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Dark Valentine: how to wear latex lingerie and a discount code for you to try it.

With Valentine’s day getting closer I decided some new lingerie images were in order. I often find I need to shoot items several times to get the perfect shot or enough to showcase it properly so all of these items have been shot before but I was pleased to see them showcased from new angles.

s&s on rug

I’ve wanted to try shooting images from above using a bed or rugs as a backdrop for a while and decided on this large white one as it contrasts nicely with the black latex.

shakira rug

Shakira wears: choker harness bra, latexlace suspender belt, latexlace harness panties and latex stockings, all available on the website. Use EustL20 for 20% off at checkout.

stacey rug

 

  I’m wearing: Pastie harness bra, latexlace cincher harness, standard latex briefs and banded latex stockings. Again, use EustL20 for 20& off.

S&S standing

This is the time of year when a lot of people decide to try latex lingerie for the first time. They have often seen pictures of it and like the look of it but aren’t sure how to wear it themselves or if it would suite them.

In this post, I’m going to try and address some common worries people might have when thinking of purchasing latex underwear for the first time.

  1. Latex won’t look good on me/suit my figure.

Latex lingerie, like regular lingerie, comes in all shapes and sizes. If you’re not sure what style to go for, make your first purchase a similar style to your current favourite lingerie set. To change it up a bit, maybe try a different colour, trim or motif but keep the style quite similar to something you know and love.

Well-cut latex is very flattering. The different thicknesses give varying amounts of support but in general, it is slightly more sculpting than regular lingerie and tends to enhance curves in an attractive way. If you would like to know more about fit, take time to discuss designs and thicknesses with your designer so you can make an informed decision. Most also offer a made to measure service to ensure a perfect fit.

You don’t have to show a lot of skin in order to wear latex lingerie, especially if you are not purchasing it exclusively for the bedroom. A full outfit of a bra, high waisted briefs, suspender belt, stockings, gloves and a headpiece will cover a lot more flesh than a dress as well as offering more support to your figure. Such an outfit also offers versatility as each of the components can then also be used in different outfits

 

stacey rug standing

shakira rug standing

2. I’m scared I’ll ruin it!

It is always advisable to read up on latex care before starting your latex collection but I find that people are often surprised by how durable it is. I have previously written a post on latex care which you can read here.

Latex is stretchy and can take a bit of handling as long at the right method and dressing aid is used.

My main dressing tips would be to make sure you warm it up before you wear it, especially in the winter and to be careful not to put your nail through it, or snag it on any other pointy items.

When you take your latex off after a sweaty night, wash it!

Look into storage options and don’t be lazy. Like any luxury item, latex needs a bit of care. If you throw it on your bedroom floor after use, it probably won’t last that long.

p.s. If you have any damaged latex in need of repair, feel free to give me a message. I do reasonably priced repairs, alterations and can also make suggestions for garments usually considered “ruined beyond repair”.

3. Latex has to be paired with latex.

People often put off buying a latex item they love out of wear of not having anything to wear with it. They think that in order to buy whatever they have their eye on, they would have to first have a whole latex outfit to wear with it!

The truth is, latex looks great paired with other fabrics. Contrasting textures always add interest to an outfit and can also be used to enhance a silhouette by making some parts more prominent than others. For example, if you think that your thighs look large in proportion to the rest of your body, skin-tight and shiny latex stockings can give the appearance of more streamline legs, while a textured or decorated bra can draw attention to the bust and make it look fuller.

I have included some examples of latex being worn with items from my fabric lingerie line.

stacey half

4. Latex is strictly for people who practice BDSM.                                          

I don’t know how people can still believe this in 2016, but it would appear that they do.

Latex clothing now comes in any colour or style under the sun. I know I’ve focused on black for this set but feel free to check out my collection gallery to give you some examples.

You can order any of your wardrobe staples in latex, made to measure and customised to fit your needs.

It is not sold in dingy, downstairs sex shops but in beautifully lit and decorated boutiques, like any kind of luxury clothing.

Every celebrity owns a piece and it graces fashion week catwalks season after season.

Latex can even be integrated into your everyday wardrobe if you so wish and a post on how to achieve that will be coming soon.

