Dragon*Con and Fetish Fashion

I had a blast at Dragon*Con. It was just four lazy days of shopping, eating, and people watching.

I didn’t take as many pictures as I thought I would because after a while, I realized I didn’t like being a documentary photographer. Taking pictures of other people’s devotion to looking exactly like someone else just seemed like an endless circle. I started taking pictures of people who created their own appearances based on something they liked. Even then it was less to record their efforts than it was to make notes about things that intrigued me so I could incorporate them into my writing.

Turns out that the most popular costume was Goth Hooker again. That was closely followed by Alice in Wonderland and one night I saw four adult Strawberry Shortcakes wearing the same store bought outfit. Aside from the costumes that were bought from lingerie shops, it is interesting to me how compared to other conventions, Dragon*Con has the most creative sexual costumes. Something more outright fetish like Frolicon is filled with endless corsets and black skirts as the costume of choice. I mean, Frolicon will never have a bunch of Space Chicks like I saw Sunday night.

It really makes me worry a little for the BDSM community. We are people outside the mainstream yet so much of what I see of BDSM is this quest to aspire to a common ideal. We wear black, we wear corsets, we wear leather and a shitload of boots. It is bizarre to me that there is so much conformity. We are a community that plays with power exchange and yet we shackle our choice of clothing to monochromatic leather.

Where as here at Dragon*Con, you might see a fetish costume that will molest your childhood. Take Snow White here.

Collar? Check. Short skirt for spanking? Check. Hint of stockings? Check? She has a full functioning fetish outfit that is bright, colorful and ties into a character that you might not have thought of in that manner. I loved this costume.

I have to say I was really inspired by all the steampunk stuff I saw. Although it had a lot of common elements like BDSM does, every piece is usually unique and handmade. Check this girl out.

Every steampunk person has goggles, but this girl made her own which makes it stand out. She wears the standard coat, but the colors are her choice. The purple shirt is a nice contrast as is the shiny belt. The boots are common, but not the athletic style she picked. It was really inspiring. I saw dozens of people dressed in her style but not a single person who looked just like her. I love that.

What else did I see that I like? Oh yes, pirates. Pirates are always cute. It is a scientific law of cuteness I believe.