Spandex fetishism
Encyclopedia
Spandex fetishism is a fetishistic
attraction to people wearing stretch fabric
s. Spandex garments are often worn by swimmers, dancers, rowers, contortionists and circus performers, and spandex fetishists may incorporate fantasies about these activities into their fetish.
One reason why spandex
and other tight fabrics may be fetishised is that the garment forms a "second skin", acting as a fetishistic surrogate for the wearer's own skin. Wearers of skin-tight nylon and cotton spandex garments can appear naked or coated in a shiny or matte substance like paint. The tightness of the garments may also be seen as sexual bondage
. Another reason is that nylon-spandex fabric (preferred by many spandex fetishists) is often produced with a very smooth and silk-like finish, which lends a tactile dimension to the fetish - as well as a visual one. The pressure of the tight garments against the genitals can become quite sensual.
In comic book
s, superhero
es, superheroines, and supervillain
s are generally depicted as wearing costumes made of spandex or a similar material. The skintight, very flashy and bright-coloured costumes that often cover only just enough of the body to be presentable.
Kigurumi
(着ぐるみ, meaning cartoon-character costume), a form of Japanese costuming, often makes use of lycra as artificial skin.
Pantyhose fetishism can be viewed as a class of spandex fetishism.
Film
and Television
Panelology
Photography
Sexual fetishism
Sexual fetishism, or erotic fetishism, is the sexual arousal a person receives from a physical object, or from a specific situation. The object or situation of interest is called the fetish, the person a fetishist who has a fetish for that object/situation. Sexual fetishism may be regarded, e.g...
attraction to people wearing stretch fabric
Stretch fabric
Stretch fabric is a term that refers to synthetic fabrics which stretch. Stretch fabrics are split into two categories: 2-way stretch and 4-way stretch....
s. Spandex garments are often worn by swimmers, dancers, rowers, contortionists and circus performers, and spandex fetishists may incorporate fantasies about these activities into their fetish.
One reason why spandex
Spandex
Spandex or elastane is a synthetic fibre known for its exceptional elasticity. It is strong, but less durable than natural Latex, its major non-synthetic competitor. It is a polyurethane-polyurea copolymer that was co-invented in 1959 by chemists C. L. Sandquist and Joseph Shivers at DuPont's...
and other tight fabrics may be fetishised is that the garment forms a "second skin", acting as a fetishistic surrogate for the wearer's own skin. Wearers of skin-tight nylon and cotton spandex garments can appear naked or coated in a shiny or matte substance like paint. The tightness of the garments may also be seen as sexual bondage
Bondage (BDSM)
Bondage is the use of restraints for the sexual pleasure of the parties involved. It may be used in its own right, as in the case of rope bondage and breast bondage, or as part of sexual activity or BDSM activity.- Private bondage :...
. Another reason is that nylon-spandex fabric (preferred by many spandex fetishists) is often produced with a very smooth and silk-like finish, which lends a tactile dimension to the fetish - as well as a visual one. The pressure of the tight garments against the genitals can become quite sensual.
In comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
s, superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
es, superheroines, and supervillain
Supervillain
A supervillain or supervillainess is a variant of the villain character type, commonly found in comic books, action movies and science fiction in various media.They are sometimes used as foils to superheroes and other fictional heroes...
s are generally depicted as wearing costumes made of spandex or a similar material. The skintight, very flashy and bright-coloured costumes that often cover only just enough of the body to be presentable.
Kigurumi
Kigurumi
is the Japanese name for costumed performers who represent cartoon characters, often animals. The name comes from the Japanese verb and noun . These performers appear at shopping malls, theme parks, and anime conventions...
(着ぐるみ, meaning cartoon-character costume), a form of Japanese costuming, often makes use of lycra as artificial skin.
Pantyhose fetishism can be viewed as a class of spandex fetishism.
Spandex in popular culture
AnimeAnime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
- Anime often includes women in spandex or spandex-like catsuits, notably Cat's Eye, Yuki Mori/Nova from Star BlazersSpace Battleship Yamatois a Japanese science fiction anime series featuring an eponymous spacecraft. It is also known to English-speaking audiences as Space Cruiser Yamato; an English-dubbed and heavily edited version of the series was broadcast on North American and Australian television as Star Blazers...
, Cutie HoneyCutie Honeyis a Japanese media franchise created by Go Nagai. Cutie Honey first appears on volume 41 of the 1973 edition of Shōnen Champion. According to Nagai, she is the first female to be the protagonist of a shōnen manga series....
, BirthBirth (anime), also known in the West as Planet Busters or The World of the Talisman, is a 1984 anime original video animation , which was released on VHS and DVD in North America by, variously, Streamline and ADV Films...
, and the plugsuits from Neon Genesis Evangelion, as well as the bodysuits in GANTZGantzis a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Hiroya Oku. Gantz tells the story of Kei Kurono and his friend Masaru Kato who die in a train accident and become part of a semi-posthumous "game" in which they and several other recently deceased people are forced to hunt down and kill aliens...
