Question for Older British authors

[TheRedChamber]

In 1963 I had a range of Woolworth gold-looking wedding rings in different sizes for pretending to be married when using a hotel.
It helped if we looked bored with each other, but we could also pretend to be newly-weds...

Clever. Alas I fear my heroes will not be so savvy.

In 1963 soliciting in the street for the purposes of prostitution had only been illegal for 6 years, but the girls didn't just disappear. It was probably 20 years before street prostitutes became a rare sight. The BnBs near mainline railway stations often acted as short-time hotels. However, many did not want to be associated with prostitution, they would have words like 'Family' in their title. I can remember 100s of girls soliciting around Kings Cross station and Argyle Square. Argyle Square hosted a large number of small hotels/BnBs. I would think a 'Family' hotel would turn away any mismatched couple, without luggage, whether they appeared married or not, or become very upset if, for some reason, they thought their hospitality was being abused.

Interesting. I was researching when the Soho walk-ups started to be a thing and seemed to be around this time - presumably a reaction to the ban on street-walking.

Having our heroes arrive at King's Cross just in time to miss the last train and then, luggage and ringless, get refused for a nice hotel, only to have to slum it in a sleezy dive may work nicely.

 

[Mal_Bey]

I'm not British, and not of that era, but I am a collector of facts. If you are feeling handcuffed with the gentleman's magazine aspects, in 1965 London opened the Playboy Casino. I'm sure the mainstream media covered it. Perhaps a picture of a hostess Bunny would work for your purposes. I suspect that could be triggering enough to the prudish to get the story in the air at least.

 

[TheRedChamber]

Ok, my story is progressing reasonably well again after a lull last month.

One more question though. My heroine is currently trying to buy sexy lingerie for her wedding night. Her friend is going to push her to the extremes and try to find the most daring thing available at the time. My research about what could be legally and illegally available isn't immediately drawing much luck. I've have spent a productive half-an-hour finding out about 1920s Yves Richards and Diana Slip bondage gear, available by mail order in France apparently (but mail-order is boring for stories...) and currently have my heroes being given a discrete address and then being shown into a backroom of anotherwise semi-respectable shop in Soho. This is pure invention on my part, but maybe seems about right - plus 'backroom' always collocates very nicely with 'shenannigans'. Still, any further historical guidance on this will be appreciated however.

 

[XerXesXu]

Ok, my story is progressing reasonably well again after a lull last month.

One more question though. My heroine is currently trying to buy sexy lingerie for her wedding night. Her friend is going to push her to the extremes and try to find the most daring thing available at the time. My research about what could be legally and illegally available isn't immediately drawing much luck. I've have spent a productive half-an-hour finding out about 1920s Yves Richards and Diana Slip bondage gear, available by mail order in France apparently (but mail-order is boring for stories...) and currently have my heroes being given a discrete address and then being shown into a backroom of anotherwise semi-respectable shop in Soho. This is pure invention on my part, but maybe seems about right - plus 'backroom' always collocates very nicely with 'shenannigans'. Still, any further historical guidance on this will be appreciated however.

Raymond's Revue Bar was in Walkers Court, and I can remember there being lingerie shops there also.

 

[TheRedChamber]

Raymond's Revue Bar was in Walkers Court, and I can remember there being lingerie shops there also.

Good. How far along the spectrum from granny pants to full gimp suits are we talking here?

 

[XerXesXu]

Good. How far along the spectrum from granny pants to full gimp suits are we talking here?

I was a school kid, I wasn't allowed in, over 18 only, but in later years all the shops developed into sex shops, and would sell anything legal. The window displays were of mannequins in skimpy lingerie.

 

[TheRedChamber]

I was a school kid, I wasn't allowed in
, over 18 only,

Ok, a nice detail if there was an explicit age restriction as I was wondering about that for clothing only.

but in later years all the shops developed into sex shops, and would sell anything legal. The window displays were of mannequins in skimpy lingerie.

Yes. I'm struggling to define exactly what was legal, what might be available on the grey/black market and what is unavailable.

 

[XerXesXu]

I don't think any fetish clothing has ever been illegal. Whether particular types of fetish wear were actually available at that time I don't know. I recall the adverts for dildos in the Sunday newspapers - 'Grand Prix', very coy.

 

[TheRedChamber]

I don't think any fetish clothing has ever been illegal. Whether particular types of fetish wear were actually available at that time I don't know. I recall the adverts for dildos in the Sunday newspapers - 'Grand Prix', very coy.

Yes, my research has turned up a lot of interestingly designed retro sex toys. Personally, I'm not at all comfortable with the idea of a mains driven vibrator, but perhaps that's just me.

Not at all related to my current story, but during my research I came across this article and, after I'd finished laughing, immediately had the idea for a completely different story...

 

[ElectricBlue]

Yes, my research has turned up a lot of interestingly designed retro sex toys. Personally, I'm not at all comfortable with the idea of a mains driven vibrator, but perhaps that's just me.

On the other hand, you'll never have that awkward moment when a battery goes flat...

 

[TheRedChamber]

On the other hand, you'll never have that awkward moment when a battery goes flat...

Or, as a man, that rather more embarrassing moment when the whole toy disappears inside you and you have to head to A&E.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Or, as a man, that rather more embarrassing moment when the whole toy disappears inside you and you have to head to A&E.

A long extension cord?

 

[TheRedChamber]

A long extension cord?

For easy retrieval, yes.

 

[ElectricBlue]

For easy retrieval, yes.

Oh my! Too much information.

I'm really really hoping you're not speaking from experience. But if you are, is a sixty watt lightbulb better than a forty? How do LED bulbs match up?

 

[TheRedChamber]

Oh my! Too much information.

I'm really really hoping you're not speaking from experience. But if you are, is a sixty watt lightbulb better than a forty? How do LED bulbs match up?

I'm speaking from experience of that episode of Seinfield with the Fusilli Jerry Statue. "If you meet a proctologist at a party, don't walk away. They have the best stories and they always end the same way...It was a million to one shot. Doc. A million to one."

 

[XerXesXu]

Ok, a nice detail if there was an explicit age restriction as I was wondering about that for clothing only.

The signs were, I believe, 'Adults Only'.