Photography: Richard Ayres

models: Shakira and myself

Wardrobe: Eustratia

Concept, styling and makeup by me

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aestheticcontradiction

FAQs Series: Latex Care

I love introducing people to latex fashion, I love that more people are starting to recognise it and I also love that more celebrities, stylists and fashion photographers are actively seeking it out and featuring it more in their work.

Though a lot more people now seem to know about the existence of latex fashion and the striking look it can produce, it seems that not everyone is aware of the delicate nature of the fabric, or sometimes even basic latex-care rules.

I’ve been working with latex for a while now and wearing it for even longer so I thought it would be useful to write a summary of basic rules and some tips based on my own experiences. Obviously different people have different preferences and I’d love to hear what works for you too!

First of all, here’s a list of things to avoid coming into contact with your latex:

  • Direct sunlight (discolours and degrades)
  • Smoke (discolours)
  • Oil/wax (degrades)
  • Perfume and scented products (degrades)
  • Metal, particularly copper and nickel (stains)
  • Sweat (degrades)
  • Water/humidity (rots)
  • Heat (melts/degrades)
  • Sharp objects/long nails (tears/damages)
  • Sun-cream (discolours)
  • Leather (production oils can degrade)
  • Greasy food (degrades)

If you would like to wear your latex during the day, purchasing some Fade stop is definitely worth it.

With regards to staining, the effects can sometimes be reversed if the garment is washed, talced and placed in a dark, airtight container for several months. I’m not exactly sure why this works but I have heard it from a couple of regular latex wearers and have also experienced it myself with a white garment from my first collection that suffered metal staining at a photoshoot.

Wearing-

Pull on latex items require dressing aid. Talc and waterbased lube are most commonly used and best. Lube is usually easier to distribute so it will probably give the best results with very tight garments, though I prefer not to use it with stockings or leggings if I am wearing them for long periods of time as it can cause the latex to stick to the back of the knee and form painful creases.

Shining-

Latex can be worn as is but is more commonly shined to give the distinctive wet-look appearance we all love. New items will absorb more lube and can take a few applications to build up their shine. Silicone lube or spray is most commonly used, you can get products like Pjur cult that doubles up as dressing aid and shiner and vivshine which is recommended to be used while washing the latex but can also be applied by hand.

Washing-

Wash your latex as soon after wearing as possible. If you come back from a night out where you have been sweating, it’s probably easiest to just get in the shower with (make sure the water isn’t too hot though). If you can’t wash it straight away, make sure you cover it in talc or corn starch to absorb any liquid on the surface.

As a general rule, wash your latex in a bowl or bath tub of lukewarm water using a mild detergent or soap. This can range from unscented soap to mild/baby shampoo to washing up liquid. Just run the lather or bar of soap lightly across the surface of the latex and rub with your hands. Afterwards rinse it properly, making sure no suds remain. At this stage, if you would like to add silicone oil (pjur/vivishine) to your wash and save yourself having to shine it later on, you can fill the bowl/tub up again with fresh water and add a few drops of your selected oil, along with the latex. Swoosh the latex around the bowl/tub with your hand make sure all areas come into contact with the oil to ensure an even shine.

Drying-

When you have finished your final rinse, dab the latex with a towel to get rid of excess water and hang on a plastic hanger to drip dry. Try to avoid metal clothes maidens as they can become rusty and stain your garments. Also anything that causes your garment to be doubled over is not advisable as it  can stop it from drying properly. As latex is a natural product and can rot, it is preferable that it is allowed to dry as quickly as possible. When areas of the latex have retained excess water you may notice discoloration, commonly referred to as “water marks”. These are usually temporary but could develop into something more serious if the latex isn’t allowed to dry.

Packing-

When your latex appears dry it is time to wrap it up and store it safely in a dark, dry place.

First of all, make sure you dust your newly washed garment with talc/corn starch to absorb any excess moisture. The powder should also stop it from sticking to its self but I also wrap it in tissue paper at this point. This stops the latex from sticking to its self as well as the outer packaging and also minimises creasing and offers some protection from the sun in the event of transportation. I recommend buying the white/natural tissue paper so you don’t have to worry about it staining lighter coloured items.