.
Film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
and Television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
- The spysuits from Totally Spies! are of the type.
- The DisneyThe Walt Disney CompanyThe Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
film TronTron-Film:*Tron , a franchise that began in 1982 with the Walt Disney Pictures film Tron** Tron , a 1982 science fiction film by Disney, starring Jeff Bridges, Bruce Boxleitner, Cindy Morgan, Dan Shor and David Warner...
also is notorious for its revealing spandex costumes. - The two most infamous films for spandex fetishists may be Breakin'Breakin'Breakin', released as Breakdance: The Movie in some countries, is a 1984 breakdancing-themed film directed by Joel Silberg. The film setting was inspired by a German documentary entitled Breakin' and Enterin set in the Los Angeles multi-racial hip hop club Radiotron, based out of Macarthur Park in...
(1984) and Heavenly BodiesHeavenly Bodies"Heavenly Bodies" is the title of a song recorded by American country music artist Earl Thomas Conley. It was released in May 1982 as the first single from the album Somewhere Between Right and Wrong. The song reached #8 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart...
(1984), both of which feature attractive young women dancing in tight, brightly-colored spandex outfits in nearly every frame. Television offered the discoDiscoDisco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
-inspired jumpsuits worn by Wilma DeeringWilma DeeringWilma Deering is a fictional character featured in the various iterations of Buck Rogers which have spanned many media over the years.Through all the versions of Buck Rogers, Wilma Deering has maintained some clear characteristics. She is a sometimes romantic interest for Buck, always a loyal...
(played by actress Erin GrayErin GrayErin Gray is an American actress, perhaps best known for her roles as Kate Summers in the situation comedy Silver Spoons and as Colonel Wilma Deering in the science fiction television series Buck Rogers in the 25th Century....
) during the first season of Buck Rogers in the 25th CenturyBuck Rogers in the 25th Century (TV series)Buck Rogers in the 25th Century is an American science fiction adventure television series produced by Universal Studios. The series ran for two seasons between 1979–1981, and the feature-length pilot episode for the series was released as a theatrical film several months before the series aired....
(1979–1981).
- The series It's Always Sunny In PhiladelphiaIt's Always Sunny in PhiladelphiaIt's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is an American television sitcom that premiered on FX on August 4, 2005. New episodes continue to air on FX, with reruns playing on Comedy Central, general broadcast syndication, and WGN America—the first-ever cable-to-cable syndication deal for a sitcom...
popularized Green ManGreen Man (disambiguation)The Green Man is an ancient symbol of nature. The phrase may also refer to:In fiction:*The Green Man, a ghost story by British author Kingsley Amis and a 1990 horror film adaptation*Green Man , a DC Comics superhero...
, a persona of Charlie Day.
Panelology
Panelology
Comic book collecting is a hobby that treats comic books and related items as collectibles or artwork to be sought after and preserved. Though considerably more recent than the collecting of postage stamps or books , it has a major following around the world today and is partially responsible for...
- While the majority of comicbook superheroSuperheroA superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
ines wear spandex in one form or another, several are known particularly for wearing a fullbody spandex catsuitCatsuitA catsuit is a close-fitting one-piece garment that covers the torso and the legs, and frequently the arms. They are usually made from stretchable material, such as lycra, chiffon, spandex , leather, latex, PVC, or velour, and frequently close using a zipper at the front or back.Catsuits, which...
, including CatwomanCatwomanCatwoman is a fictional character associated with DC Comics' Batman franchise. Historically a supervillain, the character was created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, partially inspired by Kane's cousin, Ruth Steel...
(Julie NewmarJulie NewmarJulie Newmar is an American actress, dancer and singer. Her most famous role is Catwoman in the Batman television series.-Early life:...
's portrayal launched the modern trend for superheroines to wear catsuits), BatgirlBatgirlBatgirl is the name of several fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, frequently depicted as female counterparts to the superhero Batman...
, Hellcat, Spider-WomanSpider-Woman (Jessica Drew)Spider-Woman is a fictional character, a superheroine in the Marvel Comics Universe. The character first appeared in Marvel Spotlight #32 , and 50 issues of an ongoing series titled Spider-Woman followed...
, Black Widow, FirestarFirestarFirestar is a fictional mutant superhero in the . Debuting in 1981 on the NBC animated television series Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends, she has the ability to generate and manipulate microwave radiation, which allows her to generate intense heat and flames, and to fly...
, PhoenixPhoenix (comics)The Phoenix Force is an entity in the Marvel Comics fictional universe which has bonded with other characters, who often used the alias Phoenix....
, Black CatBlack Cat (comics)The Black Cat is a fictional character, a superheroine in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Marv Wolfman and artist Keith Pollard, she first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #194 ....
, RogueRogue (comics)Rogue was first slated to appear in Ms. Marvel #25 , but the book's abrupt cancellation left her original introduction story unpublished for over a decade, before seeing print in Marvel Super Heroes #11 in 1992. Rogue's first published appearance was in Avengers Annual #10...
