Sexy fashion parade

[EmilyMiller]

Lotta ladies like ladies, but I catch your drift...

I like men (ask my SO), I just don’t like Chippendale-like men, it always seems more like homoerotica to me. Women are just much nicer to look at .

 

[EmilyMiller]

Thinking about female narrators and male characters. I think several times I’ve used a formula like: he was well dressed and had clearly made an effort about his appearance, but not so much as to veer into metrosexuality.

 

[Jorunn]

This thread is downplaying clothing, but I remember a recent one with plenty of comments discussing a woman wearing heels.

I think hiking boots, on men or women, are far sexier. And it can help a story if you use clothing to identify the personality and interests of the characters by their type of clothing (not necessarily brands). I do this in real life all the time.

 

[AwkwardMD]

But I've never really noticed excessive references to clothing in either your stories or those by, say, BrokenSpokes or OneHitWanda, unless they are a key part of the plot (e.g. "The dress" or underwear in "Roses for Erin").

Unrelated, but grateful to be on the short list

 

[LargoKitt]

This thread is downplaying clothing, but I remember a recent one with plenty of comments discussing a woman wearing heels.

I think hiking boots, on men or women, are far sexier. And it can help a story if you use clothing to identify the personality and interests of the characters by their type of clothing (not necessarily brands). I do this in real life all the time.

I -almost- understand the trope of women wearing high spiked heels to make love (or should I say 'have sex') I can see that men who fantasize about prostitutes might get hot about a woman who never takes her shoes off. And I understand women wanting footwear that makes their tootsies look classy or glamorous (although why you would do that when other bits are out there in all their raw splendor I have no clue). Those boots are better off or on for those who love stomping and stinking. Whew! None of that my playground.

 

[LargoKitt]

The easy, uncharitable answer is that men don't care enough to recognize fashion in the course of an erotic story, which would be borne out by gay stories also not spending a lot of time on the same thing. In my limited experience, I've never come across brand names in GM the way I have in LS. If knowing fashion was important to a woman they were pursuing in their personal life, that might be a cross to bear, but for a story the audience gonna read once and get off to those are superfluous details for creator and reader both.

This is further borne out by the recent thread on how to complement women. One of the more popular answers ran along the lines of "say something nice about a choice I've made rather than about me directly." Other women obviously know some things about women's fashion, would know enough to hear Louboutin and associate that with the red leather sole. The familiarity is baked in.

That being said, I know I have lots of male readers in my LS smut. (I was about to say I don't usually engage in brand mentions but immediately realized I probably mention a lot of footwear (even though I'm not much of a foot gal (this probably requires some thinking))) I've never had any complaints. I think that many, or even most, men understand what's being referred to or can get there through context.

TL;DR Female LS authors are projecting the thing they wish would happen to them more often.

I'm puzzled about your comment about gay men and clothes since apparel seems to be a major focus for lots of gay men. I haven't penned a pure gay story yet but I'm pretty sure I would include something about the feel of expensive sky blue cashmere on bare skin and a choice about whether or not to wear black leather jeans.

 

[LargoKitt]

It depends. If it's something iconic or particularly representative of an era (e.g. the miniskirt or classic RayBans) then I'll probably say so but otherwise I avoid brands, mainly because I'm pretty clueless about fashion in general! However, in my entry for the Born To Run competition I shamelessly name musical equipment because it's a pet obsession. More than one comment to the story says something to the effect that they don't understand what I'm talking about! But then that's sort of a mood board for me.

The oldest author rule, "Write what you know" encourages a story about instruments if that is your groove. But I'd want see and feel the instrument as part of the character. If he's Jimmy Hendrix character, what does his custom stratocaster look and feel like. if he plays a Martin does it have a cracked face like willie Nelson's.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

I -almost- understand the trope of women wearing high spiked heels to make love (or should I say 'have sex') I can see that men who fantasize about prostitutes might get hot about a woman who never takes her shoes off. And I understand women wanting footwear that makes their tootsies look classy or glamorous (although why you would do that when other bits are out there in all their raw splendor I have no clue). Those boots are better off or on for those who love stomping and stinking. Whew! None of that my playground.

I think the whole high heel sex thing is definitely a Boomerism. People in my generation don't seem to have the same obsession that older people do.

 

[iwatchus]

I think the whole high heel sex thing is definitely a Boomerism. People in my generation don't seem to have the same obsession that older people do.

As a true boomer (born in the 50's), I think it predates me for the most part.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

If anything, mainstream chick lit and heterosexual Lit categories go on about women's clothes way more than LS. Loads of romances love going on about clothes. I find it jarring when it's done badly, especially when there's a list of brand names that mean nothing to me in a different country or 15 years later with a different set of connotations.

Clothes can say a fair bit about a character, but often they're described because the detail is a fetish of the author.

