Flirty girls & bondage boys! Left/centre left: Tiffany Nurse Dress in Turquise/White and Red/Black with detachable apron. and shaped cutaways exposing the breasts and buttocks – a Best Seller, £247.46 (ex-£274.95). Centre right/right: Houdini Straitjacket in Black & White – a traditional style with back zip and strap closure and wrap-around sleeves, in heavy 80mm latex, £344.95. Also shown: Pouch Shorts. (Background: Aurora by Noel Bauza/Pixabay)

FLIRTY GIRLS & BONDAGE BOYS COME OUT TO PLAY IN LIBIDEX LATEX!

Last week’s Libidex Blog item focusing on the value of ‘celebrity latex fashion’ to the wider latex scene prompted us to think about some other effects of the increased mainstreaming of latex that were not considered in that article.

It seems highly likely that, as ‘latex as fashion’ became more normalised, fetish folk for whom the thrill of wearing latex was never primarily about being ‘on trend’ would begin to seek out bolder looks than those now frequently sported by celebs on red carpets. One obvious reason for doing so would be to recapture something of the transgressive aspect of wearing latex — a popular part of its fetish scene appeal that has arguably become a little blunted by the endless patronage of fashionistas.

The success of Libidex’s launch, just over a year ago, of its Flirty & Frisky range for women seemed to support this theory. This range of clothing caters to a growing appetite among a proportion of our customers for being a bit cheekier, a bit naughtier, a bit more provocative in their latex outfit choices now than they might have been — or might have felt they needed to be — not so long ago.

Many garments in the Flirty & Frisky range can be seen as catering more boldly — but still with trademark Libidex style — to the exhibitionistic tendencies that many fetish females have long enjoyed flaunting, either in the semi-public setting of fetish parties or the privacy of the boudoir.

Best Seller Dresses! Left: Penny Dress in Red, but top/swing skirt can be different colours, £170.96 (ex-£189.95). Centre left/right: Back Two Way Zip Princess Dress, a kinky makeover of our Princess style with two-way back zip, £197.96 (ex-£219.95). Right: Gracie Dress with cap sleeves, breast opening and short swing skirt, in main colour/contrast trim, £179.96 (ex-£199.95). (Background: Beach by 12019/Pixabay)

The evolution in male latex tastes seems to have followed a slightly different path, but evolution there has been. Libidex realised relatively early that the bigger the choice of stylish, affordable latex looks we offered men (be they straight or gay), the more men would embrace them. We’ve continued to follow that vision, but In the last decade, for many of our male customers, the market they’ve been most interested in seeing us move into has been the male rubberist scene.

Surely, they reasoned, Libidex’s traditional combination of stylishness and affordability could also be applied to latex bondage-wear and the like? And they were right! We launched our first male Hard and Heavy range almost eight years ago and over the years it has just kept on growing.

So to reflect these two developments in latex tastes — more provocative latex styles for women and more latex bondage stuff for men — we’re taking a look at both these areas of Libidex endeavour in this, our latest round-up. All the women’s Flirty & Frisky styles we’re showing here are included in our Best Sellers category, which means they are discounted at 10% off standard prices. With the men’s Hard and Heavy items on show, most are standard price, but a couple of discounted Best Sellers are included in our selection.

Flirty and Frisky: Provocative Styles for Women

Interesting variations! Left: Female Jodhpurs in 0.8mm latex with contrast colour, £206.96 (ex-£229.95); shown with Lindsey Crop Top. Centre left: Kendra Leotard with removable collar/straps and crotch opening, £215.96 (ex-239.95). Pasties from Liberation-X. Centre right/right: Female Shoulder Zip Catsuit, a ‘step-in’ version of our Princess Catsuit with shoulder zips and optional crotch zip, £346.46 (ex-£384.95). (Background: Milky Way by Felix Mittermeier/Pixabay)

When it comes to looking flirty and frisky, it’s amazing what a difference a cut-out or two can make. Take for example our Tiffany Nurse Dress (see page-header image). This mini-length style with detachable apron is designed to look ultra cute while also revealing breasts and buttocks. If that seems a bit much to start with, you can easily tone down the exposure by adding a thong and pasties (our Liberation-X store has a big selection of the latter).

Our Penny Dress and Gracie Dress (both shown in our Best Seller Dresses selection above) offer two further ways of combining a flirty swing skirt with exposed boobs (to which, again, pasties can always be added. But if you want to go for a more flexible style of exhibitionism, consider our Two Way Back Zip Princess Dress (another Best Seller, above) It initially presents as our standard short, tight, high-neck, long-sleeved Princess dress (a great domme look, incidentally) until or unless you unzip the skirt at the back to permit some no doubt well-deserved rear worship!

Dance the Bolero! Left/centre top: Ola Bolero, in black and red, with long sleeves & high cut front with short front zip, £103.46 (ex-£114.95). Centre bottom: probably our ultimate flirty skirt, the Kendall Skirt can be yours in two or three colourways, £80.96 (ex-£89.95). Right, bottom: Enola Crotchless Briefs with contrast trim, allow endless possibilities, £58.46 (ex-£64.95); shown with Lindsey Crop Top. (Background: Mountains by Dan Fador/Pixabay)

If you want a bolder look than just exposing breasts (with or without pasties), our Kendra Leotard (shown among our Interesting Variations above) with its detachable collar and straps works well as either a sub or domme style, although do bear in mind that the exposed crotch leaves little to the imagination! Another Interesting Variation (though admittedly more about coverage than exposure), our two-tone Female Jodhpurs are perfect for lovers of uniforms, pony-play or Night Porter fantasies. And our Female Shoulder Zip Catsuit is an interesting variant of the Princess catsuit that replaces the usual body zips with shoulder zips for ‘step-in’ dressing and easy breast access as a bonus — with the added the option of a crotch-zip too!

