I've spoken of my love for Bijoux Indiscrets products many times before, but my most recent obsession has been their MAZE line of bondage-inspired accessories that are perfectly on trend, utterly cruelty free, and absolutely stunning to boot. While the whole collection is beautiful, the product that really captivated my attention was the Single Choker; an understated accessory that functions as a fashionable, decorative piece of jewellery as well as a light collar for actual kink play. It's chic. It's minimalist. It's the perfect embodiment of the contemporary choker/subtle restraint trend in the current semi-alternative sartorial landscape, and I wanted one so badly.
As soon as I got some disposable income I decided to treat myself, and eventually my dream choker was firmly clasped in my clammy little paws. And wow, what a first impression. As usual, Bijoux Indiscrets provides the ultimate luxury experience for their customers. The packaging is crazy; a very pretty box with an image of the product on the underside and a subtle, labyrinth-style geometric patterning that is a beautiful visual echo of the name of the line. The choker sits inside this little nest like a gem, and it is glorious. Make from a realistic-looking vegan leather alternative, the classic O-ring design is simple while retaining a luxy element due to the soft golden finish on the metal hardware. It fastens at the back with a sort of peg system rather than a buckle, and is adjustable up to about 40cms circumference. Those who have very slender necks might find this choker a bit loose, but it does mean that larger bodies will also be able to enjoy this accessory. Yay for accessible plus-size fashion!
The look and effect of this choker is something I can't quite get over -- it rounds out any outfit, makes it edgier, more finished, just plain more. Because the design is the embodiment of simplicity, it doesn't read like a BDSM-inspired accessory, and I feel comfortable enough to wear this piece in pretty much any context. It's even made a few appearances at work and gotten more than a few compliments. I think the gentle gold tones help soften the overall effect, making it less harsh than the traditional black-and-silver which is so often associated with darker/alternative fashions. It also helps that the style is something being sold in less durable iterations in mainstream stores ranging from Forever 21, H&M, and Woolworths, to no-name trinket stores with off-brand fashion jewellery. The aesthetic is a fairly recognisable facet of contemporary style at this point, and is therefore acceptable for most public occasions.
Personally, I wear mine all the time and found this choker very comfortable, although it did take a little while to get used to. I experimented with tighter and looser fits at first, trying to find what felt the best. A tighter fit allowed me to have a classic collar-style look, fitting snugly around my neck with the O-ring firmly pressed to my throat. It probably looked the way the designer intended -- a little provocative, but still classy. However, the metal ring ended up pressing a bit firmly against my oesophagus and creating a touch of neck-splooge if I moved my head around in weird ways, and it ended up feeling a bit too constrictive at times. I ended up switching between tighter/looser fits during daily wear until I realised that the vegan leather had stretched a tiny little bit to fit my neck beautifully, without being too snug even on the tighter notch. Now that it has moulded to my skin a bit, I've found it so comfortable that I almost forget I even have it on.
The only negative aspect of this choker is the slight mark it leaves behind after being worn for extended periods. I don't mean an impression on the skin from being worn too tightly, I'm talking about some dye "rub off" from the faux leather areas. I only seem to get this right on the front bit, around the O-ring. The effect is of two little dirty smudges on either side of my oesophagus, and I'm not certain why it only comes off on that part of my neck when the remainder of the vegan leather is exposed to just as much perspiration and skin-ooze. My initial conclusion was that perhaps it's something to do with the toiletries I use -- body lotion, perhaps, or a spot of perfume sprayed in the general neck/décolletage area. However, Emmeline Peaches had the same complaint about her MAZE product, so perhaps it is just something about the dyes. Who knows! Either way, the inner band of the choker hasn't seemed to have lost any colour or otherwise degraded in any way. To be honest, it hasn't bothered me enough to actually take any action yet, but Ms Peaches does suggest a light scrub with a mild soapy washcloth to stop the transfer.
Overall, I'd recommend this product to anyone looking for a beautiful and entirely on-trend fashion accessory. Serious kinksters might not find the choker suitable for actual play, but it might work as a day collar for those who need to keep their lifestyle on the DL, or perhaps as a cruelty-free alternative to leather products. In any case, I am so pleased that the classic Single Choker is finally mine. It's been my dream accessory since the launch of the Bijoux Indiscrets MAZE line, and I've worn it almost daily. It accrues compliments on a regular basis, and makes me feel like the fabulous Insta-worthy siren of my teen dreams. We all need to live our dreams at some point.
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