Why Zona?
From the Editor
Girdles.
Have you ever given them much thought?
I didn't think so.
If you are a woman born before 1960 or thereabouts, you probably grew up surrounded by adult women who wore girdles regularly. You probably assumed that once you reached womanhood, you would wear one yourself: it was just the way things were done. But about 1970, you came to the decision that maybe you didn't need to wear one after all. If you wear one today, it is through choice, not obligation.
If you are a younger woman, you may think of a girdle as a historical curiosity, something your mother- or grandmother- might have worn. Yet just possibly, you may have worn one out dancing- it was so retro-kinky- or underneath that bridesmaid's dress at your best friend's wedding.
But older or younger, you probably don't spend much time thinking about girdles. Underwear is underwear, after all, and even though men might find women's underpinnings fascinating, that's a guy thing. Garters and lace and elastic may be ever-so-appealing to their testosterone-soaked brains, but men don't have to put up with wearing that stuff, or laundering it, or for heaven's sake, finding underwear that even fits. Men don't know how easy they have it.
If you are a man of any age, there's a good chance that you perceive girdles-whether from experience or by reputation- as merely an obstruction, a speed bump on the highway to heaven.
These certainly are the popular perceptions: women hate wearing girdles, and men can't stand the things.
So it may be surprising to learn that there are women who enjoy wearing girdles- who find them comfortable and attractive- and there are many men who see a woman in a girdle as the height of erotic allure.
It surprised me, and I'm one of those men.
For some twenty years or so, I felt sure I was the only man in the universe who was fascinated by girdles and girdled women. In all my circle of friends and acquaintances, I never heard another guy say a kind word about them. The garment's reputation- comical at best, tyrannical and oppressive at worst-- heightened my sense of chagrin.
As a male with feminist sympathies, I found the whole business particularly embarrassing. How come, I kept asking myself, was I so obsessed with a garment that everyone seemed to agree symbolized the mindset that a woman's appearance mattered more then her achievements?
And how was it that I alone, it seemed, possessed this fascination? The only explanations readily available on library shelves hinted at some sort of psychological dysfunction. To be an "ass-man" or a "leg-man," to be drawn to large breasts or small ones, dark or light hair: this was merely the robust diversity of male sexuality. To be fascinated by a smoothly girdled bottom? Perversion.
Two events began to dispel this sense of despair. In the 1980s, I came upon the work of historian and fashion commentator Valerie Steele. Her book Fashion and Eroticism introduced me to an entirely new analysis of the erotic power of apparel, and is without question the single most important influence that has shaped the contents of Zona. Steele makes no attempt to downplay the double standard that distinguishes male and female dress customs, but she refuses to accept the simplistic argument that items of clothing, in and of themselves, oppress women:
Clothing may reinforce or merely reflect sex role ascription. But... it is absurd to blame clothing for limiting women, and pointless to blame "men" or "Society" for "forcing" women to wear restrictive or "feminine" dress. (Steele, 1985)
Yet Steele's work focused on corsets, which by the mid-eighties had achieved a degree of public acceptance as erotic accessories. Girdles, in the years before Madonna's Cannes flash, retained their oppressive and unattractive image.
Then, in 1993, I encountered the Internet, and through on-line discussions, found, at first, one or two other guys like myself.
Then dozens.
I was not alone: there were plenty of other fellows like me out there! Not a bunch of Neanderthals, either: artists, writers, academics, tech types, and more- literate, enlightened guys who just happened to have a girdle fetish like me. And there were even women who enjoyed the sensations of being girdled and relished the appeal it had for the men in their lives!
In 1996, I established this Web site out of a sense of mission to spread the word, "You're not alone" to other men who were grappling with this issue, and to their perplexed wives and girlfriends.
I believe I have succeeded to a significant degree. I have received literally thousands of e-mails, many from men recounting stories similar to my own, always returning to the theme of, "I thought I was the only guy who felt this way." I have also received a very gratifying number of messages from women saying, "Now I understand my husband a lot better," and others that quite literally announced, "Zona has saved my marriage." Messages like these make all the work worthwhile.
In all immodesty, I think that serving as a catalyst for the coalescing on-line girdle community has been Zona's most significant achievement. These days there are dozens, if not scores, of girdle pages on the Net. Nothing could please me more!
Now and then I lurk through discussion groups and chat rooms, and I am both astounded and pleased by the frequency of reference to Zona by people who have never written to me. I am under no illusions- if Zona had not come along, someone else would have done the same thing- but I feel satisfaction in having been the one who first rose to the occasion.
-Virginian
What Others Have Said About Zona
Zona is magnificent. I am forever grateful to you for setting the tone on the Net for the discussion of girdles, and for making sure that this aspect of human sexuality receives a more dignified and intelligent treatment than most other aspects of sexuality are receiving on the Net. I am certain that your intelligent and courtly page is in some way responsible for a burgeoning revival of girdles as an erotic garment.
–Suzanne
Zona- it has Gravity! Zona is massive! In the world of physics things of great mass have gravity, and it seems this also true in the literary world. Zona has gravity!