If you want to show your boobs off beneath a bolero top, our long-sleeved, high-neck Ola Bolero (above left and centre) is perfect. You could team it just with a thong, as left, or with our ultra-flirty Kendall Skirt, which can be ordered in two colourways as shown (above centre), or three colourways. Meanwhile, our Enola Crotchless Briefs (above right) are our stylish latex version of a ‘naughty lingerie’ staple for those who literally have nothing to hide!

Hard and Heavy: Bondage and Binders for Men

Bodybags for everybody! Left: Our Jockstrap Bodybag in thick latex with non-stretch internal strap, secured by removable jockstrap, £269.95. Centre left/right: Unusual but striking design, the Wasp Body Bag featuring four contrasting horizontal straps buckling at the back, £219.95; shown with Pouch Shorts. Right: For maximum restraint, the Octo Body Bag is made in heavy rubber with back-zip closure and reinforcing straps featuring multiple D-rings for external securing, £344.95; shown with Pouch Shorts. (Background: Thunderstorm by Felix Mittermeier/Pixabay)

Turning to boys who like bondage, Libidex’s Hard and Heavy offerings in the rubber restraints department include the Houdini Straitjacket in our page-header image, which faithfully translates classic clinical straitjacket style to thick 0.8mm rubber. And that means such security features as extended sleeves that pass through loops on the font of the jacket and fasten at the back; crotch straps to defeat the most flexible-bodied escape attempts; and rear zip closure with straps and buckles to vary the overall tightness of fit.

A popular variant on the classic straitjacket is the bodybag, which also holds the wearer’s arms securely in front of the body, but without employing the straitjacket’s sleeves. Our Jockstrap Bodybag (above left) combines the classic bodybag features of a plain, contoured front to accommodate the arms and secure zip-plus-buckle rear closure with a detachable jockstrap that prevents attempts to lift the bag free of the arms. Another variant, the Octo Body Bag (above right) replaces the crotch straps with a series of large D-rings down each side of the bag which can be used in conjunction with straps, ropes or chains to firmly tether the wearer to a bed, post, wall or whatever.

But for something with unusual visual appeal, how about our Wasp Body Bag (above centre left and right), which comes in your choice of two colours — one for the bag itself and a contrasting one for the horizontal straps that are this design’s unique feature and give rise to its name.

Binding judgement! Left: our latex take on a classic bondage item, this Armbinder features zip and strap rear closure with crossover shoulder straps adjustable for snugness of fit, £199.95. Centre: Our Lace-Up Armbinder echoes the style on the left, but with back zip and buckles replaced by strong lacing, £219.95. Right: A third variation on the armbinder concept, the Link Binder Top, with full-length front zip, combines a tight-fitting top with an integrated single sleeve with a back zip, £219.95. (Background: Tree by Bess Amiti/Pixabay)

Another extremely popular restraint item that translates beautifully to latex is the single arm glove or armbinder — a recurring element in bondage fantasy imagery. In the selection above, we show three different designs that perform the same basic function, holding the arms and hands tightly together behind the back in a cone-shaped single sleeve. Our classic Armbinder (above left) features a back zip closure with adjustable wrist and elbow straps, and is held in place by crossover shoulder straps which prevent the binder being shrugged off.

Our Lace-Up Armbinder (above centre) uses the same basic design but replaces the zip and strap rear fastening with strong corset-style lacing which offers even more adjustment in the final snugness of fit. And our third option, the Link Binder Top (above right) dispenses with the straps and buckles and instead integrates the single sleeve into the back of a tight-fitting top, with zip closure at the front of the top and at the rear of the sleeve. All three styles feature a D-ring at the fingertip end of the single sleeve to secure the hands hard against the body or, for example, drawthe arms up behind the back, strappado-style.

Binding tops & bottoms! Centre: a further option for armbinding fans is the best-selling Restraint Top, a close-fitting, lighter-weight straitjacket with heavy-duty crotch straps, back zip closure and multiple D-rings. £229.46 (ex-£254.95); shown with Pouch Shorts. But if armbinding is only half the story for you, never fear, we have good news! Left: the Lace Up Leg Binder,£239.95, could be teamed with our Lace-Up Armbinder (see previous photo set above) for full-body lacing effect. Right: a simple and cost-effective alternative for lower limb restraint is our best selling Leg Binder, £148.46 (ex-£164.95). (Background: Astronomy by Pexels/Pixabay)

Our final selection of three latex binders offers the option of laced or zipped leg-binders that might be used on theirs own or in conjunction with one of our armbinders for complete body immobilisation. Our Lace-Up Leg Binder (above left) could clearly be teamed to great aesthetic effect with our Lace-Up Armbinder if made in the same two colours. But for total body restraint, both it and the affordable (and best-selling) Leg Binder (above right) could also be teamed with either of our other armbinders. Or, indeed, with our Restraint Top (above centre), a variation on the classic straitjacket made in lighter-gauge, stretchier latex, with mitten-and D-ring-tipped sleeves and heavy duty crotch strap to prevent riding up.

All photographic backgrounds c/o Pixabay.com