40+ Bondage Positions

 

Reposted from Restrained Elegance with exclusive permissions.

 

The human body is capable of adopting an almost infinite variety of poses and positions. Some of these poses are awkward, ugly or ungainly- these are inappropriate for a Restrained Elegance slavegirl to adopt, for a Restrained Elegance slavegirl should be alluring, elegant and as beautiful as possible, whether in bondage or out of bondage.

The following is a lexicon of named poses and positions, along with more general modifiers and descriptions which will aid Masters in specifying the position that they wish their slavegirl to adopt. The positions in this second part of the lexicon are those in which the slavegirl can be tied.

Many thanks to WykD Dave from Ropetopia for helping us out with the rigging of some of the Japanese-inspired ties seen below.

Needless to say, mistakes in the terminology are ours, not Dave’s

They might even be us cheerfully renaming things so it sounds more fun to us. As always, these are our names for the positions that we use on shoots for Restrained Elegance. They aren’t ‘official’.

By the way, we don’t really talk like misogynistic 1950’s scientists in real life. Well, not often, anyway. We don’t mean any of this seriously (except for the side notes on safety). It’s a game for play scenes and the bedroom where the use of loaded terms like “slut” can be fun and hot (with the right person with consent in the right context)… just like the bondage itself is hot and fun, but only if done consensually with the right person in the right context.

Classic Damsel

This position represents the classic damsel-in-distress of the silver screen. In the normal variant shown here the elbows are tied touching together behind the back, wrists are tied, and the legs are tied together above and below the knees as well as at the ankles. The elbows together produce a strenuous tie and the shoulders-back position forces the subject into an involuntary display of her bosom, thus emphasising the sexuality of the subject. However, the fact that the legs are bound together so conclusively renders any sexual activity rather difficult, so this is considered a modest pose, suitable for display, tease and disciplinary use.

The variant shown here adds a crotch rope and a drawn-tight satin scarf gag.Ariel says:“I love this position, because I think it forces my body into an elegant shape. Having elbows tied together makes my back arch and my chest stick out, which isn’t exactly comfortable but it feels very glamorous to me, and I’ve never ever been able to wriggle out of an elbows-together tie because it just doesn’t allow enough movement to make it possible. I like this position too because it makes me feel like an innocent damsel in distress who’s not in imminent danger of anything really horrible happening to her – I feel like a sort of bondage-statuette when I’m tied up like this; I feel as though I’m more likely to be admired than abused.”

Ariel Anderssen in Classic Damsel bondage position
Ariel Anderssen in Classic Damsel bondage position
Ariel Anderssen in Classic Damsel bondage position

Box Tie (Arm position), Frogtie (Leg position)

The box tie is the basis of many bondage positions, being restrictive without causing discomfort or blood flow and nerve issues in the way that the elbows-together tie often does. It is therefore suitable for positions that take a considerable time to tie, whereas elbow together positions should be limited to those where the elbows can be tied last and untied quickly.

The shape so formed is somewhat less aesthetically pleasing than the elbows-together tie to many eyes, but is very useful for the large number of combinations it allows. The ropes passing around the upper arms and chest prevent the subject from wriggling her wrists free of the tie at the small of her back; for additional immobility this wrist rope can be attached to a crotch rope if desired.

The position shown here combines the bow tie arm position with the frogtie leg position. Frogtie is the vulgar name for a most useful position- the leg is bent fully at the knee, and tied just below the knee and just above the ankle. This allows considerable variation in pose and some mobility, whilst preventing the slavegirl from attempting positions above her station- it is impossible to stand up, or raise her head above a certain level, which can be a useful feature of this tie. A humiliation task could be set by promising the reward or release the slavegirl if only she can reach a token placed at her normal head level- a place which will inaccessible, even if she is agile enough to be able to get up onto knee-point.

The primary use of frogtie, however, is clearly sexual. Despite the restrictions imposed by the tie, the subject can open her legs widely and therefore can be taken in any or every desired orifice. As shown in the first photo on the second row below, the subject can still adopt some variant positions (the illustration showing an attempt to replicated the CFM pose whilst tied). The addition of a bolster or bar to support the hips or other support structure permits even more variations to be created.Ariel Says:“In this position I feel much more like a slavegirl than I do in Classic Damsel; the arm position can be sustained for ages, so I like the feeling that I could be left tied up like this all evening. It’s not anywhere near as painful as the elbows-together tie but it still makes me arch my back so it feels graceful too. I spend a lot of time kneeling now that I’m the RE Slavegirl, but I think you can probably tell from my expression that I really like it! In this tie, you can actually kneel with your legs together, but I often forget that because it feels sexier this way. “

Ariel Anderssen in box frogtie bondage position
Ariel Anderssen in box frogtie bondage position
Ariel Anderssen in box frogtie bondage position
Ariel Anderssen in box frogtie bondage position
Ariel Anderssen in box frogtie bondage position
Ariel Anderssen in box frogtie bondage position
Ariel Anderssen in box frogtie bondage position
Ariel Anderssen in box frogtie bondage position

Hogtie

The most salient feature of the hogtie is the rope attaching the bound wrists to the bound ankles. It is this feature which ensures that the hogtie delivers maximal restriction for the slavegirl from minimal exertion on the part of her captor, which goes some considerable way to explaining its enduring popularity, particularly in Western Bondage. There are few ways of immobilising someone as effectively with as little rope as the basic hogtie. Even just tying ankles, wrists and a short line between them can be most debilitating and, if the knots are tied so as to be inaccessible to probing fingers, largely inescapable.

The variant shown here is even more strenuous, incorporating additional ropes behind above the knees and above the elbows, bringing them almost to touching behind the back. This can make it somewhat hard for some people to draw in breath (because one cannot avoid weight resting on the chest and diaphragm) and also means the hands are likely to go numb sooner rather than later, so this variant should be considered advanced and more for punishment than for long-term storage.

The same position is easily accomplished with metal, either with handcuffs and leg-irons (one merely has to cross the chains linking the wrists and ankles) or with shackles and chains. In this variation it is referred to as a hogshackle. There are also purpose-designed bondage devices to hold the subject in this position and these items are generally referred to as “hogties”.