It must, since everyone who has any interest in foundationwear knows of it. We are all drawn into it. It was the first site I saw on the web pertaining to girdles. A friend showed it to me. Another friend living hundreds of miles away, printed it out and mailed it to me. Once seeing it, I knew I had to get Internet connection.
The site has such class it breathes legitimacy, dignity, and class into our interests. I bet everyone remembers the first time they came across Zona (I should rephrase that, the puns were not intended). My reactions to Zona: I felt lucky to be in a "fetish" that had Zona championing its cause.
-Steve, Hidden Views
For more than twenty-ive years, I have held a fascination for women who wore girdles; even through the girdle deficits of the eighties. For those twenty-five or so years, I thought myself to be alone in my feelings.. Then, miraculously, I made a discovery that once again changed my life: Zona- The Girdle Zone. The Virginian's site revealed that not only was I among a group of many men who were similarly entranced by the girdled woman, but that there was an equally large group of women that enjoyed wearing girdles on a regular basis. Could this actually be true? I can only believe it is, judging by the number of sites that seem to appear on the web that devote at least a part of their pages to images and stories of this nature. The girdle may be making a comeback, and I am hopeful that sites like Zona… will assist in bringing it about.
-Dreamer
Zona worked for me! I gave my wife two of the articles: "The Decline and Revival of Romance" and the "Valentine's Day Gift" in a love letter. I explained that those two women wrote up exactly how I wanted it to be between us. Since I grew up in the late 60's I dreamed that life would be like that. She's agreed to dress a lot better and has made a lot of lingerie purchases so far. But, still no girdle. We were shopping yesterday and she declined to try one on at a local lingerie store. So, a garter belt it will be for a while. I got quite a few suggestions for gifts, so I'm getting most of what I asked for.
What I don't know is whether I have the nerve to give her "Chastity Belt" or the adventures of Reynard and Lucinda. Those are very sensuous. At a certain moment, I will let her know how nice she might feel if she were suitably girdled. To me, that should be a big draw to them, if she knew. I may just book mark some of the Zona articles for her. There are a few notes which say that quite a few husbands introduced their wives via Zona. In her case, this is a big change in her personal style. So, it will take time.
All I can say is: It worked for me!
-Charles
Thank you Virginian - for all you've done. Many, many moons ago, I wrote you an e-mail and submitted a post. You graciously accepted my post, added it to the archives, and we chatted a bit...
That was all quite profound in helping me sort out my own emotions in regards to girdles, who wears them, and why. You were most flattered when I mentioned to you of how Zona brought my wife and I together on to solid common ground - with respect to girdles. I am in debt to you, as I would suspect many are.
Thank you, gracias, danke...
-GF
Thanks for the update, Virginian, and also thank you for your diligence in originating the extensive data you provided in the original Zona. When I first became Internet active I discovered your site, and I was simply amazed at the volume of information and observations you provided. You have done many a great service, and I, along with legions or others, thank you!
-Condor
After two years, I read the full Zona web site again over the last two days. Wow! What a piece of work. I was so impressed when I first read this, little did I know that I would be meeting this amazing man at Garters & Lace 2001. He speaks as well as he writes.
When I first read this website, I was new to the Internet, and thought I was the only woman left who wore a girdle. I can honestly say the Virginian's writings helped inspire many of the things that followed in my life.
-Lyn Locke, Lyn Locke Lingerie
I'll say here what I told Virginian in a private note a year or so ago. I had grown up in the late 1960s and sort of expected my wife to wear a girdle and stockings. I knew that some women just would not wear one, because of the various societal reasons.
A while ago, I found Zona and was able to print out some extraordinary love stories for my wife to read, and ponder. The way I put it was "You don't know how much I want to be the husband in the story." Now, a year or so later, we just spent the morning talking about buying her girdles, bras and stockings. We went through the web pages and she's off to get some items herself, and will leave some for me to get as gifts.
I'll leave it where I left it with my wife: Very femme women do wear a girdle. The few that do can certainly enhance their marriage. I knew I was in serious trouble with my marriage. Getting my wife to wear a girdle, in part, saved the marriage.
So, another testimonial, and it's a true story.
Thanks, Virginian.
-Very Happy Husband
My first name is Zona.
I only have one thing to say: “Thanks Mom. I always wanted to see my name in lights. However, I'm not sure this is what I had in mind."
One more thing.. your web site is too kewl. I enjoyed my visit. And you can bet I'll send my friends to visit. Informative and fun.
Thanks!
-Zona A.
Read More:
For New Readers: Where To Start
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Where to Buy
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What Size Am I?
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What About Girdles For Men?
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About Virginian
A Note To Scholars and Researchers
One Less-Than-Pleasant Subject
Page designed and maintained by 
Updated January 2003
Steele, Valerie. Fashion and Eroticism: The Ideals of Feminine Beauty from the Victorian Era to the Jazz Age. New York: Oxford University Press, 1985, p. 246. Currently out of print and outrageously expensive on the used-book market; if you find a copy for less than one hundred dollars, buy it.