 

[DarkCosmos]

Speaking from the perspective of a male writer here. Whenever I'm describing a woman's clothes, I usually only bother to specify the brand of clothing if I want to emphasize that she is wealthy/powerful. Otherwise, I don't bother. It's way easier to just say "she was wearing a noticeably provacative white halter top that paired well with her three inch heels and black pencil skirt" than to worry about the specific label she's wearing. If I need fashion consultation, I ask the expert. Aka my SO.

 

[iwatchus]

I'm reading an Emily Henry book as a modern romance that was recommended to me. Only a few chapters in, but she goes on about the clothes and labels more than anything I have read here.

 

[LargoKitt]

I was once accused of being superficial because a main character made designer clothing part of her identity.

You as an author? That's like dissing the writer becaue Elle dresses all in pink and carries a teacup dog.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

If anything, mainstream chick lit and heterosexual Lit categories go on about women's clothes way more than LS. Loads of romances love going on about clothes. I find it jarring when it's done badly, especially when there's a list of brand names that mean nothing to me in a different country or 15 years later with a different set of connotations.

Clothes can say a fair bit about a character, but often they're described because the detail is a fetish of the author.

I think of it like adding a little spice, done properly it enhances the flavor, done poorly it can ruin it.

There is a brilliant scene in American Gigolo where Richard Gere is getting dressed and it just sells who the character is with the Armani suits and shirts.

Just saying a "designer handbag" doesn't convey the same information as adding a detail.
If she has a Kate Spade, it's a very different connotation than a Birkin. Admittedly, lots of readers will miss the nuance, but people here in the AH are constantly obsessing over details that 99% of their readers will miss.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

As a true boomer (born in the 50's), I think it predates me for the most part.

It just seems that everyone here in the AH who chimes in about high heels in porn is of a certain age. It seems rather rare in more modern porn.

 

[DarkCosmos]

It just seems that everyone here in the AH who chimes in about high heels in porn is of a certain age. It seems rather rare in more modern porn.

Now I will say "as a non-boomer" I can appreciate the sound of heels "clicking" against a hardwood floor.

 

[iwatchus]

It just seems that everyone here in the AH who chimes in about high heels in porn is of a certain age. It seems rather rare in more modern porn.

Maybe I grew up in more of a hippie household -- I did a bit -- but I did not pick that interest up. My mother did wear high heels on occasion.

 

[WhiteTailDarkTip]

The oldest author rule, "Write what you know" encourages a story about instruments if that is your groove. But I'd want see and feel the instrument as part of the character. If he's Jimmy Hendrix character, what does his custom stratocaster look and feel like. if he plays a Martin does it have a cracked face like willie Nelson's.

The obsession with kit is more to do with the feeling that if you just have one more thing then everything will be perfect. Which it never is. Anyway, the feeling I wanted to get across was the visceral pleasure in making music with a group of like minded individuals.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

The obsession with kit is more to do with the feeling that if you just have one more thing then everything will be perfect. Which it never is. Anyway, the feeling I wanted to get across was the visceral pleasure in making music with a group of like minded individuals.

I think that idea infects most hobbies these days. I've got a friend who will absolutely obsess over hiking gear, trying to shave another ounce or two off his pack.
I told him one day if he spent as much time in the gym as he does obsessing over that he wouldn't notice the two ounces.
He didn't talk to me for a couple of days....

 

[AwkwardMD]

I'm puzzled about your comment about gay men and clothes since apparel seems to be a major focus for lots of gay men. I haven't penned a pure gay story yet but I'm pretty sure I would include something about the feel of expensive sky blue cashmere on bare skin and a choice about whether or not to wear black leather jeans.

I only meant that I haven't seen it show up in the stories I've read, which are an admittedly narrow slice.

 

[Jorunn]

I look at clothing to help me identify who a person is, where they have been, and what their interests are. That can be included in a story too.

Wearing a Manchester United futbol jersey? I can talk futbol and England with them.

Worn old hiking boots? Know any good trails?

Helly Hansen or Gill parka? Let’s talk sailing.

Singer, band, or place on your T-shirt? I know something about you we can talk about.

Pizza sauce stains on your shirt? I’m running!

 

[THBGato]

There is a brilliant scene in American Gigolo where Richard Gere is getting dressed and it just sells who the character is with the Armani suits and shirts.

I read an obituary of Armarni this week which claimed that it was American Gigolo which gave Armarni widespread brand recognition. In which case, your point stands for viewers now, but originally it was the other way around - the character sold the suits.

 

[Erozetta]

I make a lot of my own clothes, so I tend to detail stitches or cuts/styles and not so much brands.

I think the only place brands have ever played into is with shoes... Weird.

 

[HordHolm]

For me, it depends. I've written three FMCs this spring/summer, two historical and one contemporary. With one of them, I detailed (historical) brand names for her clothes and shoes, and also detailed her car. But that was in large part to demonstrate her wealth. With a historical character some focus on clothes can also be necessary, particularly when those clothes can be so different for the contemporary. My other two FMCs are limited to 'some smart clothes she wears to conferences', and virtually nothing, worn beneath a short mac for one, and 'a grey nurse's uniform dress' for the other.