Mobility is usually restricted to being able to roll over, and possibly from there being able to level up into a bridge position, as shown in the second photo on the second row below. The subject generally finds it more comfortable to be able to roll, as it relieves the pressure on the chest. If the hogtie is drawn sufficiently tight even this much mobility can usually be denied to most subjects.

Aesthetically, it has the great advantage of displaying the soles of the feet and the face simultaneously, and may therefore be considered the bondage equivalent of “the pose” so beloved of foot fetish enthusiasts the world over.Ariel Says:“Urgh, I hate these! I always try to persuade people to do the cross-ankle variant because it’s much more comfortable for me, but I think most people like seeing this style more. It’s extra hard when my knees are tied together, and adding elbows-together is even worse! I always find it fairly hard to breathe in this position (though lots of models don’t have this problem) so I think I maybe need more training to make me better at it. “

Ariel Anderssen naked and bound in a tight hogtie
Ariel Anderssen naked and bound in a tight hogtie
Ariel Anderssen naked and bound in a tight hogtie
Ariel Anderssen naked and bound in a tight hogtie
Ariel Anderssen naked and bound in a tight hogtie
Ariel Anderssen naked and bound in a tight hogtie
Ariel Anderssen naked and bound in a tight hogtie
Ariel Anderssen naked and bound in a tight hogtie

Balltie, plus Legs Up-Balltie variant

There are many variants on the basic balltie theme. The core similarity is that the knees are brought up to the chest and constrained to remain there with rope. The illustrated version uses a single cinched band of rope at breast level; this may be prone to some slippage if not otherwise secured. Other variants bring the ropes over the shoulders as well, using the arms to prevent slippage.

The balltie is usually completed by binding the wrists and ankles. In the classic variant, these would be tied together (as here) but then additional rope use to draw the bound ankles in to body to keep the knees bent, either by extended the chest band to wrap and cinch around the bent knees and shins or by adding a rope to pull the ankles in, for example to a crotchrope.

Instead in this example the subject’s wrists are bound to her ankles but are not otherwise secured in to the rest of the balltie, allowing her to adopt the JBJS position, or as in the final two photos to be bound with her ankles raised to produce the legs-up balltie variation.

Ariel Anderssen ballgaged and naked in the legs-up balltie position
Ariel Anderssen ballgaged and naked in the legs-up balltie position
Ariel Anderssen ballgaged and naked in the legs-up balltie position
Ariel Anderssen ballgaged and naked in the legs-up balltie position
Ariel Anderssen ballgaged and naked in the legs-up balltie position
Ariel Anderssen ballgaged and naked in the legs-up balltie position
Ariel Anderssen ballgaged and naked in the legs-up balltie position
Ariel Anderssen ballgaged and naked in the legs-up balltie position

Tiptoe Crotch rope spreader bar strappado

The strappado position refers to any arm position where the arms are bound together behind the back and elevated. The strappado was and is used as a real-world torture and mutilation and we are therefore reluctant to use the term, but it is so widespread that it is unavoidable. It is vitally important to note that the leverage of the arms can in principle dislocate the shoulders (which is how real-world torturers use it) and that one must therefore be very careful when rigging the position- one should be careful that a sudden slip will not result in injury. On no account attempt to suspend or semi-suspend anyone by their arms in strappado!

The position shown here incorporates several elements. The crotchrope is not attached to the rest of the bondage and serves primarily as decoration and titillation. The ankles are bound to a spreader bar, keeping them far apart. The subject was ordered onto her tiptoes and to remain there. Her elbows were again bound together behind her back, which intensifies the effect of the position. Her arms were hoisted to a stout suspension point, but a rope with considerable stretch was used in order that if she did slip or faint there was considerable elastic give in the system.

All that said, the position is very aesthetically pleasing, very practical, allows for rearward penetration of the subject and is an excellent means of display to boot.Ariel Says:“Ahh, this is one of my very favourite ties in the whole world. Hywel did this tie with me at our first shoot, and it was my favourite one of the day. I love spreader bars anyway, especially if they force your legs to be very far apart, and the strappado makes it even better, because I couldn’t use my hands to protect myself if someone decided to spank me. Which is what I was fantasising about the first time Hywel did this with me. I also think it’s an elegant position, because if you want to relieve some of the pressure on your arms, then you have to balance on your tiptoes. Ooh, and if you add nipple clamps then they tend to swing around a lot and hurt even more. I love this position! “

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Reverse Prayer (Arm position) Karada/Tortoise-shell (Rope Web)

Derived from shibari, the karada or tortoise-shell rope web is one of the basic elements of decorative bondage, here tied by the subject herself after some introductory training. Whilst not being functional as a restriction in its own right, the rope web does provide anchorage for any number of other attachments, and is very ornamental and pleasant to look at. If tied very snugly it can also produce a “rope embrace” which some subjects find pleasurable.

Here the rope web has been used as an anchorage for the stripped-down form of the reverse prayer tie, which keep the hands palms together behind the subject’s back. There are many more elaborate and somewhat more secure variants of the reverse prayer tie but the variant shown is pleasingly minimalist.

The final photo shows several additions to complete the bondage tableau- wrists and knees bound in the manner of the classic damsel position, and nipple clamps added as a display and disciplinary measure. It is possible to produce the same tortoise-shell effect down the legs as well, proceeding in a similar manner to the way the tie is rigged on the body and producing a visually pleasing neatness and continuity.

Ariel Anderssen in self bondage karada reverse prayer... with added nipple clamps!
Ariel Anderssen in self bondage karada reverse prayer... with added nipple clamps!
Ariel Anderssen in self bondage karada reverse prayer... with added nipple clamps!
Ariel Anderssen in self bondage karada reverse prayer... with added nipple clamps!
Ariel Anderssen in self bondage karada reverse prayer... with added nipple clamps!
Ariel Anderssen in self bondage karada reverse prayer... with added nipple clamps!
Ariel Anderssen in self bondage karada reverse prayer... with added nipple clamps!
Ariel Anderssen in self bondage karada reverse prayer... with added nipple clamps!