Most people pack their latex in clear, grip lock bags. You can squeeze the air out of them which makes your garments easy to store and carry. They also usually make it easy to guess which garment is in each bag but you can also add labels to them if you have multiple items that look similar.

Large items can also be placed on hangers and in garment bags or wrapped in plastic bags.

Be especially careful with items containing metal components and make sure the metal doesn’t come into contact with the latex (particularly for light colours). You can wrap tissue paper round them or stock masking tape over them (particularly useful for press-studs)

Storing-

Some people have a latex closet, others prefer to store theirs in plastic boxes/bins but I prefer drawers for the majority of my items. I only store large,  mixed media or structured items in the wardrobe and I wrap these up properly to stop them coming into contact with other items that might stain them. I have heard the IKEA SVAJS garment bags are good but I have yet to try them myself. I wouldn’t recommend storing Items of clothing made in standard grade latex on hangers for extended periods of time as they may stretch.

Obviously light and transparent colours requite extra care as they discolour easily. Black and dark coloured latex will probably be fine, even if you don’t take all the measures listed here, but as a general rule, the better you look after your latex, the longer it will last.

I hope you find this guide useful! If I have any more information to add or I take relevant pictures in the future I might update the post.

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aestheticcontradiction

FAQs #1 Eustratia collaboration guidelines.

I have decided to start a FAQs series, these will relate to my label, Eustratia and perhaps even include some more personal subjects I get asked about often.

This is the first post in the series and I’m going to start with what seems to be the most popular subject: collaborations.

For such a small company, I get an insane amount of model requests and quite a few photographer requests as well. Some offer to pay postage but most just want me to send them garments to use in their photoshoots for free. I love collaborating with other creatives but as I run all aspects of the business myself I have to stick to a few rules and conduct my image-obtaining operations as time-efficiently as possible. I will try to explain the basics through the points below and hopefully give potential models a better understand of the process of choosing the right collaboration and the general needs of a small business with regards to photographic material.

 

What types of images are needed?

The images I use usually fall into one of the following four categories: 1.lookbook, 2.product shots, 3.editorial or 4.conceptual.

1. I always organise the look book shoots myself as they show the proposed outfit combinations for each collection and are also shot in an appropriate style to complement the mood of the range. Photographers are welcome to apply for these on a TF basis as long as they understand my needs. Previous lookbooks can be found under the “collections” tab on my site.

2. I prefer to have two types of product shots for each garment, one cut out on a mannequin and one on a model. I usually take the one on a mannequin myself, in my home studio. If the item in question belongs to a particular collection I will already have a model product shot from the lookbook shoot. I do however have some items that are extras or occasionally one that could do with being re-photographed and in this case I may decide to send it out to a model if I have someone in mind.

3. Editorial is the kind of shoot that I’m most likely to collaborate on. I’m only looking to do one editorial shoot every couple of months because I want to have time to put the effort into the outfits/styling and props. The photographer’s ability and style plays a big part so I have to be selective. The main objective with these sorts of shoots is, of course, to be published, so the style of the shoot will have to be, to a degree at least, in-keeping with the brand’s ideology (although I do like to show the versatility of my garments in terms of styling).

4. I occasionally organise conceptual shoots myself if a collection or outfit is inspired by a particular theme or mental image and requires a more involved shoot to put across but I’m also happy to collaborate on these. I love large-scale props, fantasy themes and polished fashion images. If you get in touch about something like this it is best have links to the team and a concept board ready.

How best to apply to model/photograph for Eustratia and what to include.

I try not to judge the format of the enquiry too much but there are certain things that make an application easier to read/reply to. When answering a large amount of emails, ones that aren’t easy to reply to might get left till last/overlooked.

  •  It is best to email enquiries@eustratia.co.uk or contact me through the contact feature on my facebook page or website.
  • It is always good to have an idea/theme in mind. It’s easy to ask if I have anything I need shooting, but the reality is, if I needed something shooting I probably would have arranged that already or, if I didn’t have time put a casting up on the facebook page.
  • Always include your portfolio and measurements, I need to be able to see what your work is like and if you fit the available samples.
  • If possible include a link to the photographer (and the rest of the team if there is one). The more information, the easier it will be to establish if the shoot is suitable and decide on the right outfit.
  • Do not make your email excessively long. I just need to see the relative information, writing a long list of every project you have ever been involved in or why you think my ideology is compatible with yours isn’t necessary at this stage.

