In July 1984 I was staying with my friend Carole whilst her widowed father was away on holiday. I was looking through some magazines and came upon two copies of ‘The Rubberist’. Carole had told me that her father had some rubber clothes and gas masks, but she had never shown me any. Anyway I looked through them and liked what I saw, of people dressing for pleasure in rubber. I kept wondering if I should ask Carole to show me some of the things her father had.

One Saturday afternoon in October I cycled up to see Carole and her father answered the door. I was a little surprised as he was dressed in a black latex one-piece suit complete with hood also latex gloves and stockings. He had also got a beautiful light blue rubber drape cloak with hood and had just taken off a gas mask. He told me that Carole had gone out but I could come in. He said he would go and change.

Why I said it I don’t know, but I told him he need not change just for me if he did not want to. So he kept them on and we sat talking over a coffee. On the spur of the moment I said what a lovely blue cape it was, and he asked me if I would like to try it on?

I didn’t know whether to say yes or no, but he had taken it off and gently placed it round my shoulders, pulling the long full zip up the front. Then he put the hood up on my head and I felt really wonderful, the lovely soft rubber on my bare arms. He then said what I needed was a pair of latex gloves which he produced from somewhere. He helped me to slide my hands into them. This was the most fascinating feeling, so soft to touch.

He asked me if he could take a few photo’s of me? I agreed. After taking some of me on my own he set the camera so that we could be together, with him in his black latex suit. He then said that he would like to put his gas mask on for a few photo’s and asked me if I would wear one. I had never even seen one except in pictures let alone touched one.

He told me to breathe normally as he placed it on my face, pulling the head straps up. They caught in my hair so, at my request, he took it off. He said he would fetch me a black latex balaclava hood. This he pulled over my head then proceeded to put the gas mask on me. It was a funny sensation, breathing in one at first. I think I panicked a little because I was breathing very fast but gradually I got used to it. He then pulled the hood of the cape up over my head and fastened it under my chin. I was completely encased in rubber and as I looked at myself in his mirror I really felt on top of the world.

After taking a few photo’s dressed like this, I tried some different gas masks on with the blue cape, including some with rubber tubes to a filter in a bag. When I had got the mask on and he had adjusted the head straps he squeezed the tube to see if I could breathe alright. This makes you gasp for air but is really wonderful once you get used to it. I also had a green German one with a hood that covers your whole head completely encasing it.

That afternoon I tried on several rubber mackintoshes and rubber lined rain suits.

After he had packed all the things away he asked would I do some more ‘Dressing for pleasure’ another time? I replied yes, if he wanted me to as my curiosity was aroused.

All that following week I kept wondering what he would want me to wear the next time we were together? Which of those soft mackintoshes and capes he would let me wear or even if he would let me try a black latex suit on.

In the middle of that week I found out that my friend Carole was going out again on the Saturday so while at her home on the Thursday evening I asked her father if he wanted me to do more ‘Dressing for pleasure’ on Saturday. He was delighted and said yes as he wanted to take some more pictures.

When I arrived there on the Saturday afternoon he was already in his black latex suit complete with gloves, stockings and a balaclava hood with a World War 2 Army Gas Mask with tube. While I was taking my coat off he went into his bedroom and came back with a lovely white one-piece latex suit, a pair of elbow length latex gloves, latex hoods and a gas mask like his. He asked me to try them for size. I put one hood under the mask and one over the top so that you seal yourself in. He also left me some short latex socks and within a few moments I was soon completely encased in rubber. A glorious feeling!

After taking a few photos like this, some standing, some sitting and some of me on my own, we put on some navy nylon rubber lined parkas with hoods and trousers to match on top of our suits. Then we tried some rubber lined ‘Monsoon Suits’. After a while we change our gas masks, in fact I think we had about twelve different ones on that afternoon.

After tea he let me put on his lovely black suit. This was marvellous. Also I tried a big double breasted black Indianna rubber mackintosh with southwester and his black rubber wellington boots. What a lovely way to spend an evening.

When I was ready to go home, it was raining very hard so, as I hadn’t got a rain coat with me, he said I could wear the rubber lined Parka with trousers. As I cycled home I felt out of this world to feel the softness of the rubber hood on the side of my face.

One evening, while with Bryan for a rubber photo session, he asked me to put on his thick blue rubber pyjamas. They feel very cold when you first put them on but you soon warm up in them. In fact, you start sweating after a while but they are really lovely, so soft and smooth. I also had the blue rubber drape cloak on with them and of course latex gloves and a gas mask.

I think my favourite rubber outfit is a black latex one-piece suit with hood, elbow length gloves and latex stockings.

Then I put on his big black Indianna rubber double breasted mackintosh with souwester and a British Army S6 Gas Mask. Before putting the mask on I have a latex hood on, then pull the hood of the suit up on top followed by the souwester. When dressed like this I feel ready for anything – so protected.

I now have my own pastel green latex dress, red latex drizzle cape, also black latex stockings with suspender belt, elbow length gloves, and a beautiful bright yellow long rubber Parka with hood complete with trousers to match. I am now looking forward to the time when I have my own one-piece suit to lounge about in, also a rubber nightdress or pyjamas.

I eagerly await each issue of “The Rubberist” now to read of other peoples experience and see their photos, also to see which photos you have printed that Bryan has sent in of us two.

– Lynda (ACS 923).