You can read my review here. Many people find the gear to be aesthetically fun and a helpful tool for getting into their kitten headspace. There is no rulebook, and anyone that says otherwise can heck off.
Most kittens are submissive, but switches and dominant kittens also exist. Just be yourself! This is confusing for some people, because fetishes and kinks often go hand in hand with sexual activity. However, BDSM does not require sex to exist. Kitten play is about power exchange. Some kittens will mix their play with sex and some will not. This question can be difficult, because all relationship dynamics are different.
Personally, I make sure my kitten status is known before I ever put effort into a new partner. The more open and up front you can be, the better. Rip off that bandaid, kitten! See how your partner responds. In my experience, wearing gear in public has had more positive results than negative.
Most people say nothing, but I also get plenty of compliments. A few stupid jokes that get ignored. A quirk that belongs to me. However, you know your local environment best. If you want to practice that confidence or test the waters, then I recommend getting a pair of fashion ears off of Amazon I also see them sold fairly often in accessory stores in malls. While kitten play will always involve an element of power exchange by definition, not all kittens are looking to be collared or enter into a formal or long term power exchange dynamic.
In its most basic sense, being collared means you have entered into a power exchange relationship with someone who is dominant to you. This may have varying levels of intensity depending on the specific relationship, but it will always involve a level of commitment between the dominant and the submissive and usually involves the submissive wearing a literal collar provided by the dominant. Nobody should ever rush into accepting a collar.