Legs Up, Wrists to Knees

The legs-up position is of great utility. If used with a spreader bar, it is extremely conducive to face to face intimacy during sex, without the possibility of demurral. If used with ankles together, as shown here, it provides the perfect target for bastinado.

The degree of helplessness produced is proportional to the height to which the subject’s feet are raised. One must be wary of raising the rope too high, however, in order to avoid putting undue pressure on the back of the neck.

There are many ways in which the hands can be secured. Here they are bound to the ropes around the knees, with the final knot tied behind the knees to be outside of finger reach. It can also be very successfully tied with the arms tied “hugging” the legs.Ariel Says:“I really like being tied with my legs in the air like this. Hywel uses it a lot for Bastinado because the soles of my feet are unprotected and I’m not strong enough to keep reaching up with my hands. It’s also really comfortable (unless someone’s assaulting the soles of your feet, obviously!) and I like the way it gives me plenty of freedom to struggle and get into different positions without being able to escape. It feels a bit like a semi suspension too, but it’s more sustainable than most of them. And it’s quite lady-like because my legs are tied together, so it feels more damsel-in-distress than some positions do. “

Ariel Anderssen tied in hands-to-knees legs up position
Ariel Anderssen tied in hands-to-knees legs up position
Ariel Anderssen tied in hands-to-knees legs up position
Ariel Anderssen tied in hands-to-knees legs up position

Yoke

This position is typically achieved by the use of the implement called the yoke, as illustrated here. It can also be achieved by the use of ropes tied to a pole (a length of bamboo is typically used) although here one must be careful if the pole is to be attached at neck height- one must as always be very careful of any rope-work or restriction near the neck.

The yoke was featured in the BDSM-themed film “The Secretary”, most particularly in the trailer thereto, where its combination of permitted dexterity with complete awkwardness was well demonstrated. The subject’s fingers are free and unrestricted, so she can write, wash dishes, prepare food and perform all manner of other domestic and menial tasks. However, she cannot get her hands near her mouth, so she cannot feed herself easily or with any manner of decorum, and she must exercise considerable care in walking around as the yoke is often too wide to fit through doorways.

It is frequently used as a training aid, and is invaluable in slowing the slavegirl down to ensure that she take proper care and exercise due attention to her chores. The variation shown here adds heavy leg irons for further restriction; the subject is compelled to move at a relatively sedate pace and it can therefore be very helpful during poise, posture and gait training, ensuring that she move with due deliberation and decorum.

Anderssen naked, yoked and clapped in leg irons
Ariel Anderssen naked, yoked and clapped in leg irons
Ariel Anderssen naked, yoked and clapped in leg irons
Ariel Anderssen naked, yoked and clapped in leg irons

Crab tie

The crab tie binds the slavegirl’s wrists to her ankles and commonly (as here) adds ropes binding at around the level of knees and elbows as well, to keep her lower arms parallel to her lower legs. When correctly and snugly tied it is surprisingly restrictive, permitting only the opening and closing of her legs and rolling onto her back. The subject shown here was unable to resist the temptation to show off by attaining a semi-standing position, however, she was extremely unstable and this is not to be recommended.Ariel Says:“I’ve only just learned about this position! I don’t think it’s used very often, but I definitely want to do it more. I think it’d be brilliant for sex (as long as it didn’t break the tied-up person’s arms) and I love how little rope it uses – it’s very economical and elegant-looking. It’s one of those ties that can’t really help looking quite sexual, so I enjoyed posing like this very much – especially as it allows for lots of struggling, and rolling around which I always enjoy! “

Ariel Anderssen naked and bound in the crabtie position
Ariel Anderssen naked and bound in the crabtie position
Ariel Anderssen naked and bound in the crabtie position
Ariel Anderssen naked and bound in the crabtie position

Bent Over The Chair

The presence of as simple a piece of furniture as a chair opens many additional bondage possibilities. This is just one of the dozens of variant chair ties that can be employed. For a fuller discussion of chair ties we must beg the reader’s patience; this will be covered in a future supplement to this lexicon.Ariel Says:“Ah, I do love this – one of my favourite BDSM sensations is being bent over furniture – I think it’s probably because I like being spanked and caned so much, and this is one of my favourite positions for feeling helpless. I haven’t been tied up like this very often, because bondage and spanking doesn’t often happen at the same time when I’m at work, but I’m certainly a fan of this tie. “

Ariel Anderssen bound and gagged bent over a leather chair
Ariel Anderssen bound and gagged bent over a leather chair
Ariel Anderssen bound and gagged bent over a leather chair
Ariel Anderssen bound and gagged bent over a leather chair

Waitress

The waitress position refers to any pose where the elbows are constrained behind the back but the wrists are constrained in front. Here a bar has been used to achieve the effect. The name derives from the fact that a slavegirl so bound can easily carry a drinks tray with which to serve guests, but cannot easily do much besides.

Note that the humerus does not bend, so even slavegirls who can touch their elbows together behind their backs will require that the rope be tied with a spacer cinch when bound in this position.Ariel Says:“I don’t like being required to do anything useful while I’m tied up – it’s very hard work, and very tiring! But sadly, this tie makes it possible to do all sorts of useful chores, while still very definitely being restrained. I find this more humiliating than most of the other positions so I never suggest doing it. But at least you could possibly make an attempt at running away if you were tied up like this, which is always a comfort. “

Ariel Anderssen naked in the waitress bondage position
Ariel Anderssen naked in the waitress bondage position
Ariel Anderssen naked in the waitress bondage position
Ariel Anderssen naked in the waitress bondage position

Double V

The slave-girl’s arms are tied together to form two echoed V-shapes in front of her body. Although at first sight allowing her to protect herself from indignity, the addition of a tight rope going from the lowest point of the V’s acting as a crotch rope make any defensive response from the subject exact a frictional price on her dignity, as well as thoroughly limiting her freedom of motion.

The subject’s legs are here shown crossed; a more extreme variant would be to tie her legs in the half or full lotus position, maintaining a connecting rope to the bottom of the V’s to prevent unacceptable postural relaxation.

