Dear Miss MacDonald,

The article in the summer edition of PDQ from Ms Lesley concerning the 'Forum' letter was indeed accurate in most of the detail. I should know, as I was the subject, and it really should have read 'From Bossy Boots to Pansy Clare'. I thought it would be worthwhile to record the view of a “petticoatee” to enhance that article.

The definition of an uncooperative male should be that male who, for whatever reason, has failed to recognise the correct status and role of ladies in society and, by his actions, has infringed these parameters. These actions could be complete disdain for ladies, the breaking of relationship rules, a male-centred outlook on society, and a complete lack of manners, courteousness, and decorum.

The Victorians perhaps show us the way in which these males may be dealt with, as much of our current thinking on this subject comes from their efforts and ideas. Recalcitrant boys were often dressed in extremely feminine and flouncy girls' outfits, and paraded in front of their peers, including the girls,thereby using humiliation as the main aspect of punishment. This appeared to be more than successful, as the boy was not only humiliated, but began to act in a much less 'macho' manner, in order to protect his modesty whilst in frills, petticoats and skirts.

This was nowhere more relevant in Scotland, where frilly kilt outfits forced the boys being punished for poor behaviour to act, walk and behave in a much more genteel manner. Physical chastisement was also included, but again humiliation was the prime mover, with the boy put over the knee or chair and having his kilt or skirt lifted over his waist in front of his relations, including his peers. An ideal scenario for good behaviour, I am sure readers will agree.

Today the best of petticoat discipline has Victorian overtures, where school uniforms, fluffy frocks and petticoats, or kilts, offer the best training outfits, and great care must be taken to ensure that modern ladies' and girls' clothing is a last resort as that can lead away from petticoating principles to cross dressing, and the latter should be discouraged. Dress is only one aspect of the petticoating process, though a very important one, and great consideration also needs to be taken with the other training aspects.

Domestic tasks are an obvious area and great results can be achieved by training in needlework, sewing, elocution, dancing, and decorum and deportment. A full curriculum will give good results, but great care should be taken not to run before walking, and a gradual introduction of new heights in petticoat discipline is a must. A new girlish name that reflects the male’s new position is an essential, and should be used at all times.

Initial petticoat training should be in private with a phased introduction to changes of dress and to the training curriculum. For success it is important that trust comes into play, although an ultimate threat of exposure must always be in the background. Physical punishment is only a tool, and must be used as a lesser part of the total humiliation process, and as part of the ritual that will become second nature to the subject.

However, private petticoat discipline is only the starting point, and exposure to the outside world is the eventual prize, with the subject being exposed to greater and greater degrees of humiliation. This should not be seen as a punishment but as a higher-level attainment of the benefits of petticoating. Using helpful friends and relations is a good method of progression, but the ultimate must be more public. In my case, Scotland provides the ideal venue for public display in skirts, and the outfits used, lacy ruffled blouses, and pretty pleated kilt-skirts, can reach really outstanding levels of petticoating. In other areas it would probably require more subterfuge, and the use of frilly, feminine umbrellas, handbags, underwear and other artifacts may be the first solution, but public view must be eventually achieved.

As a “petticoatee”, and very much a willing one from childhood, the real problem is the lack of available petticoat discipline superiors. I long to be the petticoated subject, and to undergo strict training and humiliation to attain the highest levels of servitude and obedience to ladies. I would willingly accept all the facets of the above article if only supervision, direction and humiliation were available to me. The following final paragraph tells of the ultimate achievement.

Success in the foregoing will give a polite, well mannered and obedient male, a joy to behold, but training can never stop, and constantly new areas must be sought for the continuation of petticoat discipline. I have come through most of these processes from childhood, and I am still keen to develop further if it would please ladies, and any tutor I may have.
Yours sincerely,

Pansy Clare

Pansy Clare is a long time reader, and a member of the staff at the Grimsby printing shop. He is particularly interested in petticoat discipline in a Scots context. I had no idea that he was the person who was the manager in that letter: he doesn't sound like Pansy Clare at all. But even the most docile of males can be arrogant and conceited at times.

I agree that spanking is a minor embelishment of petticoat punishment, and I wish that some of my readers understood this. The approach of this magazine brings much better results, and creates a much more amenable and affectionate subject.
Susan