Lingerie, Fabric, & Touch | Fashion Boudoir Photoshoot | Vancouver Photographer
You know those sayings about how things are ‘as smooth as silk’ or ‘she has the velvet touch’?
I was thinking about that a bit today, about how fabric and texture utilizes one of the most important of our senses; touch. I have really bad eyesight (it’s true, I’m blind without my corrective lenses), my sense of smell isn’t really amazing, I wouldn’t say my tastebuds are that refined, and listening to waaaay too much loud music has me like, practically deaf (I’m exaggerating here, but you get me, right?) - but I really believe I have an overactive sense of touch. Without sight (and smell and taste and hearing), touch gives us so much information that’s just so evocative, and I’m sure you’re going ‘yea that’s obvious, tell us something we don’t know.’
Hear me out, though!
We focus so much on the visual - I know that all too well - c’mon, photographer here. Our vision, what we see, is so heavily relied upon that we pay less attention to the other senses. As a result, the amazing sensuality of touch, and touchability, gets completely and totally lost.
Think about that. Close your eyes and think about it. What are you touching right now? Can you feel how your feet are angled? The ground beneath you? Your hands? Can you notice yourself blinking? Do you feel your pulse? How about your lips - can you put your awareness on the feeling of your lips? Do you notice the clothing you’re wearing, where and how it hugs and drapes and clings to your body?
Fabric and the clothing we wear, through our sense of touch, teaches us to be more aware of our bodies, our curves, and our desire to touch, be touched, and also to be admired. In the same way we notice how our favourite clothing feels on us, it invokes in us the want to be appreciated and desired. Walking around with the awareness of how those jeans cling to you, knowing they look good, knowing that others think you’re gorgeous, you’re aware of your body in a way where you also recognize and acknowledge that you’re beautiful; yeah, you’re a goddess. Heads turn when you walk by. Clothing, fabric, texture - it has the power to evoke this sensuality in us.
Have I got you thinking? Thinking about the texture of that shirt you’ve got, on or that intricate lace you chose out of your ‘unmentionables’ drawer this morning? You’re thinking about how the myriad of different textures all feel on your skin and how that impacts your day-to-day, determining whether you come across as utilitarian, powerful, sexy, casual, or all of the above? We all know that the image of a woman in silk and lace is super sexy - but we can feel sexy in whatever we choose - denim, corduroy, cotton. Who says we have to play by the rules of conventionality? Rebel, be wild, choose for yourself what you do and do not feel sexy in.
To me, a sensual - or sexy - fabric is one that makes you feel completely and totally powerful and delicious. It’s the one you grab when you walk in the door and sprawl out onto your favourite chair, take a deep breath, and kick off your shoes. It’s that t-shirt and undies combo, and no shame, they’re often two totally different fabrics. Who doesn’t love a worn out t-shirt paired up with lace? It’s beautiful, casual, intimate, and strong, all at once.
To me, the perfect lingerie is about feel - it should feel perfect because it fits perfectly - it’s cinched at the waist, sits at the right height, moves the way you move, shows just the right amount, it’s mesh in the perfectly suggestive places, and you can grab it and wrap it around your finger - all nonchalant and provocative. You should feel high on your own sensuality and radiance, the addictive quality of those sensations, and you know you look amazing so you feel amazing. That’s what I aim to, and will, create for you in your photos.
In photography I love playing with fabrics, colours, and textures. Mesh, velvet, embroidery, satin, silk, lace all help to tell the story just as much as that ‘come hither’ look my clients wear. In this light, I think there’s a lot more than can be said about the sensuality of fabric and clothing. It clings to the form and hides and reveals just as much, or as little, as you want it to - even if you’re completely and totally covered from chin to toe. Your hips curve, the small of your back, your delicate collarbone…
What is your favourite fabric? Is it the butteriness leather? Is it the denim of your favourite “hot butt jeans”? How about a wisp of satin grazing your skin? What about plain old white cotton and suggestive from the side? Do you revel in it, or would you rather skip the jersey knit shirt for the silk camisole?
Lingerie and clothing has always been the jumping off point to make women feel gorgeous and sexy - I mean not that women even need any more help, but why not right? It makes it all so much more fun! Lingerie, the texture and colour and cut of it, acts as a kind of frame to the beautiful female form. It is an incredible accent to your femininity, so when you wear it and look at yourself and feel it on your body you know that you’re just like, irresistible superhuman goddess! I mean, even the way you put on your heels is breathtaking…
