Beginners Tips for Putting on Latex Clothing

So you’ve got your shiny new outfit, great! Now it’s time think about putting on your latex clothing without damaging it. Latex is fabulous but remember, latex can be delicate if handles incorrectly. As we always say with latex aftercare, if looked after correctly, latex will last a very long time. For tips on what to avoid during latex aftercare, please see our previous blog.

Putting on Latex Clothing Tip 1 – Cover your floors!

Dressing aids are slippy! You do not want to get them on your floors, especially hard floors. Lubricated floors are extremely dangerous and asking for an accident. Whether you are using talcum powder or a latex dressing aid, put a towel or an old bed sheet down. This simple step could prevent a trip to A&E!

Tip 2 – Figure out what is going where

Before slipping into your shiny new outfit, it’s a good idea to take a good look at it. Getting a grasp of where the closures and seams go will make it much easier. Adjusting to get seams in the correct place AFTER the fact is time consuming and difficult. We highly recommend having a good look and familiarising yourself with the outfit before attempting to put it on. For example, with a catsuit, figuring out if the zip is at the back or front and seeing where the seams and style lines are meant to sit.

Tip 3 – Time to get slippy

The fun begins! Lubricate the inside as your latex garment as well as your skin if need be (personal preference). Make sure you’re only using latex friendly products for your lubrication. Absolutely do not use baby oil! Only silicone or water based lubricants. Talcum powder is also totally fine – unscented.  Vivishine and Pjur have a good range of dressing aids.

Tip 4 – Slide in to your Latex Clothing

Alas, the best part of the journey is here. Actually sliding into your latex garment. How exciting! In your excitement do not forget the golden rules about “things to avoid“. So absolutely no sharps! This includes long nails and jewellery. A snag could damage your outfit. If you have sharp nails we recommend to try wearing non-latex gloves when getting into your outfit.

Remember to slide your outfit on as opposed to yanking it up. This is why its helpful to have the seams etc in the right place before getting into your latex garment.

Tip 5 – The first time is going to be difficult!

As with anything, practice makes perfect. Latex can be tricky. Stay calm! It gets easier! The nature of latex is it is skin tight. Give yourself time and do not get flustered. The more times your practice, the easier it will get.

For latex clothes to practice, see our shop

Latex Aftercare Tips

Latex is a wonderful material which makes beautiful clothing, it hugs and sculpts the body so well, there is no other material like it. If looked after properly your latex clothing can last for a very long time, the key to prolonging your latex clothing is the aftercare. Latex aftercare begins before you even put your latex garment on.

We have compiled a list of our top three things to avoid during the latex aftercare process. In no particular order;

• Sharps and Latex Aftercare

Sharp objects are a definite no no around latex clothing. This includes long nails. A beginners tip for getting into your latex garment with long nails; put gloves on first. This will help not to puncture your shiny outfit. It may feel a little awkward but is so worth it. A small puncture in latex clothing can very easily spread into a big rip. In the event of a small hole in your latex garment, do not stretch this area. Try to remove the garment carefully. You can repair with a patch or better option to contact the manufacturer for repair advice.

• Metal and Latex Aftercare

Metal stains latex. Latex reacts with certain metals which results in an unsightly stain making the outfit look washed out and dated. To avoid this, ensure you are storing your outfits away from metal, this includes any metal that may be on the garment such as zippers, eyelets etc. Hang/fold the latex garment in such a way that the metal accessories are not touching the latex. you can use tissue paper to help with this.

• Oil and Latex Aftercare

Oil degrades latex and latex seams. We strongly recommend you do not apple moisturiser or body oils before wearing your latex garment. When finished with your latex garment it is good practice to wash the garment to remove any natural body oils. Our preferred method is;
– To fill a plastic bucket with lukewarm water
– Add a few drops of fairy liquid
– Swish the latex garment in the soapy water
– Rinse with cold water.
– Don’t forget to either silicone or talc your latex garment – this is so it doesn’t stick together.
– Hang out to dry and store in a dark place away from metal.

Another tip to note is prolonged exposure to sunlight. Sunlight can cause discolouration to latex. Flames are also not a good idea as latex is flammable, this includes cigarettes, be careful! A burn can cause a small hole and as we mentioned earlier, with latex little holes have a tendency to spread.

With those tips in mind it is actually pretty easy to prolong the life of your latex garments. We endevour to ensure that Dea Couture Latex clothing has a long life and truly believe latex garments can last a lifetime. For this reason we are more than happy to assist with any aftercare queries. Please email  latex@deacouture.co.uk for any queries relating to the aftercare of your Latex garment.