I am a rubber, vinyl and leather lover and would give anything to see my wife dressed in these materials and boots occasionally. Alas, whenever I have approached her on the subject I am rebuffed and told that it is not her I love but rubber, plastic, leather and boots.

When we were courting she would always wear or carry a PVC raincoat, and, if raining, wellingtons or some form of boots too, but after our marriage this gradually dwindled out. I managed to revive it when we bought a motorcycle by buying her a heavy black PVC motorcycling suit, but when the arrival of our first born was eminent, the motorcycle and, of course, the suit had to go. Since that time, for the last ten years, I have been trying to persuade her to return to our courting days, but without success.

The climax came about four years ago when after approaching her yet once again she informed me that if I ever mentioned the matter again, she would leave, and I could look after the kids on my own.

She has several vinyl coats I have bought her hanging in her wardrobe unworn, and two pairs of boots as well. Until about five years ago she would wear a raincoat occasionally if we went shopping and it was raining, but since that time, she has never indulged in my liking of seeing her dressed in such garments.

Two years ago she wanted a new coat for her birthday, and I scraped together all my savings and bought her a leather coat which t thought would please her. But again I was foiled. She took it back to the shop and changed it for two ordinary coats which she has worn continually since, even coming home soaked through on wet days, as if to throw the purchase of the leather coat back in my face. I am, therefore, left to admire other women who wear the types of clothing I like, and a well groomed girl in leather or vinyl with boots to match immediately turns me on and turns my thoughts to my sad predicament. Why can’t it be my wife who turns me on rather than strangers? Of course I realise I am not the only one in this predicament. In almost every magazine dealing with latex, vinyl and leather you’ll find at least one plaintive plea from a male relating the same story and asking for help.

Interesting articles in magazines have, at times, tempted me to leave the page in question open in a prominent place around the house for my wife to find, and, I hope, read the article and become impressed. Unfortunately, many of these magazines cater for various sexual deviations and although my wife might be impressed with the article I intended her to read she might certainly not appreciate some of the photographs she might find.

What then is the answer?

May I suggest you publish a book aimed directly at women on the subject. Long suffering males might well put a copy of such a book under the Christmas tree or in the wife’s stocking on Christmas morning, or even under her pillow on New Years Eve. If the articles in the book are chosen with care and well written, the book could have a big impact on the thinking of wives and girl friends on the subject, and could make a turning point in the lives of many frustrated males and for their wives too.

Now what about the contents of such a book? It would have to be well and discreetly written to make interesting reading to the wives and girl friends receiving it, but it would also have to be, to an extent, hard hitting, to make them feel that they are missing a lot in their sex lives and marriage.

As an introduction you might reprint the letter, “A wife’s guide to the rubber craze” which was published in the now long departed ‘Rubber News’ and which was a minor masterpiece of its time. It consists of a letter by a husband to his wife on the subject of rubber and her reply. I have never been able to obtain a copy of ‘Rubber News’ and my quotations from this magazine come second hand via Gillian Freeman’s book, ‘The Undergrowth of Literature’. It is a pity so few men can put it to their wives in a way like that. It should bring far more happiness to quite a few married couples sharing this liking for rubber than keeping it all secret.

There could also be an article by a psychologist, preferably a woman with a leaning in favour of R, V, and L, setting out the fetish appeal of these materials and showing how they can be used to improve a marriage. She might also include a couple of paragraphs on the therapeutic uses of these materials. Again quoting from ‘Rubber News’: “Sweat engendered by a rubber garment is not merely pleasurable but also restorative. It certainly had an excellent affect in rheumatic complaints, heavy colds, slight kidney ailments and so on”. I have also read of the benefits of such garments worn as an aid to slimming.

One point she must impress on wives (which includes girl friends) is that the husband’s love of R, V and 1, is something completely separate from their love for their wives. A husband’s first love is his wife and family and his second love is R, V and L. When a wife indulges her husband’s second love and dresses to please him, then her husband’s love life is complete. The statement made by wives and girl friends, “you don’t love me, it is my mac you love,” is true to some extent, but then for ‘mac’ you could substitute long hair, sexy dresses, short skirts, high heeled shoes/boots, money, legs or sexy kisses. The list could go on forever.

If the book is carefully edited the female reader would become well acquainted with the whys and wherefores of ‘fetishism’ and ready to receive some positive examples of how their conversion and co-operation could help towards a happier marriage for them and their husbands.

– R. E. S. (Essex)

A good idea but we like to think that Atomage itself with its contents, orientated towards the ladies as far as is practical, meets your requirements. A book though is being written and we hope it may be ready next year: – Ed.