My Master controls my appearance. I think this is one of the first areas of control many dominant types like to take over. Well-dressed and well-behaved property is desirable, it is a good reflection on them and for Masters like mine, and it’s a turn-on too.
But how do we, as the submissive types feel about it? I rebelled at first. I liked my "mom wear" it was comfy and simple. Jeans and a t-shirt, what can be simpler than that? Sweatpants? Yeah, those went out the door many years ago, even before we'd considered an M/s relationship.
My favorite t-shirts are the kind with cutesy prints on them. Hearts, butterflies, sayings, and even better if they've got glitter or sparkling gems. I'm addicted to these things and am drawn to them like a moth to a flame. Unfortunately, they don't make me look like the lady Master wants me to be. So, they're slowly being relegated to being worn only around the house. Even though I didn't like this at first, I'm beginning to enjoy it now. Every time I look at an item in my wardrobe I think about his reaction and try to choose something that he'll like. This really reinforces his control of me by making me mindful of his preferences.
There are other things about my appearance that my Master controls. Things like shaving, I am supposed to keep my legs, pubic area, and underarms shaved regularly. He also has the final say on any body modifications I might want. For instance, I'm not allowed to have any oral piercings, he just doesn't like them. I've also got a spider web tattoo that he plans on having covered up sometime this year.
I pouted at first about the oral piercing ban, I love oral piercings and I still miss the lip piercing I had years ago. However, I understand that I exist for his pleasure and it would really turn him off to have to see a ring or a barbell sticking out of my lip or tongue.
I think language falls under the appearance category as well. Think about how someone appears to you when every other word they say is a profanity. This was once me; I swore like a factory worker and probably appeared to be uncouth and ill-mannered. I can't imagine wanting to own a person like this. Master has enforced a no swearing ban everywhere but in the bedroom. I'm thankful for this. It made me learn to stop and think about what I was saying and what image I wanted to project and, more importantly, how he wanted me to appear.
Things like shaving and not swearing have become "normal" for me and I take a bit of pleasure in knowing how pleased he is by these things. This isn't to say that I'm always successful, far from it. I don't always succeed at keeping things shaved, sometimes I don't have time, or I just hurt too much to do it. And sometimes a profanity will slip out.
All in all, I'd say I really like my Master taking an interest and choosing to control my appearance. I want to look and behave my best for him so that I am a slave he can be proud of owning.
