Suit and tie fetishism

Suit and tie fetishism or a suit fetish describes a fetishistic attraction towards men wearing business and/ or formalwear (or photos or video of men in such clothing, or the objects of clothing themselves), and also men who get aroused when they themselves are in such clothing. Generally, the fetish and arousal first appears in adolescence, but many men report having arousal from seeing other males in a suit and necktie (or from wearing one themselves) from pre-school age.

Aside from the following scenarios which can be classified within the boundaries of typical sexual fetishism, the fact that men simply look good when dressed in business or formalwear might make a person who doesn’t typically have this fetish temporarily get specifically aroused at the sight of a man "all dressed up." Persons who take notice that a friend or co-worker who usually does not dress up suddenly appears at a function or at work in business or formalwear (the classic “he sure cleans up well” scenario) most likely would not be considered to have this fetish, as the arousal is fleeting and specific to that person at that moment. Typical people with a suit and tie fetish are fixated on the thought of having sexual encounters that involve at least one of the participants dressed in a suit or tuxedo, and will seek out visual and tactical stimuli to aid their sexual fantasy.

Men who are aroused by seeing other men in suits and ties

Most active members of the Suit and Tie Fetish Community are Gay men, though some heterosexual women find the sight of a man dressed formally for business sexually stimulating as well.

There are several primary ways that one might be sexually stimulated by seeing a man in a suit and tie:

The sight of a man dressed for business is a very powerful image that can trigger feelings of inadequacy in the viewer and feed into typical sadist/ masochist scenarios (BDSM) with one sexual partner appearing to have the upper hand merely by virtue of outward appearance. Conversely, in role play this can also be used in a “turn the tables” scenario with a man in a power suit being forced into a humiliating position by someone attired in the garb of perhaps a janitor or construction worker.

A person viewing a man in a suit and tie can also be aroused by the material in the outfit. The crispness of the cotton shirt, the cool sleekness of high-quality wool and (most frequently) the satin and/ or silk lining of the suit coat and vest (and material in the necktie) provide tactile stimulation to enhance the visual stimulation. For some, the aroma of wool adds additional stimuli. Also, some men will use the accoutrements of business wear as an aid to masturbation, such as using the sleekness of silk in a tie to stimulate tactile arousal.

The effect on particularly masculine men can also be a factor if one looks at the suit as “civilizing” him; to see a man replete with bulging muscles, body hair and stubble being juxtaposed with being attired in elegant, formal clothing can be stimulating to some with this fetish. Furthermore, although a symbol of power and authority a man in a suit and tie is actually quite vulnerable; this can be seen frequently in fiction and drama as a man who is dressed for business or in a tuxedo is apprehensive about getting into a fight, lest his expensive clothing be destroyed or damaged.

Being sexually stimulated by seeing another man dressed in a suit or tuxedo frequently can be crossed with additional fetishes (many within the sadistic/ masochistic BDSM spectrum) and will be described below.

Men who are aroused by wearing suits and ties

This differs from the preceding in that men who are attracted by other men wearing suits (and the men that are attracted to the thought of having a sexual and/ or role play encounter while being dressed in one) are usually practicing or at least self-identified Gay men looking for a sexual encounter; while this manifestation of the suit and tie fetish is usually quite private. Also, this fetish seems to be more prevalent amongst heterosexual men:

Some men are aroused by the act of putting on a suit and tie; this can lead to the typical physical manifestations of arousal, including accelerated heart rate and erections. Generally it begins subtly as the garments are put on one-by-one and then reaches its apex as the tie is tied in the mirror and then the jacket is buttoned as the day’s business ensemble comes together. This usually starts in adolescence where the young man puts on a suit infrequently, but when he enters the business world and is required to dress formally most days of the week it can escalate from a mild annoyance to a true problem when each morning’s dressing for work routine is interrupted by a need to release sexual tension. This can be humiliating and very difficult for the heterosexual-identified man to deal with, as though he is sexually attracted to women, he constantly finds himself aroused by his own clothing which is in fact a clear symbol of masculine power. Needless to say, heterosexual men with this fetish do not find it easy to share even with closest friends out of fear of being labeled homosexual, but like cross-dressing this is an arousal that is not mutually exclusive to heterosexuality. As frequently the stimuli comes from seeing oneself looking sharp and dashing in the mirror while dressing, it can also be classified as being on the narcissism spectrum.

