medium rare

Why, virtue is nothing but a chimera, whose cult consists of perpetual immolations, countless revolts against the inspirations of the temperament.  Can such processes be natural?  Does nature advise us to do something outrageous?  Don’t be the dupe, Eugenie, of those women who you hear are virtuous.  It is not, if you like, the same passions as we whom they serve — they’ve got other ones, which are often far more horrible.  These passions are pride, ambition, greed, frequently just the coldness of a temperament that never counsels them.  I ask you: Do we owe anything to such creatures?  Don’t they follow purely the impressions of vanity?  Is it therefore better, wiser, more appropriate to sacrifice to egotism rather than to the passions?  For myself, I believe that either is as valid as the other.  The person who harks only to the latter voice is probably more rational, because reason alone is the organ of nature; whereas the former voice is the voice of stupidiy and prejudice.  A single drop of come ejaculated by this member, Eugenie, is more precious to me than the sublimest acts of a virtue that I despise.

- Philosophy in the Boudoir, the Marquis de Sade

Clockwise from top left

1. Ankle pony boots from Punitive Shoes.  All leather and made in Italy.  Keeps the wearer in a constant state of submission — just one step away from the ballet shoe but with a more fashion-y edge
2. Horn mask from Kiki de Montparnasse.  Handcrafted, super surreal cool and beautiful.  Masks have the strongest transformative powers out of anything a person can wear
3. Leather cuffs by Fleet Ilya available at CoCo de Mer.  For the girl who likes to do more than just look tough
4. Silver leather dog mask also by Fleet Ilya and available at CoCo de Mer. A space age take on bondage and puppy love
5. Massage ring by Betony Vernon available at CoCo de Mer. Fashion, meet function.  Function, be nice
6. Again, leather harness by Fleet Ilya available at CoCo de Mer.  Doesn’t have to read bondage if worn over a crisp white shirt.  You can be a modern lady Indiana Jones or achieve that dapper vibe without resorting to suspenders

Kiki de Montparnasse and Coco de Mer are, in my humble opinion, the best retailers of premium filth. Sex shops range from exquisite to tasteless, and I’m a fan of the whole shebang.  You guys should check out Trashy.com if you have a good sense of humor or Azalease in NYC (at which I used to work!) for fun, flirty loungewear and lingerie.  I’m on a bit of a filth kick as I’ve been thumbing through Philosophy in the Boudoir, of which Penguin has published a beautiful deluxe edition complete with French flaps and Tomer Hanuka cover illustration. Hope you guys enjoyed this post as much as I enjoyed researching it!

Tags: Betony Vernon, Coco de Mer, Fleet Ilya, Kiki de Montparnasse, Marquis de Sade, Philosophy in the Boudoir, Punitive Shoes.