Leather: Accessories

There are two accessories that many guys who are into leather wear. The first item is a pair of gloves. The other is an arm band. If you are thinking of other items like whips, floggers, etc., I don't describe them because I do not have them and never would consider having or using anything like that.

I will share my next snippets from my Complete Guide to Leather Gear:

Gloves are not worn much any more except perhaps when outside on a cold day, or when riding a motorcycle. But a man in full leather, including gloves, attracts a lot of attention.

Features to look for in gloves:

Length: You want gloves that are wrist-length. The wrist should also be elasticized. Avoid gloves that have a little "skirt" after the wrist which is sloppy looking. The look here is "police" - authoritative. That's why you want the clean design. The back of the glove should either have three seams or a solid back. You want unlined gloves (for dexterity purposes).

The best fetish leather glove on the market is Damascus D302s. There are plenty of brands out there, but as your first glove purchase, buy these. Hands down, the best glove you can buy. They'll cost you about US$35-$40. You can find them in any decent cop shop, or at Stompers Boots on-line.

Sizing: Gloves come in small-medium-large. Most men should get a medium, since the point is to keep them nice and tight.

What to Avoid: Don't buy gloves with cut-off fingers, or "half-gloves." They may be okay for a motorcycle, but not for fetish wear. You really don't want "driving gloves". Don't buy lined gloves unless you are using them for practical purposes (e.g., riding a motorcycle in winter weather). Make sure the gloves feel like leather, not plastic. Buy quality. Unless there is a specific purpose, do not buy colored gloves. Buy black. Avoid zippers, snaps, etc. Solid leather gloves with no gadgets are best.

Arm Bands

Nowadays, you seldom see anyone with a leather arm band on. But an arm band still adds much to the leatherman image. Generally speaking, if you wear an arm band, it should be worn high and tight on either the left or right arm -- not both. If you wear it on the left, it implies that you are a Top, and that you assert the active role in a sexual encounter. If you wear it on the right, it implies that you are a Bottom (or open to being dominated by a Top.)

An arm band should be two inches (2") wide if you wear it on the left. It can be one inch (1") if you wear it on the right, since you're giving a signal that you're in a weaker position. Arm bands should be solid black leather. While they make arm bands with colored piping or with metal attachments, they appear gaudy that way. Just plain black is best.

Check back tomorrow when I get into uniforms, which is a subset all to itself related to Leather Gear.