Combined with other sexual fetishes

Suit and tie fetish/ BDSM

As previously noted, this fetish frequently finds itself paired with domination fantasies (BDSM) with either the suit-wearer using the power suit to enhance his authority or using it to enhance his humiliation as he is dominated by another man (or woman), frequently dressed as a member of a lower rung on the social sphere.

Suit and tie fetish/ Wet and messy

When combined with a wet and messy fetish, the man in a suit will look to have the humiliation of being “gunged” intensified by wearing very expensive clothing. This can stem from being told as a boy “don’t get your nice clothes dirty” when dressed in a suit; this act of rebellion and “being bad” can be severely stimulating to a man with these fetishes. Some will actually buy expensive and ultra-formal clothing (three-piece suits, morning suits, white tie and tails) just for the purpose of ruining them, usually at the hands of another man who is applying the “gunge” or “slime.” Men with this fetish also like the idea of being doused with water or thrown into a pool; an intense manifestation of this can lead to coprophilia and urophilia, wanting to be defecated or urinated on while dressed in a suit or tuxedo, though this is fairly uncommon. The two-pronged stimuli of this are humiliation (going from looking neat as a pin and powerful to being sloppy and messy) and the tactile feel of wet and possibly sticky substances seeping through one’s expensive clothing.

Suit and tie fetish/ Animal transformation

When paired with an animal transformation fantasy fetish, the formally-dressed man gets aroused by the thought of going from a dignified, clean-cut man wearing the uniform of power to becoming a lowly, helpless animal (frequently a humiliating species, such as a dog, a pig or a donkey). This can range from wanting to be treated like an animal while dressed in a suit and tie (frequently within BDSM scenarios) to having elaborate fantasies about actual physical transformation into another species while dressed for business, experiencing the full spectrum of being clean-cut and formally dressed in the model of human civility (the business suit) to actually sprouting fur and animal appendages and becoming a helpless beast. This can be considered a release of tension for a man in a top executive position, the thought of having his civility, accomplishments, education, good looks and even wardrobe disappear as he becomes a dog or beast of burden can be freeing; conversely, some men are also stimulated by the potentially humiliating scenario of turning into an animal while dressed up at work or at an important event. As this particular fetish generally involves an element of fantasy (and also can be shared equally by heterosexual and homosexual men), there are frequently scenarios in where the man is being transformed against his will, perhaps after finding out a girlfriend he has just broken-up with is a sorceress, etc.

Suit and tie fetish/ Forced feminization

There is a perception in some circles (particularly amongst blue-collar workers) that wearing a suit and tie is a sign of being a “sissy.” This is also frequently expressed in fiction and drama as a man who generally does not wear a suit shows up amongst his lower-class cronies all dressed up and is greeted with wolf-whistles and cat-calls, as if they are expressing attraction towards a woman. This can be also be used in a BDSM scenario, as a man who feels the need to have his masculinity called into question will dress as a “dandy” to inspire scorn and ridicule from those of the lower classes. Also, some men will secretly wear women’s undergarments underneath their conservative business dress.

Related fetishes

• Over-the-calf socks/ Sock Fetishism: Some people are aroused by the look and feel of long, sheer formal socks that go up beyond a man’s calf.
• Shoe fetishism: As some heterosexual men are aroused by women’s shoes, some homosexual men are aroused by men’s formal shoes (such as wingtips) that are used in business wear.
• Silk/Satin fetishism: Focusing primarily on the lining of the suit coat and vest, also on neckties.

See also

• Fetish clothing
• Leather
• Leather subculture
• Sexual fetishism
• Shoe fetishism
• Silk/Satin fetishism
• Sock fetishism
• Transformation fetish

References

• Dr. Michael J. Bader The Secret Logic of Sexual Fantasies Thomas Dunne Books, January 1992
• Valerie Steele, Fetish: Fashion, Sex, and Power, Oxford University Press, 1995.
• Brenda Love, The Encyclopedia of Unusual Sex Practices, published by Barricade Books, 1994

External links

• SuitSex (Contains explicit scenes of gay pornography)
• menatplay
• ExecutiveSex