When you slide into a beautiful, shiny a latex outfit, your look dramatically changes for that special night or costume party, and it can even be a daring fashion choice. While this sounds easy enough, it is much different than putting on regular clothing made from cotton or other fabrics. Latex is a completely different substance from any other fabric; it has a unique shape that hugs every part of your body and creates friction with your skin. For this reason, it requires very special care in order to avoid damaging your latex clothing while still looking beautiful for years to come.
Why Putting on Latex Requires Special Technique
Latex clothing is made out of either natural or synthetic rubber and has been made so that it is non-porous, meaning that it does not have pores and will not allow moisture or air to penetrate into it. This is one of the biggest advantages of latex; because it is a second skin, it will accentuate every single curve of your body with its glossy sheen. Although this creates a beautiful look, there is also a downside to wearing latex clothing. It’s crucial to understand how the latex material works, and the effect that body moisture and oils have on it, in order to properly care for your latex outfit. Understanding this will save you a lot of frustration, as well as keep your investment in good condition. Using the proper technique can enhance the ease and comfort of wearing latex clothing and help protect your investment.
Important First Step:Clean and dry your hands and remove any sharp metal from your fingers (including rings and bracelets). Trim and file your nails so you don’t accidentally catch them on the delicate latex surface.
Essential Supplies You’ll Need
The following items are essential for dressing in latex. Putting on a latex garment without them is hard work that could damage the garment.
- Latex Dressing Aid/Shine: A water-based or silicone dressing aid made specifically for latex. Oil-based lubricants (such as Vaseline and baby oil) break down rubber products and should never be used.
- Talcum Powder or Cornstarch Alternatively: The inside of the latex garment can be coated with either of these powders (especially with new latex garments that have sticky qualities) to help reduce the stickiness that many new garments possess. Please be sure to wash the powder from your skin or garment before applying any silicone shiner, as oil and powder can clump together.
- A Clean, Lint-Free Cloth or Your Hands: Either will work for applying the dressing aid to your garment prior to wearing it.
- A Cool, Dry Place (Away from Humidity): Humidity can make latex tacky and more difficult to work with.
- Patience! When putting on a latex garment, patience is key. Don’t rush the process!
The Step-by-Step Process to Put on Your Latex Dress
Step 1: Prepare Yourself and the Dress
Showering is recommended, ensuring your skin is both clean and completely dry before wearing your latex dress. Do not put any lotion, oil, or fragrance on your skin right before putting on your latex dress, and always turn it completely inside out first. This is by far the most important thing to do to help ease the process of putting on a latex dress.
Step 2: Apply Dressing Aid Liberally
After turning the dress inside out, using your hands or a soft cloth, apply generous amounts of latex dressing aid (also called shine lotion) onto the inside of the dress, covering all areas that will be in contact with your body (e.g., shoulders, chest, hips, and underarms). Using your hands, apply the same amounts of latex dressing aid to your own skin on these areas of your body. There is no such thing as too much on the latex; whatever you do not need, simply wipe off after.
Step 3: The Initial Entry
If you’re putting on a full-length latex dress, begin by gathering it near your feet like you would a stocking, put your foot into the dress, and carefully roll/pull the latex up your leg. Do not grab & yank it to force it up. For shorter dresses or bodysuits, many times you can simply gather the waist of the dress and step into your dress. Then you can “rock” or move the dress up over your hips, letting the latex slide over your body’s curves as you do so.
Step 4: Working Up the Body
After working the lower half of the dress into place, continue to gently roll/shimmy the dress up your body until you’ve rolled the dress fully. If your dress has sleeves, you should insert one arm at a time, again rolling the dress from your wrist up. If the dress does not have sleeves, carefully pull the top part of the dress over your head and make sure your hair is not tangling while you are putting the dress on. As always, use the palms of your hands to guide and smooth the latex out instead of pinching it with your fingers.
Step 5: Final Adjustments and Smoothing
When the dress is on, you will likely need to turn it right-side out. Gently pull the hem down and roll outward to create the right-side out. Then, (if you can’t see your back in a mirror), stand in front of a mirror, and use your hands to smooth any wrinkles or bubbles of air trapped underneath. Start from the top and gently pull the air pockets down toward the hem of the dress to create a perfect, smooth, glossy surface.
Pro Tip for Zippers: If your dress has a zipper down the back, you should only zip it 90% of the way at first. Sit down, move around, and finish zipping afterwards. This will allow the latex to settle onto your body evenly, preventing unnecessary stress on the zipper seam.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Using Force: When wearing or removing the dress, DO NOT YANK OR PULL TOO HARSHLY with your fingertips (the fabric may stretch too much), instead only tugging gently while evenly dividing the pressure between both sides of the body. If it still feels like it is stuck, add additional dressing aids.
- Ignoring the Inside-Out Method: Using method and technique will greatly alleviate the risk for friction on your skin while wearing latex and will truly enhance your comfort while wearing latex clothing.
- Dressing in a Hot/Humid Environment: When the dressing aid has been applied too liberally, the product will actually create a sticky feeling to your body and cause issues when trying to put on/ take off your latex garments.
- Using the Wrong Products: Products such as petroleum jelly or common lubrication products will actually ruin your latex garment.
How to Take Off Your Latex Dress
In order to remove your dress properly follow these steps: Unzip the entire garment; Turn the garment inside out as you slowly roll up/remove from your body. This will prevent the dressing aid from creating a mess and helps keep the area clean. Once the garment is off, rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water using a soap that is designed for non-oily latex. Hang the garment to allow air drying in a shaded and cool area (out of direct sunlight and away from heat sources). Once the latex has thoroughly dried, lightly coat the exterior of the garment with a thin layer of shine to maintain its shine until putting away.
Final
You will eventually get very good at putting on latex using practice and using the proper dressing aids. Following this process; cleaning the latex after wearing, using the above technique and taking your time while dressing will enable you to wear your latex garments in elegant and chic way without worrying. The three most important elements of this process are the use of lubricants, skill, and patience. Now you are ready to wear your beautiful latex outfit and take over the world!
