As soon as my spandex hood goes on I’m restricted, I’m reliant on someone else and I’m transformed into my partners toy.
The same goes for the D types perspective. Once you have someone hooded they stop being the person you love and become your play thing. They’re easier to hurt because they don’t look like them any more. That connection is lost, not completely obviously because the potential to take it too far is there.
So there we have it. Latex is versatile and works on so many levels, from looks through to sensation through to sensory deprivation and humiliation play.
Once again, a big thanks to @BeauDuJour for helping me tackle this subject.