Fetish Fashions in SF
Getting Frisky for Valentine’s
By Anhoni Patel

San Frisky is what San Francisco ought to be called. Look around and you can find a bedlam of fanciful, fun, fetish fashions to wear not only at fairs, balls or clubs but also in your lair. Getting frisky for only Valentine’s or the Folsom Street Fair seems so conservative when there are so many other outfits to wear every day of the year.

I started with the girls in my S Factor pole class. Where did they find their outfits for class? The girls offered numerous places but the real winner seemed to be Foot Worship.

Right after class I went do my homework. I drove to Polk Street, which abounds with ethnic eateries, bars and shops. At the intersection of Sutter I saw Foot Worship, which stands quite tall once you are inside the store. Try 5, 6, 7 or even 9 inches of tallness. The shelves groan with a range of heels that come in numerous styles and colors. There are blood red stilettos, solid gold thigh high boots and black patent platforms to name just a few. Two of my classmates were already at the shop doing their homework and looking for their own foot pleasures.

The best selling item is the “Cinderella glass slipper,” says Hank, the owner. Girls fulfill their glass-slipper-it-fits syndrome by slipping on clear stilettos that can be enlarged or stabilized for $10 if you fear teetering off them. Make it fit with or without an ankle strap. Choose wedge styles that come in clear, cork or even with a couple of Vegas’ dice embedded in them.

Through a side door, along a narrow hallway and up the stairs I find Felicity. She greets me with hypnotic giggles and tells me where I can find Felicity’s Fetiche. Her store stocks “soft fetishes” she tells me. Nothing hardcore here.

What sells hard but in a soft way tends to be Catholic school girl uniforms. Red plaid mini skirts with garters ($40), black tube tops ($22), collar-tie sets (who needs a shirt-$22) hang in one corner. Nurse, cop and Lara Croft outfits also do very well.

As I leave these fetishes behind me and head out the door, I find my classmates still looking for the right shoe. Knowing I am on a mission, they instruct me to head to [b]Luscious Wear[/b] just around the block. Within minutes, I find sophisticated looks such as a red baby doll dress or a black and white tuxedo style bra and panty set. The quality of the lingerie is decent with moderate prices. The French maid outfit doesn’t look too bad either.

Down Polk Street, across Market and near the site of the annual Folsom Street Fair, I find some hardcore looks at Mr. S Leather and Madame S. BDSM gear and fashions are their forte. Corsets, red-pink polka dot latex dresses, vinyl dresses, whips, rubber suits and masks line all the walls, racks, shelves, rooms and floor space. Open since 1979, this place looks like it’s here to stay.

Around the corner stands Stormy Leather. Penthouse magazine recently featured a Stormy Leather grommet bra and thong on a front cover. Other amazing finds include a large collection of corsets that come in satin, leather, Bella Donna styles with lace up or zip up closures. I cannot decide which one to try on. All I do know is that my homework is really not over in San Frisky. No — it’s just getting started.