Uniform fetishism

Uniform fetishism is a clothing fetish where an individual is obsessed and fixated by another or oneself wearing a uniform.

Types of uniforms

Among the most common uniforms in uniform fetish are those of a police officer, soldier, schoolgirl, nurse, French maid, waitress, cheerleader and Playboy Bunny. Some people also regard nuns' habits or even aprons as uniforms. The uniforms may be realistic, or made more sexual by for example a very short miniskirt or a very long hobble skirt, corset, stockings, fishnet tights or high heels, or being made of leather or latex according to preference. Sometimes, a uniform may be used appropriate to what is being done. For example, someone may wear a nurse's uniform to administer an enema, a police uniform to handcuff and cage someone, two equals dress as inmates for cell mate on cell mate activities in a prison setting or as submissive to a third (guard) player. This may add a sense of authenticity to the game play.^[1] A stripper dressed as a police officer is a popular fixture at birthday and bachelor parties. The "officer" begins with a mock arrest, often using handcuffs, of the guest of honor before going into the dance routine.

Japanese adult model in a schoolgirl uniform.

Schoolgirl uniform

A schoolgirl uniform fetish is a sexual fetish in which someone derives sexual pleasure from viewing others dressed like schoolgirls or someone enjoys dressing in the typical uniform of a schoolgirl in either a school skirt or culottes. The schoolgirl uniform fetish is common in both Japanese and Western pornography, prostitution, and other forms of adult entertainment, making it one of the most widespread clothing-oriented fetishes worldwide.^[2]

In Japanese pornography, the female often wears a Japanese school uniform, known in the sex industry as burusera (anglicized Japanese slang for "bloomer/sailor" outfit, they are composed of "bloomer" as bottoms of gym suits and sailor suit as school uniforms). Typically this is based on the summer sailor fuku type (white blouse with blue sailor collar and red tie, as well as a blue pleated skirt), except the skirt is shortened significantly. However, numerous variants exist; these can be based on western school uniforms or uniforms from anime or hentai, such as the "bustier plus miniskirt" outfit seen in Bible Black.^[1]

A schoolgirl fetishist

The schoolgirl image may appeal to women because it allows them to project a more youthful, innocent, or virginal image. These same reasons can explain part of the look's appeal to males as well. It may also have a less sexual aspect of nostalgia, recalling memories of a simpler time in one's life. Indeed, fetishes often start to develop at puberty, when for males schoolgirls often feature as objects of desire which (particularly where men attended all-boys schools) were seemingly unattainable. Often the contrast of a fully developed woman in a "childlike" role is appealing, in the same manner as other forms of sexual role-playing.^[2]

A schoolgirl fetish is essentially a clothing fetish, not a sexual preference for schoolgirls: the sexual arousal lies in a person of the fetishist's sexual preference (i.e. an adult woman) in the school uniform. This difference is subtle but important, as it means that the majority of people with this fetish would not be sexually attracted to a genuine schoolgirl because the person in the uniform does not fit with their sexual preference (this is more closely linked with paedophilia or ephebophilia).

In practice, the schoolgirl role is usually a sexually compliant or playfully "naughty" submissive, while her partner plays an adult authority figure such as a parent, teacher, or stern principal. This can include fantasies or re-enactments of childhood events including corporal punishments such as spanking, school canings or paddling, etc.

Cheerleader uniform

Another popular clothing fetish involves cheerleader uniforms. The popularity of the provocative Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders in the 1970s established the cheerleader as an American icon of wholesome sex appeal. An entire subgenre of sexploitation films emerged with titles such as The Swinging Cheerleaders (1974) and Cheerleaders's Wild Weekend (1979) plus countless pornographic films starting with Debbie Does Dallas in 1978. As a result, the uniform remains one of the most popular outfits for Halloween, costume parties, exotic dancers, specialty prostitutes, and role-playing couples. As with the schoolgirl, the role-playing cheerleader is a submissive character dominated by her partner who plays an authority figure such as a coach, teacher or headmaster.

French maid uniform

Japanese cosplay French maid

A popular costume for sexual roleplay, the uniform, worn by a servant who traditionally defers to her wealthy master, carries an implicit dominance and submission symbolism. When worn during sexual foreplay or by practitioners of the BDSM lifestyle, the maid may perform humbling (or even humiliating) acts of servitude such as dusting, mopping, serving drinks, or forniphilia — posing as a footstool or other forms of human furniture. In Friends with Money (2006), Jennifer Aniston's character (who is in fact a cleaner by profession,) dresses as a French Maid for her boyfriend, first vacuuming and using a feather duster, then having sexual intercourse whilst still in costume. On the NBC TV series 30 Rock (May 2009, season 3, episode 3), Aniston once again wore a skimpy maid costume in an attempt to seduce Alec Baldwin's character. And, on the Desperate Housewives series (Season 1, Episode 21), Lynette (Felicity Huffman) wears a French maid outfit bought at a lingerie store to spice up her marriage.

There is also an extensive Sissy (transgender) subculture among cross-dressing female-dominated men who roleplay as submissive "sissy maids" while wearing a feminine French maid uniform.

Military, police, and Nazi chic

Uniforms worn by military men and police officers present an image of enhanced masculinity and authority that often has a strong sexual appeal to both women and the gay male subculture. For example, the popular 1970s disco group The Village People dressed up as gay fetish stereotypes including a police officer, military man, and leather-clad biker.

Nazi chic, particularly the black SS officer's uniform, has been widely adopted and fetishized by underground gay and BDSM lifestyle groups, as well as Japanese cosplay. Parts (and variations) of the uniform, such as the leather boots and peaked cap, have become standard wear for the female dominatrix and male master or dominant. In the 1970s the uniform's association with sadomasochism and forbidden sexuality was embodied in a wave of violent Nazisploitation films such as Ilsa, She-Wolf of the SS and the controversial art-house film The Night Porter (1974). In the latter film, a topless Charlotte Rampling has an iconic scene performing a Marlene Dietrich song for a group of concentration camp guards while wearing parts of an SS uniform. Her ensemble of army boots and pants, suspenders, peaked cap, and black opera gloves has been imitated countless times, most notably in pop singer Madonna's banned Justify My Love video in 1990. A slightly less revealing version of this outfit was worn by Lady Gaga in her 2009 music video for the single "LoveGame".

In popular culture

In season 5, episode 15 of the TV show Rescue Me, Callie Thorne's character plays a seductress dressed as a cheerleader, Playboy bunny, and dominatrix.

The comedy film American Wedding (2003), from the popular American Pie series, features a bachelor party scene with two S&M-themed strippers (Fraulein Brandi and Officer Krystal) dressed in the fetishistic costumes of a French maid and a police officer.

References

1. ^ ^{a b} The Visual Dictionary of Sex, Dr. Eric J Trimmer (editor), ISBN 0-89479-011-0; A & W Publishers, 1977
2. ^ ^{a b} [1] Accessed 7 Aug 2008.