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Over The Pit Of Doom (aka Hands Above Head Ankles Spread, aka The Offering)

This simple tie is the mainstay of many a Hollywood damsel-in-distress scene (although their damsels are usually permitted more in the way of clothing than is to be considered fitting for most slavegirls who merit, or demerit, a period in this position).

Simply, the wrists are tied together and hauled up above the head, while the ankles are kept firmly distant from each other by the use of a spreader bar. The overall effect is one of great vulnerability, the slavegirl being unable to protect her modesty or her more sensitive areas from disciplinary procedures or unwelcome advances from her ertswhile captor.

As with all positions where hands are raised above the head, the position should not be maintained for too long to avoid circulation problems and possible fainting. A broad band of rope or, better, padded suspension cuffs, should be used to avoid excessive pressure. This should only be used for suspension with suitable cuffs, and even then should only be used briefly.

However, few positions are as simple, or as effective in reminding the subject of her position within the household and one therefore heartily commends this position to the connoisseur of wayward wenches as an excellent addition to the repertoire.

The variant with legs tied together is usually referred to as Virgin Over The Pit Of Doom; the spreader bar may be referred to as Slut Over The Pit Of Doom but this nomenclature is not the preferred choice. ‘Slut’ usually refers to a position where the slavegirl herself holds her legs wide open, rather than having them forced apart; clearly in any procedure where the maiden’s virginity is to be sacrificed, such apparatus may be helpful in realising the ceremony’s aims. So generally we assume a spreader bar when referring the position, unless it is qualified by ‘virgin’ or ‘modest’.

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Caterpillar (aka Rope Cocoon aka Full-length Karada)

Any rope wrapping which runs the full length of the body may be referred to as caterpillar or a rope cocoon. In the illustrated example, a rope web similar in construction to the karada is run the full length of the body, starting at the ankles and finishing at the shoulders.

Its function is primarily decorative as although the leg binding is somewhat effective, it does not provide the security of a typical cinched tie like Classic Damsel.

Indeed, the ropes have a regrettable tendency to slip as the subject flexes. This can be partially addressed by front-back cinches or additional horizontal rope bands, but this starts to lose the decorative simplicity of the karada style construction. A more robust alternative is composed of multiple rope bands, each cinched, resulting a variation we refer to a rope mummification.

The ultimate variant is full mummification, where bandages, cling film (saran wrap) or tape are used to tightly enclose the subject from head to toe. In that case, particularly for impermeable bondage like cling film which inhibits the evaporation of perspiration, be particularly aware of the dangers of overheating and have safety scissors immediately to hand (as they always should be).

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Bottoms Up

This position is absolutely exemplary for putting one’s merchandise on display, and for restraining a recalcitrant filly for bastinado punishment to the soles of her feet. The addition of the crotch harness secured to the ceiling provides constant reminders of her station in life, and even permits sexual access should a less decorative simple paired rope be used for the crotch section.

All in all it has much to recommend it. Indeed, bondage benches are often crafted to keep the subject in precisely this position (usually by means of leather straps to fasten down wrists and ankles, with a broad strap around the waist). In this incarnation it is primarily known as a whipping bench (or fucking bench) and the associated position is therefore also sometimes referred to by these names.

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Olympic Mascot

To commemorate the London 2012 Olympic Games, we devised the following slavegirl position which we named ‘Olympic Mascot’. Although clearly related to the touching toes unbound position, Olympic Mascot also includes a chain version of the crotch rope sit harness. This enables the mascot to take some of her weight on the chain, thus facilitating her adoption of the high-heel tiptoes position with her feet which might otherwise have been impractical due to balance constraints.

All in all we feel it combines something of the look of ‘starters orders’ and ‘touching toes’ with austere metalwork, and we commend it to the nation as much more Olympian in spirit than the ridiculous (and far more pornographic) official symbol.

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Box-Tie Variant (Reach Around)

The box tie is one of the most useful of all bondage positions, as described earlier. Here we present some variations on the theme. For example, in this case the plain rope bands at the front of the subject have been ornamented and augmented with decorative over-the-shoulder passes and tensioned rope twists to produce a tie which retains all the important features of the basic box-tie whilst being significantly more decorative.

The box tie is sometimes referred to as the Ushiro Takatekote (“behind the back bound hands and arms”); we more commonly use the ‘box tie’ western appellation.

In these photographs, the tie is completed by a rope-ladder on the legs (see entry below).Ariel says:“Looking back at these shots, it’s amazing to me that the rigging was so incredibly fast to do; it looks so complex but it just all seemed to appear on me in seconds! I was suspicious that the rope on my legs wouldn’t stay up, but Shibari rope work just seems to be a fair bit tighter than Western style, so it dug in to my skin and stayed exactly where it was. Fab! But I wasn’t expecting the ballgag. Hmmm. “

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Box-tie Balltie

Here another variant on the box-tie is used as the basis of a balltie. As always, one must be careful with rope near the neck. Here we anchor the rope which produces the balltie by running it over the shoulders either side of the neck and down to the box-tie, where it can be safely secured, rather than running it directly around the back of the neck.

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Ebi (‘Prawn’)

This is just a more stringent version of the tie above, where the rope pulling the subject over is much shorter and therefore the fold produced in her body much more pronounced. Again note that the rope is secured to the box-tie to prevent pressure on the neck.Ariel says:“Dave told me that this is actually a genuine historical torture position, because it becomes more and more agonisingly painful as the minutes and hours tick by. I was only in it for about 15 minutes, and he’d kindly tied it less-than-brutally tightly, so I could still move around a bit. And I’d have to say that it IS pretty uncomfortable, but I enjoyed every minute of it. “

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Simple Egyptian, tethered

Here and in the subsequent two examples we see examples of how the same basic position may be embellished and incorporated into ties of quite different style. The arm position is the straight-forward hands-crossed-in-front position we refer to as ‘Egyptian’. In this first example, relatively little rope is used. Despite this, and perhaps contrary to appearances, the tie is quite secure.

