The Collar

The collar is a very special piece of attire. This is the one piece that is the primary emblem of submissiveness. It is an instrument of ownership and control, yet it is a gift that must be earned. A submissive must prove his/her worth to the Dominant before receiving this symbol.

The collar serves to remind the submissive of their submission and in truth, remains property of the Dominant.

The power of the collar, while not something one can reach out and touch, is always present and very strong. This piece is the one with the great psychological implications that elicit deep emotional responses from both submissive and Dominant alike. This attachement that is formed says a much about the submissives state of mind. It is not at all rare for submissives to not want to be uncollared, some going so far to beg their Dominant to leave the collar on.

As a part of your play, the collar can be equipped with "D" rings in which restrained wrists can be bound to. Many believe that all collars should come with one important piece of hardware - a lock. Non-locking collars that can be removed by the submissive when they feel, hardly qualify as true slave collars. Others feel that the slave's ability to remove the collar is not an issue and thus a lock is not important. However, being locked into a collar can be a very intense experience for both Dom & sub

. It is best that only the Dominant place the collar around the neck of the submissive and, as such, only the Dominant can remove it. For many submissives, kneeling naked before the Dominant, feeling the leather collar placed around their throats, can be incredibly moving. Perhaps one could look at it as being on the same level as when one partner places a wedding band on the finger of the other. It is difficult not to develop some form of attachment to this piece.

Collars should be strong and made of durable material. Many are made of leather and enhanced with silver studs, rings and chains. If your submissive is skilled in working with leather, the task of designing and creating their own collar, is an opporunity that should be utilized. Many recommend that the submissive have, in fact, several collars. Starting with a training collar (a dog collar is a good choice) that is used at the beginning of the relationship during "basic training". Should the submissive satisfactorily complete the tasks assigned and complete his/her training the Dom may consider "upgrading" to a classier collar. Usually this suggests that the relationship will be long term. Often, collars such as these are presented in a ceremony, where guests (Masters/Mistresses and subs alike) are invited to be witness to the collaring.