In popular culture, the term 'fetish' has gained a broader meaning, and can cover any sexuality which is perceived as unusual. For example a man who has a strong preference for overweight women, or women of a particular race, may be popularly described as having a fetish, even though he is not aroused by an inanimate object or specific body part.

Common fetishes include fetishes focused on shoes, boots, hair and haircuts, gloves, wigs, body piercing, underclothing, diapers, or other garments made out of specific materials such as rubber, fur, spandex, leather, latex or nylon. Transvestic fetishism, the fetish of dressing in the clothes of the opposite sex, is also common. Some clothing materials are fetishized by a small number of people, perhaps on the basis that the material forms a "second skin" that acts as a fetishist surrogate for the wearer's own skin. The most common forms of this are spandex fetishism, rubber fetishism and latex fetishism, in which the fabric is both stretchy and shiny, exaggerating some of the aspects of human skin. One site states that "plenty of white guys want Asian girls. When this happens, they usually call it a fetish"

Sex fetish can be a good option to play as a couple, putting some imagination and a little of hot spice you can get the best intercourse that you never dream. Follow these tips in your first fetish dating:

• Think about it before you talk to your partner about incorporating some kind of alternative sexual practice into your sexual relationship, perhaps buying some Erotic Book or video. Don't be frightened or hesitant about discussing your desires with your partner.
• If you or your partner has been thinking about introducing a new element into your sexual relationship, it's important to talk about it before you enact it. Make sure you both want to try the "something new." Talk about what will be involved, how far you will pursue your fantasy, the particulars, and anything else you can think of.
• Once you and your partner have decided to move forward with your fantasy, set a few boundaries. Decide what elements you want to explore and which ones are off-limits.
• Select a "safe" word, a word that, when uttered by one of you, immediately halts all sexual play.
• When your play is finished for the night, take a few minutes to talk about what you and your partner just experienced, what worked and what didn't, what you loved and what you hated. This is an excellent time to discuss boundaries, acceleration, deceleration or escalation of your fantasies, your debriefing time is also a good opportunity to reaffirm your connection with one another.