The addition of a rope around one ankle secured to a post or ring in the dungeon completes the position; we refer to anything tied in that way as ‘tethered’ (in the manner of a tethered beast). The other leg is here shown in western-style frog-tie.

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Crossed Arm Geisha

Here the ropes forcing the subject into the same Egyptian pose are tensioned against each other, meaning that although the slavegirl’s hands are not directly restrained, she nonetheless is obliged to maintain the basic integrity of the pose. Furthermore, these ropes are incorporated into a splendidly elegant, minimalistic crotch and hip harness. This particular design is very popular owing to its lifting and shaping effect on the buttocks of the subject, as well as the positioning of strategic knots to exert pressure in some extremely intimate locations.

Bondage Geish girl Ariel Anderssen is ready to serve in bondage
Bondage Geish girl Ariel Anderssen is ready to serve in bondage
Bondage Geish girl Ariel Anderssen is ready to serve in bondage
Bondage Geish girl Ariel Anderssen is ready to serve in bondage

Egyptian Spider’s Web

Finally, we see the embellishment of the position taken to a highly decorative extreme, by the exquisite rope-work of WykD Dave. Again the slavegirl is mandated to remain in the basic Egyptian posture, but now the ropes are laid over her in such a way to as to almost provide a target shield in front of her. This cried out for an echo of the spider’s web pattern to be used to secure her in a cross-legged position as well.Ariel says:“I genuinely didn’t know you could do anything so beautiful and complicated with rope. So comfortable, but properly restrictive too. And I felt like a sort of lovely decorated sculpture once the tie was finished. “

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Pork Roll and Rope Ladder limb binding styles

The arms are here tied in box-tie as above. However, note the two different forms of binding used on the limbs. The bent leg is wrapped in rope in a way which will be familiar to all readers from their duties as paterfamilias at the carving of the Sunday roast joint; we therefore decided to refer to it in our vernacular as the ‘pork roll’ method of binding a limb. We trust the reader will forgive us the cannibal connotations and allow us that the term is, at least, highly descriptive.

The extended leg, by contrast, is tied in another mainstay of the Japanese rope style, which we refer to as a ‘rope ladder’. Here the rope is tensioned against itself many times as it ladders its way up the limb, a technique which works extremely well with natural fibres (such as hemp) used in the Japanese tradition. We should caution that anyone relying on this method with slippery artificial rope like nylon is inviting a slithering mess of snakes sliding down rather than an elegant ladder climbing up!

Here a rope is used directly behind the neck to the extended leg, which is something to be treated with thought and caution as discussed above.

The asymmetric result, especially when the rope ladder is extended to a suspension point above, is much more commonly seen in the Japanese style than in the Western, which favours more symmetrical deportment of the subject. Hence we do not give this particular configuration a title of its own; we would rather describe it by its components: Lying on side, arms in box. One leg bent, in pork roll, the other extended upwards to ceiling, tied in a rope ladder, with rope from bottom of rope ladder on leg behind back to fold her over.

Nonetheless, its efficacy is undeniable.Ariel says:“What a horrible name for such a lovely tie. But while Dave was tying my left leg, I suddenly was reminded of the way joints of meat are tied up with string in supermarkets. Yuk! I was worried about the pictures, but I don’t look quite as edible as

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Teppo (Shouldering the Rifle)

This classical Japanese position can be tied in several ways, two of which are illustrated here. The first example is completed by tying the arms harness up to the ceiling, leaving the legs free. Although giving the subject the ability to move, the degree of helplessness so created was nonetheless substantial, with the ceiling rope preventing her moving more than a metre or so.

The second example also takes ropes up to the ceiling, in this case a sitting version with a rope web around the foot (which we have elected to call a ‘rope slipper’) elevating one leg, and a rope gag being incorporated into the teppo.Ariel says:“Ahhhh, I loved this. So restrictive, especially when my left arm was tied up to the suspension point. It’s gorgeous, having so much rope on all at once. And I was enjoying seeing the marks of the previous rigs on my body – I started to feel like a proper rope bunny. “

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“Hooplah!” (Strappado Balltie)

Our test subject explains the genesis of this tie’s name for us below. From the earlier photographs in the series you can see that this was initially tied as a rope ladder on each leg, bent individually to form a frog-tie, and on the arms forming a rope arm-binder. More rope was then added to fold the subject into a balltie, from whence her arms were pulled outwards and upwards to attain the final strappado balltie position.

You may also note in the final photograph the effects of prolonged rope bondage on the test subject, both in terms of physical indentations (‘rope marks’) and in terms of emotional and sexual arousal response (the so-called ‘rope slut’ phenomenon).Ariel says:“I thought this would be called (less creatively) a strappado/balltie. But while Dave was tying it, he got so excited by the inventiveness of what he was doing that he suddenly exclaimed ‘hooplah!’ in a satisfied voice. Which seemed perfectly reasonable. It was a tremendous tie, I love being tied with my knees to my chest, but it’d never been quite this tight before! “

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Japanese Reverse Prayer

This tie shows one way in which a slavegirl can be bound into the reverse prayer position, here incorporating ropes which restrain her fingers. The bondage is finished off by two rope wraps which keep her in a kneeling position, which are anchored by a single rope slipper on one foo

This is again illustrative of the use of asymmetry in Japanese-inspired positions; were we to tie this in a Western style, we would choose to mirror that rope work on the other foot, even though it might be functionally superfluous. In point of fact, the use of rope slippers is not generally encouraged for Restrained Elegance slavegirls, as the rope risks distorting the shape of the foot or even providing protection from justly-earned punishment directed at the soles of the feet!Ariel says:“I normally think of Shibari rope work involving a lot more rope than Western styles. But this reverse prayer was beautifully economical, with hardly any rope showing in front. And it also turned out to be completely inescapable, hooray!”

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Lotus with Rope Ladder Gauntlet

This leg tie clearly depends upon the ability of the subject to attain the position, either full or half lotus, and hold it unassisted by the rope for a reasonable length of time in order that the tie can be meticulously and neatly applied. So long as the subject can attain and maintain the position in reasonable comfort without the presence of rope, she ought to be able to do so whilst bound.

