enchasté

Chapter 1: What are modern female chastity belts all about?

Sex and chastity

Sex is everywhere. Wherever you care to look, you're never very far from this most fundamental of drives, with modern society saturated with suggestions that we should all be having more of it. Whether you turn on a television or flick through the pages of a magazine, you're sure to find plenty to provoke lust, the carnal adventures of celebrities competing with prurient advertisements to attract your attention. When the most intimate of connections is reduced to a mere commodity, it's easy to lose sight of how special sex can be, especially when the resulting desires can be slaked as easily as they are stirred.

Less can be more however. You surely remember the first time you had sex, but can you recall the seventeenth? The latter may have been less awkward, indeed, was probably more pleasurable, but most likely lacked the anticipation that made the former so significant. Imagine if every time had the same build up, because you couldn't get off when you wanted, but instead had to get someone else's permission first - someone who, perhaps unlike your first partner, would make sure that it was worth the wait. Imagine if being prevented from prematurely enjoying the pleasures of your body brought you closer to whoever finally said that you could, as well as making you feel safer and sexier too. Imagine being locked in a chastity belt, and yet loving not having the keys.

Ask the average person to describe a woman wearing a chastity belt, and they'll likely paint a picture of a medieval maiden languishing in a contraption as cruel as it is crude, her private parts imprisoned behind rusty iron while her lord is fighting in some far-off land. Some might let their imaginations wander a little further afield, perhaps conjuring up images of the youngest wife in a Sultan's harem, her beautiful body off-limits to all other men because of the merciless metal that will only come off when he wants to have his way with her. Such ideas might be inspired by the caricatures of chastity belts to be seen in films, or perhaps draw on the unlikely designs presented as curiosities in museums - the likes of Figure 1.1 hardly out of place in a tyrant's dungeon!

Figure 1.1: A caricature of a medieval chastity belt: rusty iron, cumbersome locks and no allowance made for comfort - not something many women would willingly choose to wear! Like all the illustrations in this book, this unforgiving contraption is based on a real design, with similar to be found in museum display cases, albeit often presented as bizarre curiosities for the amusement of modern audiences.

Few would suggest a modern businesswoman concealing sleek lines of steel beneath her skirt, the idea that a successful female executive might secretly be locked in a chastity belt seeming preposterous in an age where sexual liberty is taken for granted. Yet a surprising number of women choose to wear chastity belts today, willingly surrendering to contemporary designs for their own satisfaction, not just that of the man who holds the keys. Whether working women or stay at home housewives, all enjoy an exciting secret that adds spice to their lives even when they're not having sex, with the thrills that come from wearing a chastity belt by no means limited to the times when it comes off.

Why do women want to wear chastity belts?

So why might you want to surrender your sex to something that many erroneously believe belongs in the Middle Ages? If you're fascinated by these instruments of frustration, you may well have some feeling for what draws you to being denied, already knowing that the effects of a chastity belt can go far beyond merely preventing penetration. Indeed, the physical limitations of being locked in metal pale in comparison to the psychological consequences of ceding one's sexual freedom, with many women choosing to wear chastity belts as much for how doing so affects their mind as their body. The reasons can be as different as the individuals, but it's not uncommon for a chastity belt to engender:

For some, chastity belts are a bit of fun, a wonderfully frustrating addition to a collection of other toys. For others, they're a serious fetish, satisfying the deepest of desires. There are women who wear them as merely a means to an end, whether that's to show their faithfulness or else keep them from being too selfish, and those who are especially drawn to steel or else harbour a love of locks. Perhaps you have particular reasons of your own, or perhaps you're just curious about what it might be like to wear something so intriguing yourself. Either way, it's never been easier to dip a toe in the water, with chastity belts more readily available today than at any other time in history.

Needless to say, it's not just women who are attracted to the idea of female chastity. Your partner needn't be particularly jealous to enjoy knowing that he alone can partake of what your chastity belt protects, locked metal proving a powerful turn-on to those who like to take charge even briefly in the bedroom. Teasing a sexy girl helplessly trapped in steel can be quite a rush for a red-blooded man, but the trust that's transferred is a two-way street - after all, you're giving him much more than a key. The responsibility that comes with it can be quite profound, a seemingly insignificant addition to your partner's pocket serving to strengthen your relationship even if you merely wear your belt playfully.

What misconceptions might I have about chastity belts?

Like Robin Hood or the Knights of the Round Table, medieval chastity belts are steeped in legend, the popular understanding of them shaped more by romantic fantasies than historical fact. The caricatures of intimate armour to be seen in movies set in the Middle Ages are a far cry from the sleek designs of today, but the suggestion that a chastity belt must be uncomfortable, bulky and made of rusty iron isn't the only misconception that lingers in the collective consciousness. The idea that women could be locked up and left for months without further attention is another myth that stubbornly persists, as implausible as even a moment's reflection reveals it to be, along with the notion that chastity belts enforce non-consensual control. Sadly, such fallacies are sufficiently widespread as to shape the expectations even of women who want to give female chastity a try, the reality often coming as something of a shock thanks to how it challenges such unfounded presumptions.

You may be surprised to discover that:

Many of these misconceptions may stem from people not seriously considering wearing a chastity belt for real, mentally dismissing the possibility without properly thinking it through. When you stop to do so, however, you'll find it easy to separate the reality of being locked in steel from the many myths that surround the idea, there being nothing magic about such metal. As with anything else, it pays to use your common sense, recognising that not everything you might read is true - especially given the often challenging connotations of female chastity. As a modern woman in the real world, you're a far cry from any medieval maiden that might have appeared on screen or in the pages of an implausible romance, and the sort of chastity belt you might wear is very different too.

What does a modern chastity belt look like?

The form of a female chastity belt follows its function, and although the details may differ between designs, all share the same fundamental features. We'll be considering these more closely in the next chapter, but for now, let's look at the various parts in broader terms. The style of chastity belt shown in Figure 1.2 is reasonably common, with similar being available both custom-made and mass-produced. It consists of the following components:

Figure 1.2: A typical modern chastity belt. Stainless steel and medical grade silicone make this a very different affair to anything that might have come from the Middle Ages, with the design engineered for both comfort and security.
Figure 1.3: A chastity belt waist band. The silicone lining lets the sturdy steel hug the body comfortably, whereas the holes allow its size to be adjusted.
Figure 1.4: A primary (left) and secondary (right) shield. Together, the two cover the crotch, preventing penetration while still permitting liquid to pass. In this particular design, the series of large holes offer further scope for adjustment.
Figure 1.5: The rear of a chastity belt plays just as important a part as the front. The coated wire shown here is intended to follow the crack between the buttocks, ensuring the shield stays close to the crotch without excessively getting in the way.
Figure 1.6: Holding the waist band and crotch shield in place, the main lock of a chastity belt is often designed to be difficult to attack while remaining discreet.

All these pieces come together to form a formidable framework that will frustrate any attempt at unauthorised access. Despite having common features, however, chastity belts are very individual items, needing to closely conform to the body if they're to be effective. Just as differently shaped women wouldn't wear identical bras, but would instead opt for styles that suit their particular figures, so too is it important to choose the sort of chastity belt that will work best for you - all the more so for how they're made of metal rather than material. That means understanding a little more about the differences in design, a subject to which we'll be turning in the next chapter.