 

What is expected if you do borrow garments from me?

If you do borrow items for a shoot and hope to do so again in the future it is best to adhere to these simple guidelines: I am always understanding but this is my livelihood and I like my garments to be looked after as well as possible when they are out of my care and, of course, to get the most out of the shoots I collaborate on.

  • Always treat the latex with care, make sure you know how to put it on/ care for it before you ask to use it in a shoot.
  • Make sure you have appropriate dressing aid/ latex care products as it isn’t always possible to send them.
  • Always wrap the latex in tissue paper and store in a zip-lock bag. Latex is a delicate material and can be damaged in many ways.
  • If the garments get dirty, excessively sweaty on your shoot, it is best to give them a clean before you send them back. I’m sure no one likes to receive dirty clothes.
  • Always send the items back via a reliable service if you are not returning them in person. Choose a fast and if possible insured service to return the items. It will only cause problems if the item goes missing because it will have to be replaced. 
  • Make sure you provide appropriate photos from the shoot. If I have agreed to send out something without a fee, it means you are expected to provide clear images of the garments that can be used for whatever purpose has been previously agreed. It is also good to double check with the photographer that he is happy to provide images and for them to be used in such a way because in the UK the photographer always has copyright.
  • Make sure that the whole team involved know who provided the wardrobe and that you add a designer credit against every image when it is posted online, preferably with a link.

 

What work is involved prior to lending out garments?

When lending items out to someone I’m not familiar with I usually take some time to find out about the shoot/our arrangement.

Then the appropriate garments have to be selected, which involves choosing styles/colours and taking all the ones that are about the right size out and measuring them to make sure. Then they need to be put into outfits and accessorised if necessary. Any items that have recently been worn have to be washed. Even if they don’t need a wash I usually give them a clean so they don’t look covered with talc if the model/ photographer doesn’t have shiner.

After that it is ready for them to be wrapped and packed and sent on their way with the next batch of post.

 

Why it isn’t possible to work with everyone.

It must be evident that I started Eustratia in order to be able to do something that make me happy as a full-time job. One of the things that I enjoy most about owning a fashion label are the photoshoots. If I had the time and resources, I would arrange one every week and have the opportunity to work with a lot more of the creatives that contact me.

Unfortunately, everything I mentioned above is quite time-consuming and establishing a clear concept can take some time as well. So along with all the designing and making and events and social networking I have to keep up with just to keep the business going, I only have time for a couple of shoots a month and I have to make them count.

 

Does having a large following make a difference?

It does, especially if you are interested in remote modelling. I am willing to send out small items for reviews to popular fashion bloggers and also to lend out items for shoots that wouldn’t necessarily be my first priority style wise, as long as they are well-shot and would get a certain amount of publicity. For this to apply I am looking for over 10k followers on any one social media platform.

When I have arranged a shoot for one of my personal projects/lookbooks however, followers are irrelevant. I’m just looking for someone with the right look to style the way I want and bring the image in my head to life.

 

How to help Eustratia grow in order to accommodate more collaborations.

If you are getting in touch about collaborating on a future shoot, that would imply that you are already aware of and probably admire, to some extent, my existing work. In fact, the majority of emails I get start off by stating as such.

In order to create more of this work I have to make enough money to not only survive (which is hard enough already in today’s socio-economic climate) but to also make a small profit to put back into my work, or even eventually hire someone to deal with the garments loans. For a small business like mine, every order counts, no matter how small.

For those who have a small budget and would like to give it a try, I offer 15% off all orders in exchange for reasonable quality, clear images of the garments. Email enquiries@eustratia.co.uk with a link to your portfolio for details. Such arrangements could lead to official collaborations, provided the images produced are the right standard/style. I understand that most of the people who ask to borrow items can’t afford full outfits but an easy way to show support would be to buy a small accessory. Helping to make people aware of the brand or growing the online following as also equally as helpful, and above all free. I always notice who follows and interacts with brand and will automatically keep them in mind for future projects (Although I often have a long backlog of shoots to prioritise).

I hope this post helpful and I’m happy to listen to feedback.

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