The arms are here bound together along the forearms, using the rope ladder style, to form what we refer to as a rope ladder gauntlet or more simply a rope gauntlet.Ariel says:“I do love this position, it’s always one of my favourites because I sit cross-legged quite naturally anyway. I’d never had my arms tied like this before though – I felt as though I was at a very kinky yoga class. “

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Bunny Ears / Futomomo Delta (aka Bunny Ears, legs in Z)

The appellation applied to this position is two-fold. First we deal with the arms, which are bound bent and raised, wrists crossed behind the subject’s neck. The silhouette so formed irresistibly called to mind the establishments of one Mr. Hefner, of the colonies, and the famous symbol and uniform of the female members of staff there present. We therefore named the position ‘bunny ears’ partially in tribute to the achievements of that worthy’s career.

The legs are here bound with a style which our illustrious rigger declared could well be likened to the classical Japanese form known as Futomomo; the addition of the rope around the opposite ankle pulling that same ankle to the subjects opposite, wrapped, thigh formed a triangular shape which one could barely fail to label with the classical Greek nomenclature of ‘delta’. Hence, a bunny-ears, futomomo delta tie.

As with any position which removes the arms to the subject’s rear, this position can very prettily be intensified and accessorised by the addition of nipple clamps, which seem to fit with the Bunny Ears pose uncommonly well.Ariel says:“I’m sure that this looks nowhere near as tough as some of the other bondage positions we did during our Shibari experiment, but for me it was certainly one of the most painful – it certainly wouldn’t be a position I’d choose for anything longterm. My arms pushed my head forward and it felt like a proper torture position after about 2 minutes! “

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Hammerlock

This position (and its variants) was introduced to the Restrained Elegance repertoire by Temptress Kate, underneath whose demure exterior dwells an imagination of diabolical cruelty. The name comes from an arm lock used to restrain suspects by law enforcement agents. More properly this position should be called a ‘double hammerlock’, but since we only ever tie it in this form, we shorten the name for simplicity.

In the classical version of the hammerlock tie, the hands are usually balled into fists. In this version tied in the Japanese style by the estimable WykD Dave, the fingers are incorporated into the tie, being one of the principle foundations which make the addition of ropes crossing the shoulders to keep the hands in raised position unnecessary to this variant.

The addition of a single rope slipper converts the position into a simplified balltie. Once again, the position can be intensified (should such a step prove necessary, or desirable on a whim) by the addition of nipple clamps, against which the subject will be entirely, and most satisfactorily, powerless.Ariel says:“I love this position anyway – it feels like reverse prayer but with less pressure on my wrists. But having worked mainly within the Western bondage tradition, having my hands incorporated into the bondage is a new sensation for me. And yep, I love it! An extra feeling of helplessness – brilliant! “

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Michelle Pfeiffer

Once again, we permit our test subject to declaim in her addendum the reasons for the nomenclature attached to this position. If the reader is unfortunate enough not to have already encountered the work of the pulchritudinous Ms’s Pfeiffer and Danes and their fellow thespians in their production of Mr. Gaiman’s ‘Stardust’, we cannot recommend this feast of filmic fantasy too highly. Any fan of fantastical satin-clad blonde damsels in distress, chained princesses and general excitement will find it to be entirely worth their while to acquire a recording of this most admirable of cinematic endeavours.

To return to more scientific matters, this position is one in which the subject can usually remain for a considerable period of time, possibly even performing light clerical duties or household chores. Its suitability will depend on the degree of posterior eroticism of the slavegirl; if applied to a truly ‘arse erotic’ subject, the urge to fondle herself may prove irresistibly distracting. Whilst this is likely to produce a gratifying degree of arousal, and spectacle for any assembled viewers, is must be admitted that its effect on the performance of said clerical duties or household chores may be somewhat inhibitory, or even entirely distracting.

As always, then, one must fit the punishment to the crime, or the rope to the slavegirl.Ariel says:” I left the studio in order to make cups of tea for the others and when I got back, Dave and Hywel were discussing Michelle Pfeiffer with great animation. Then Dave said they’d decided to tie me up so I’d look like her in ‘Stardust’ where she gropes her pert bottom with great satisfaction. Which won’t make any sense to you if you haven’t watched the film, but it was great fun for me, pretending to be a very self-satisfied porn star… “

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Crossbow

We note in passing that the classical Western hogtie, as described above, is clearly a misnomer (since it is in fact impossible to tie a hog in this position- at least without severe dislocation). The Japanese form shown here is a useful variation on the basic hogtie theme, exchanging a rope from ankles to the one around the upper body following the basic layout of the box tie for the rope between wrists and ankles traditionally used to achieve a similar posture in the Western hogtie.

It retains all the distinctive advantages of the Western form- helplessness, similarity to ‘the pose’ of foot fetish fame, vulnerability of feet to diverse methods of amusement (for the owner) or punishment (for the slavegirl). It lends itself to tying cross-legged, which some subjects find easier than the legs-together variants. It is also significantly less punishing than the elbows-together variant tied with straight arms, which can be very severe indeed.Ariel says:“I’ve never exactly been in love with the name ‘Hogtie’ and I was charmed when Dave told us the Japanese version is ‘Crossbow’. Much prettier, I thought. Though, unsurprisingly, it’s just as challenging a position as the Western version. “

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Koala Pole

The version of this tie shown here used a free-standing rattan pole. A more stringent and restrictive version would be possible using a fixed pole, and more extensive integration of the subject’s fingers into the tie.Ariel says:“I loved this! Loved it! Some rope bondage makes me feel like a melodrama victim, some bondage makes me feel sort of cuddled and comforted. This was definitely in the second of those categories. By this point in the shoot I was covered in rope marks from the previous ties, and it was super to feel like a lovely carefree koala for a few minutes. “

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Beetle Balltie

Ballties range in stringency and degree of immobilisation. This example, where a series of rope ladder style ties are used to wrap the whole of the subject’s body into the balltie, is at the high end on the stringency and immobilisation scale, producing almost complete helplessness in the subject.

