Domination & submission _ the BDSM relationship handbook ( PDFDrive )

vulnerable in BDSM environments that typically favor couples and/or
aggressive Dominants.
Everyday Collar
An everyday collar is anything that can be worn in a vanilla environment to
symbolize your D/s relationship. For many D/s couples, their everyday collar
consists of a simple choker or traditional-looking necklace, with or without a
pendant. An everyday collar need not necessarily even be worn around the neck;
some people substitute a ring, bracelet, ankle bracelet, or tattoo. The important
thing is that, at least in the minds of the D/s couple in question, the item
designated as the everyday collar is firmly associated with and symbolic of their
relationship.
I’m often asked whether a collared submissive must wear a physical collar of
some type to symbolize her commitment to her Dominant. The answer, of
course, is “it depends.” It depends on her Dominant, and her own personal
preferences. It’s very much like asking, “Does a married woman have to wear a
wedding ring?” There are a lot of people who would reply, “Absolutely!” And
yet, there are also those who’ll say just the opposite. A recent survey conducted
by a wedding industry media group found that 28% of women said they would
turn down a wedding proposal if they didn’t like the ring! That says a lot about
the importance - to some – of the actual ring that symbolizes their union. There
are no statistics available on how many submissives would turn down a collaring
proposal if they didn’t like the collar.
Let’s reiterate what we said about the symbolism of a collar at the beginning of
this section. Each individual collar will have its own symbolic meaning that is
unique to the individuals in the relationship it represents. There are, however,
general categories of collars which generally conform to the expectations and
assumptions of the larger D/s and BDSM communities. If you happen to refer to
your particular collar as a “training collar,” you should do so with the full
awareness that the terminology you’re using will imply some very specific things
to others in the lifestyle. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with blazing your
own path as you explore and grow in the D/s lifestyle, but it can be considerably
easier if we’re all at least speaking the same language.