Valerie Steele takes the point of view of an outsider to the fetish scene in this comphrehensive guide to fetish clothing and apparel. She goes into detail on the history and background to many items with a fetish appeal, including corsets, underwear, "second skin" fabrics, shoes and many more. The text is supplemented with many photos and drawings, from the nineteenth century to the twenty-first.

Some of the text is pretty heavy on theory, with Steele drawing on Marxist, feminist and psychoanalytical theory to explore the role of fetishism through history. The cultural significance of fetish fashion, how the fetishistic statements of clothing reflect the originating cultures' ideals is given analysis.Also how in modern times, the "mainstreaming" of fetish by modern fashion designers has led to a blurring of the boundaries between normal and fetish clothes.

The greater visibility of fetish clothing, lifestyles and attitudes in popular culture is analysed and debated. In essence this book attempts to show how the outer display reflects the inner desire throughout history, the world and the myriad cultures different expressions of them.

The thrust of this book is fetish from the fashion end. Clothing and footwear serve as the base on which fetishes are discussed. So perhaps it lacks the broader scope needed for a complete analysis of the fetish scene in general, but it stands up well as a history and analysis of fetishistic costume through the ages.