Note again the acceptance of asymmetry in the Japanese style, with one end of the rope secured around the toes and the other passing over one shoulder. In a Western tie to produce the same position, one would probably have wrapped around the ankles to produce a terminal cinched band to anchor one end and brought a second rope across the other shoulder to balance the design. This would be functionally unnecessary, but a more usual aesthetic for the Western style.Ariel says:“I’m always a fan of ballties, but this one was an extra interesting experience, because it was so tight that I couldn’t move myself into any different positions. When Hywel had finished photographing my upright, Dave had to lower me onto my side because there was no way I could do it for myself. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so helpless in a balltie before! I told them I felt like a beetle, stuck on its back and unable to right itself… “

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Diving Springboard (aka tied JBJS)

This position completes the trilogy of similar wrists-bound-to-legs in front poses, with the wrists bound to the ankles. (Legs up, wrists to knees shows them tied to the knees and the legs-up balltie shown above also includes wrists to ankles, but with the rope running across the found limbs bound rather than ankles together, wrists together and a joining rope, as here). Especially when the legs are elevated, this can forma challenging tie, very inviting for bastinado on the subject.

As with all raised positions, one must be wary of a lack of circulation in the raised extremities.Ariel says:“I felt like a Art Deco figurine, tied in the position – I loved how it felt, and Hywel loved how vulnerable it made the soles of my feet. He celebrated this fact by tickling them, sadly for me. “

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Bent Over Kneeling Strappado

This position is one of the ‘elementary’ combinations of legs bound to keep the subject on her knees, arms bound behind (here with a single rope at the wrists) and a rope elevating the arms to produce the strappado. It is great utility in convincing a recalcitrant slavegirl to correctly honour her owner, with her mouth being placed at a very convenient height for the purpose of paying that homage. The stringency and degree of distress produced can be considerable, depending on the elevation of the strappado.

The variant shown here binds the legs together and keeps them bent; an obvious variation to allow the subject slightly greater range of movement would be to tie the legs in frog-tie.

As with all strappados, its feasibility depends on the shape and flexibility of the subject; those with narrow shoulder and long arms will find it relatively easy, whereas those with broader or more muscular shoulders and short arms may be unable to assume the position at all. As always, one must assess the suitability and sustainability of the tie for your particular valued possession before applying it!Ariel says:“Favourite! I love the economical rope-work, but most of all I love how strappados make me feel; so vulnerable, and with my shoulders under so much pressure. I always feel as though something really terrible/wonderful is about to happen to me in this tie! “

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Front-Back Box tie

We had previously only encountered this ‘wraparound’ concept done with metal, where two pairs of handcuffs were used to attach the wrists to the upper arm (just above the elbow) of the opposite arms. Here it is tied with rope. The construction uses the box tie as a foundation, but with one arm in front and the other behind. The box tie principle (that the hands cannot be moved substantially out of position because of the ropes around the upper arms) is used, but it backed up by the vertical ropes over the shoulders and crotch-rope, which are woven into the box tie to secure the whole edifice.

The integration of the rear hand into the tie is probably optional but we have not experimented extensively enough with variations on this theme to date to be able to satisfy the reader’s natural desire for a fuller and more detailed evaluation of its merits, strengths and weaknesses. Clearly, further research is needed in this area and we will be approaching the usual learned societies for an extension of these studies in due course.

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Bent Over Bamboo Spreader

As our test subject intimates in her marginal comments below, the notion for this pose originated from her. We must remark that the choice of a position which both spreads the legs wide, and places the hands in between those legs in a position whereby considerable pleasurable friction could be auto-generated by the subject possibly says more about the predilections of this particular slavegirl than she might, on reflection, wish to have revealed.Ariel says:“Hmm, this was my idea. It’s probably not the most beautiful or elegant of our Shibari-influenced series but I really wanted to be tied up this way – I love being tied in a bent-over position “

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One leg semi-suspension (aka One Leg Superman)

This semi-suspension uses another variant of the one arm in front- one arm behind pose. The basic concept of a single raised leg can be done in a very simple form, as here, or in a more elaborate and supportive way for longer durations, as in Yoko Tzury (see below). Quite why it reminded Ariel of superman is a mystery, as we usually reserve that name for positions where one arm is extended in front in the classic ‘superman flying’ pose.Ariel says:“‘I feel like Superman!’ I exclaimed with great excitement once I realised how I’d been tied. ‘Except with only one leg. And a girl. Oh, and naked.’ So maybe not all that much like Superman, but it was certainly super fun! Having my arms tied like this was completely new for me, and there’s no point even trying to struggle in this position – there was just no movement possible for my arms at all. But I had great fun seeing what I could do with my legs; it’s great, the combination of no mobility for part of your body, and absolutely loads for another part. “

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Yoko Tzury

Yoko Tzury (or Zuri or Tsuri) is a sideways suspension, which name could equally well be applied to the Peter Pan sideways suspension (see below). Here it refers to a semi-suspension but with the same basic characteristic of a sideways extension (the leg) held up by the ropes.Ariel says:“‘This is a SEMI suspension’ stipulated Dave, looking pointedly at me. I have been known to take my supporting foot off the ground sometimes, just to feel what a full suspension would be like. But since Hywel was also looking at me sternly, I decided to behave properly. I didn’t want Hywel to get any ideas about punishing me in this position, it simply gave him too many easy targets… “

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Hishi Fit (aka Alpine or Full Rope Harness, based on Rope Sit Harness)

The basis of this tie is the harness tied around waist and upper thighs, which we refer to as a ‘sit harness’ based on the equipment of that same name used by our alpinist colleagues. (Illustrated in the first photograph).

The principle is the same- the bulk of the weight is taken by the thigh loops, with the waist element providing security and some distribution of weight to the waist and/or hips in some orientations. This provides a comfortable and secure support capable of taking the subject’s weight for a considerable time (especially if the rope bands are broad).

As with the climbing sit harness, the main danger of the simple sit harness is that if the subject were to become overly recumbent, she might become inverted or, at worst, slip out of the harness entirely. The usual climbing countermeasure is a full harness, where an additional linkage is provided at mid-chest to prevent falling backwards.

