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BDSM & Kink

Celebrating Fetish

January 18th is National Fetish Day, we have decided to celebrate by exploring the top five fetishes!
by KK
15 Jan 2019

UPDATED: 20 Oct 2022

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 15 Jan 2019

The word ‘fetish’ dates back to the 19th century and comes from the Italian ‘feitico’ which means “charm” or “spell”, and they have been working their magic ever since.

But do common turn-ons count as a fetish? 

Not quite. Technically speaking, a sexual fetish is focused on an inanimate object (like a shoe), a body part (like a foot) or a medium (such as a particular material like silk or leather) that’s indispensable to a person’s arousal but doesn’t have any inherent sensuality. Someone who has a true, dedicated fetish won’t feel satisfied without the presence of their preferred turn-on. 

On January 18th there’s a whole day dedicated to celebrating fetish! People dress in purple to celebrate their individual fetishes – and it’s a cause for celebration indeed!

With the glorious world of fetishes in mind, let’s take a peek at the top five most common fetishes. Did yours make the cut? Whether you’re into whips, alien masks, cake batter or machinery, we love the variety and creativity that fetishes can express. 

Most Common Fetishes

Some of the most common fetishes include body piercings, hair, leather, shoes, and feet.  Let’s dive into the appeal of each fetish and why they’ve made our list of the top 5 most common fetishes. 

Most Common Fetishes – Number 5: Body Piercings

Piercings that seem to be particularly the focus of this fetish are lip, nipples, and genitals. The concept of finding piercings a turn on isn’t usually about the way they look – in fact, it’s the way they feel. It’s the stark contrast between soft and hard, the piercing adds another textural dimension to the sexual experience. Other physical alterations, such as tattoos, are also highly fetish-able.

Most Common Fetishes – Number 4: Hair

There is a reason people focus so much on their hair. The Herbal Essences adverts seem to have tapped into that one (with all the sex noises coming from the bathroom as they lather up the shampoo). The hair fetish can be exceptionally specific, whether your preference is for long blonde curls or a tight buzz cut.

Additionally, there are people who love to feel hair all over their body – both for the scratchiness as for the softness it can bring.

Most Common Fetishes – Number 3: Leather

Leather has been a well known and celebrated fetish for a long time. There are entire clubs dedicated to it, and therefore it’s scored pretty highly on our list! People tend to associate leather with sex appeal – tight leather skirts, onesies, pants, or dresses are often recognized as extra sexy, even in mainstream media.

Leather is often linked to sadomasochism, which makes it clearer as to why there’s a subtle sexy nature linked to leather. 

Most Common Fetishes – Number 2: Shoes

Those stunning high heels you wear to make you feel ultra sexy? Yeah, they are a shoe fetishists dream. Now, to be clear, being obsessed with shoes and buying 5000 pairs does not mean you have a shoe fetish. Having a shoe fetish means that you want your partner/s in nothing but those shoes, or even that the shoes themselves are the most important thing in a sexual encounter. It’s a very precise fetish too. Shoe selection is vital. Things like the height of the heel, the pointiness of the toe – even the shaft length of the boot are all elements that are specific to the fetishist.

Most Common Fetishes – Number 1: Feet

Unsurprisingly, feet rank number one on our most common fetish list! Foot fetishists truly adore the shape of the foot as well as the toes, and find them irresistible. While no one is entirely sure as to why this fetish is so common, it could relate to the idea that the feet and the genitals are closely connected in brain circuitry. If you have a fabulous fetish for feet, then embrace it! Everyone has their favourite interest – and it’s clearly a lot more common than you may have thought!