Boot fetishism

High leather boots worn in an overt sexual context.
Typical pair of modern women's fashion boots in black leather.
Knee-high ballet boots, impractical boots made expressly for their sexual appeal.
A model wearing boots.

Boot fetishism is a sexual fetish focused on boots. Boots have become the object of sexual attraction amounting to fetishism for some people and they have become a standard accessory in BDSM scenes (where leather, latex and PVC boots are favoured) and a fashion accessory in music videos.[1][2] Boots are seen as perhaps the most fetishistic of all footwear and boots may be the most popular fetish clothing attire.[3]

History

One of the earliest descriptions of boots as a fetishistic object can be found in Émile Zola's 1868 novel Thérèse Raquin.[4] Actual boot fetishism is described in the diaries of 19th Century British woman Hannah Cullwick, of which parts have been published.[5]

Hermine Hug-Hellmuth described boot fetishism scientifically in 1915.[6] This article has also been published in English with comments by Arlene K. Richards in 1990, as Female fetishes and female perversions: Hermine Hug-Hellmuth's "A case of female foot or more properly boot fetishism" reconsidered.[7]

Boots were used by S. Rachman as a subject for research on conditioning as a cause for fetishism in the 1960s, making men sexually aroused by seeing pictures of boots,[8] but the results have been put into question later, as boots already were very much en vogue for sexually attractive women at the time.[9]

Unlike shoes, boot styles have often appeared as street wear before they inspire fashion designers.[10] Boots are usually seen as a sign of empowerment for the wearer, especially when worn by women.[11] This may be a reason for the connection to BDSM, where boots usually are seen as a statement of dominance. So called boot worship became a common subcultural practice among sadomasochists and related fetishists in the early 20th century.[12]

High-heeled boots help to elongate the calf, creating a longer-legged appearance which is generally considered to be more sexually attractive. The length of the boot shafts also adds to this impression. Boots have been displayed in magazines such as Leg Show and there are also magazines and websites aimed directly at this fetish. Boot fetishism may be accompanied by a fetish for the material from which it is made, such as leather, rubber, or latex. Boot fetishism is often targeted at fashion boots and riding boots but there are also boots expressly made for fetish purposes, such as ballet boots and some forms of thigh-high boots.

There is also a very prominent subsection of mostly gay men who fetishize men's boots, with "boot worship" being a common practice in this group, to the point where there is a yearly contest to see who is the best bootblack.[13] The types of boots favored by men differ from those worn by women, with men typically preferring more sturdy, rugged boots, such as combat boots, jump boots, motorcycle boots, or riding boots. These boots feature prominently in outfits worn by leather enthusiasts in competitions such as International Mr. Leather.

Popular culture

The television series The Avengers, which ran in the 1960s, often featured fetishistic clothing, with Emma Peel, played by Diana Rigg, wearing boots as a characteristic sign of her as a sexy and strong woman.[14] Patrick Macnee and Rigg's predecessor Honor Blackman (as Cathy Gale) released a 45 RPM single in 1964 titled "Kinky Boots".[15]

Female comic book super heroines and villains like Wonder Woman and Catwoman also often wear boots as a sign of combined female power and sex appeal.[16]

Jill, protagonist of the video game Mighty Jill Off, is a sexual submissive with a fetish for boots.[17]

See also

References

  1. ↑ XBIZ. "Kinky Boots: An Enduring Symbol in Fetish Fashion". XBIZ.
  2. ↑ "Work Boots for Men ~ Every Occasion!". http://www.bootzoom.com. Retrieved 16 October 2015. External link in |website= (help)
  3. ↑ Bradley Quinn. "The Boot". London (2010): Laurence King Publishing Ltd. ISBN 978-1-85669-663-0. Pages 68-73
  4. ↑ Edward Shorter: Written in the Flesh: A History of Desire. University of Toronto Press 2005, pages 222-223, ISBN 0-8020-3843-3
  5. ↑ see sources in the article about her
  6. ↑ Whitney Davis: Replications: Archaeology, Art History, Psychoanalysis. Pennsylvania Stat Press 1996, page 326, ISBN 027104411X. Accessed August 27, 2013.
  7. ↑ Psychoanalytic Review, Vol. 77, No. 1, 1990, pp. 11-23, American Psychological Association. Accessed August 27, 2013.
  8. ↑ S. Rachman: Sexual fetishism: An experimental analogue. The Psychological Record, Vol 16(3), 1966, 293-296.
  9. ↑ Dean Burnett: Fifty Shades of Grey matter: the psychology of sexual arousal, The Guardian, August 8, 2012. Accessed August 27, 2013.
  10. ↑ Quinn, p. 130
  11. ↑ Quinn, p. 152–169
  12. ↑ Quinn, p. 73
  13. ↑ http://www.imrl.com/bootblack/index.php
  14. ↑ Quinn, p. 159–160
  15. ↑ Ken Tucker. All You Need Is Steed: 'Avengers' You Can Dance To, Entertainment Weekly, January 11, 1991. Accessed August 27, 2013.
  16. ↑ Quinn, p. 161–162
  17. ↑ Shoemaker, Brad (2010-10-19). "Super Meat Boy (video game )". Giant Bomb. Retrieved 2011-04-25.
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