No one bats an eye when you rock that cow-skin belt, and you catch a few lingering looks when you get all James Dean in your bomber jacket, but it’s a good idea to leave the full-body leather jumpsuits for special occasions. There’s something about rockin’ head-to-toe soaked, sanded, and tanned animal skins that lets people know you’re a bad-ass. And if you’re like us, you want the dark side to come out only once a year — like at Bound South’s annual Leather Masked Ball.

Last year, more than 800 hot dudes from around the world swarmed Purgatory to meet and greet other hide-lovers while raising money for the Leather Archives & Museum and other local charities. This year promises to be bigger and better, with international celebrity DJ and remixer Sin Morera ruling the ones and twos and Cyon Flare performing his hit maxi-single “Everybody, Everybody.” The party gets started at 8 p.m., and you won’t want to miss the erotic demos or the opportunity to bid on one of the fab items in the silent auction, so pull on your leather or fetish gear and get thee to Purgatory! Masks aren’t required, but tickets are and they start at 25 bucks; visit www.boundsouth.com to get yours
Fri., Nov. 28, 2008