, Ms. MysticMs. MysticMs. Mystic is a fictional comic book superheroine created by popular illustrator Neal Adams. The comic published nine issues between 1982-1994. Her first full appearance was in Captain Victory and the Galactic Rangers #3 , published by Pacific Comics...
, DaggerCloak and Dagger (comics)Cloak and Dagger are a fictional comic book superhero duo in the . They were created by writer William "Bill" Mantlo and designed by artist Edward Hannigan.-Publication history:...
, Black OrchidBlack OrchidBlack Orchid is the name of three fictional superheroines published by DC Comics. The original version of the character first appeared in Adventure Comics #428 .-Susan Linden-Thorne:...
, EmpoweredEmpoweredEmpowered is an original English-language manga written and illustrated by Adam Warren. Described by Warren as a “sexy superhero comedy", Empowered began to take shape in 2004 with a series of commissioned sketches of a damsel in distress; these illustrations became the basis for short comic...
and the modern Invisible WomanInvisible WomanSusan "Sue" Storm Richards is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superheroine created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-writer Jack Kirby. The character first appeared in Fantastic Four #1 in November 1961, and was the first female superhero created by Marvel in the Silver Age of Comics...
. Miss Fury was the only well-known catsuited heroine predating Newmar's portrayal of Catwoman.
Photography
- Gay porn star Peter BerlinPeter BerlinArmin Hagen Freiherr von Hoyningen-Huene is a photographer, artist, filmmaker, clothing designer/sewer, model and gay sex symbol best know by his stage name Peter Berlin. In the early to mid-1970s, Berlin created some of the most recognizable gay male erotic imagery of his time...
popularized spandex fetishism beginning in the 1970s in the many erotic photographs he posed for that were published in many gay pornographic magazines, regular gay magazines, and in the theatre magazine After DarkAfter Dark (magazine)After Dark was an entertainment magazine that covered theatre, cinema, stage plays, ballet, performance art, and various artists, including singers, actors and actresses, and dancers, among others. First published in May 1968, the magazine succeeded Ballroom Dance Magazine...
.
See also
- CosplayCosplay, short for "costume play", is a type of performance art in which participants don costumes and accessories to represent a specific character or idea. Characters are often drawn from popular fiction in Japan, but recent trends have included American cartoons and science fiction...
- Dance beltDance beltA dance belt is a kind of specialized undergarment commonly worn by male ballet dancers to support their genitals. Most are similar in design to thong underwear....
- DancewearDancewearDancewear includes any items of clothing commonly worn by dancers.Items of dancewear include:* ballet shoes* pointe shoes* tap shoes* slippers* leotards and unitards* tights* dance shorts and bike shorts* tutus* cardigans* legwarmers* dance belts...
- DarlexDarlexDarlexx is a product of the Shawmut Corporation, sometimes referred to generically as darlex. It is made from two layers of Spandex fused together with a thin layer of rubber in-between....
- G-stringG-stringA G-string is a type of thong underwear or swimsuit, a narrow piece of cloth, leather, or plastic, that covers or holds the genitals, passes between the buttocks, and is attached to a band around the hips, worn as swimwear or underwear by women and men...
- Latex and PVC fetishismLatex and PVC fetishismLatex fetishism is the fetishistic attraction to people wearing latex clothing or, in certain cases, to the garments themselves. PVC fetishism and rubber fetishism are closely related to latex fetish, with the former referring to shiny clothes made of the synthetic plastic polyvinyl chloride and...
- LeggingsLeggingsLeggings are a type of fitted clothing covering the legs, which can be worn by both men and women.Originally leggings were two separate garments, one for each leg....
- LeotardLeotardA leotard is a skin-tight one-piece garment that covers the torso but leaves the legs free. It was made famous by the French acrobatic performer Jules Léotard ....
- Polo neckPolo neckA polo neck or turtle neck or skivvy is a garment—usually a sweater—with a close-fitting, round, and high collar that folds over and covers the neck...
- Robot fetishismRobot fetishismRobot fetishism is a fetishistic attraction to humanoid robots; also to people acting like robots or people dressed in robot costumes. A less common fantasy involves transformation into a robot...
- Skin-tight garmentSkin-tight garmentA skin-tight garment is a garment that is held to the skin by elastic tension. Many skin-tight garments are also one-piece garments.In athletics and performance applications, skin-tight garments—or 'skinsuits' provide protection from injury from dancing, gymnastics, swimming, cycling, skating,...
- Superhero erotica
- SwimsuitSwimsuitA swimsuit, bathing suit, or swimming costume is an item of clothing designed to be worn by men, women or children while they are engaging in a water-based activity or water sports, such as swimming, water polo, diving, surfing, water skiing, or during activities in the sun, such as sun bathing.A...
- ZentaiZentaiZentai is a term for skin-tight garments that cover the entire body. The word is a contraction of zenshin taitsu...