Here that linkage is provided by a chest harness integrated with a box tie, again used as a basic arm tie as in many Japanese-inspired forms; a Western alternative version might use a band of rope under the arms, secured by ropes passing over the shoulders. In the Western form, we would refer to it as a Full or Alpine Rope Harness, and it forms one of the most secure ways to suspend someone (and potentially also one of the most comfortable so long as sufficient turns of rope are used). In this Japanese-inspired form the pressure put on the arms may prove to be the limiting factor; we call this incarnation the ‘hishi fit’.Ariel says:“I believe the name of this tie is ‘Hishi’ but I thought it’d be a perfect way of tying up a diva who was having a hissy fit… It certainly became pretty tough once I was partially suspended, but all the lovely rope digging into me was still a wonderful feeling. “

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A Note On Suspensions

For the suspensions, we will cease our jovial notes. Any tie which involves the whole of the subject’s weight being taken on the ropes is serious (bringing increased risk of nerve damage from box-ties taking weight on upper arms unless tied correctly, for example). Any which involves a significant height brings with it a real increase in objective danger should anything go wrong, and anything which involves an inverted suspension with hands unable to shield the head should the worst happen should only be done once you’ve REALLY practiced simpler suspensions many times and have done proper risk assessments.

Please don’t try even the simplest of suspensions without due care and attention. Make sure the suspension point is properly secure, all kit used is rated (ideally for at least ten times the expected load, since someone swinging in a suspension might create a considerable dynamic load). To assess whether you can do the suspension with adequate safety, read up about doing suspensions safely, and do a risk assessment for what you are planning to do, with the person you’re planning to do it, and for the space where you will be tying.

Sorry to inject such a serious note, but it could be my fiancee you are proposing to dangle upside-down six feet above a concrete floor. For everyone’s sake, take things one step at a time and learn what you are doing on easier stuff first. I don’t want to contribute to the ‘I saw it on the internet, let’s try it!’ school of rigging. Thanks!

Basic Horizontal Suspension

This is one of the easier suspensions to tie. The basic operating principle is that weight is taken by multiple broad bands of rope, specifically under the arms, at the waist, at the hips, under the bum and above the knees. (The ankle and wrist ropes are not particularly weight bearing here). The ropes bands are then secured in place by additional ropes to prevent slippage- possibly overkill, but this would prevent the ropes sliding off if she were to start reclining backwards.

This ‘rope hammock’ position is generally one of the more comfortable, and it allows the tie to be done on the floor and then the subject to be winched up gradually, testing the weight distribution as she wiggles around. As always with suspensions, we had to adjust the tension of some of the ropes going up to the suspension bar to get the desired look and distribution of weight between the different rope bands.

Were I to tie it again, I’d use much broader bands on the ‘stay’ ropes over the shoulders, as when Ariel posed around in the tie, these took a little more load than I was expecting and cut in a bit as a result. No harm done but it would have been even more comfortable for Ariel if I’ve had more turns of rope there.

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Peter Pan Sideways Suspension

This is a beautiful example of a Japanese style suspension from WykD Dave, using fewer turns of rope, very carefully positioned. Do not try this one at home unless you know what you are doing and have done some easier suspensions successfully first.Ariel says:“Dave explained to me that people often think a sideways suspension will be one of the most stressful, because all the bodies weight would rest on the lower arm. Actually, that turns out not to be the case – a sideways suspension with plenty of rope like this one really does feel like flying. It’s weird that bondage can sometimes make me feel so free; almost weightless, nearly free from gravity, but still very definitely tied up.”

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Inverted Single Leg Suspension

And this is a terrifying example of an inverted suspension from WykD Dave that I don’t think you should even LOOK at until you really know what you are doing, let alone try to replicate! I’d emphasise that (as with many suspensions) Ariel was up there for a few minutes at most, just about enough to snap off a series of photos. Please remember to take care of your partner, and suspendees, please remember to give your rigger PLENTY of notice of when you will need to come down, don’t wait until it has become a matter of urgency!Ariel says:“Oh my goodness, I was so scared! I’ve always loved suspensions, but following a bad experience (not with Restrained Elegance) a few months ago I’ve lost some of my confidence. But Dave is extremely experienced with suspension work and I’d have felt utterly pathetic to turn down the opportunity to do some proper challenging stuff. I’m happy to say that my confidence has returned – it felt like flying as my weight was gradually taken away from me and I was gently rotated until I was upside down. There’s no getting away from the fact that these type of suspensions are rarely comfortable, but I felt safe, excited, and ready to re-enter the world of suspension. “

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MY EDITORIAL

Quite obviously, WOW!  I’m not sure if words can do justice to just how great of a job Restrained Elegance did.  It’s simply breathtaking.  I love the fact that the images are ridiculously stylish and elegant.  They say a picture is worth a thousand words but their images are worth a million words.  I’m so impressed and I don’t get impressed easily.  Quite clearly, they’ve taken the time to make sure that they’ve done an outstanding job.

The above is only one part of their monster tutorial.  The other two parts of the tutorial are “Free-standing slavegirl positions” and “gags” but if you want to see those you’ll have to visit their website.  Both are just as great as the bondage positions you’ve seen above.

If you check out their site, you’ll also see that they have more models and all the photo-shoots are done as well as the one above.  You can join their site to get access to their amazing videos and pictures which are also great value. 

As you can see I’m rather smitten with their work.  It can be difficult to find “classy” work in this field but Restrained Elegance have completely nailed it.

Their written explanations are also brilliant.  They’re experts in their field and it shows.  I also like that their personalities and humor come out in their writings.

Just for the record, I’m not on any commissions and haven’t been paid to say what I’ve said above.  It’s just that in a world where mediocre is the norm, when I see outstanding work I have to praise it.

Safety disclaimer – anything you do is at your own risk.  This post is for entertainment purposes only and should be viewed as such.  It is not a “do it yourself” post.  Restrained Elegance are experts in their field and you should not be trying these techniques without the proper training.