Rock Your Body
By La Petite AcadienneFor the most part, this blog will talk about jewelry that goes in one’s ears, on one’s fingers, or around one’s neck or wrists.
However, there is also some lovely and interesting jewelry that goes…elsewhere.
Body modification is one of those things that is considered perfectly acceptable in our culture…up to a point. Pierced ears? Goodness, yes. We even do that to infants! Multiple piercings in the ears? Maybe a tad rebellious, but nothing to really raise an eyebrow. Speaking of eyebrows, those can be pierced too. And of course, we have the ubiquitous navel piercing. Yes, I have one, as my sister peer-pressured me into it one bone-numbingly cold February day. And no, I no longer wear anything in it.
As Generation X gets a bit older and starts to wield some power in society, things that were once considered Career-Limiting Moves, like visible tattooing and piercings, are starting to become more and more acceptable.
However, depending on one’s industry, there ARE still limits.
A discreet nose stud may still garner frowns if you work for a bank, while a talon labret may result in no more than shrugs if you work in arts, music or entertainment.
Personally, I think that a lot of body jewelry is very attractive. It may even be something that I consider, down the road, when my career is established enough that I can officially Not Give a Damn.
As far as other people’s choices, there are definitely some body piercings that I would never get in a million years. There are some body piercings that make me think, “Ooh…he is SO gonna regret that when he’s 55.” However, I pretty firmly adhere to the philosophy of “Hey, it’s your body, so whatever makes you happy.” And if stretching your earlobes out with holes the size of nickels makes you all atwitter with delight, then who am I to rain on your parade?
What do you think of body piercings? Lovely, or loathsome?
Bisous,
LPA
November 10th, 2010 at 11:29 am
I don’t have anything but 1 hole in my ears, but I’ve always thought Madison piercings were rather pretty. Saw a set of three descending (say 3 inch, 2 inch, 1 inch) on a woman’s collarbone. There was something classy in the way it looked on her that made me completely re-evaluate piercings.
November 10th, 2010 at 12:09 pm
I’m meh on piercings…each to his or her own. However, the ear stretching makes me feel nauseous…ugh.
November 10th, 2010 at 5:32 pm
My niece is a bod mod artist. She is also heavily inked. She now has an infant daughter and has learned that some body art is limiting when trying to gain acceptance in certain situations. Her advice to clients now is “If you can’t cover it for the masses, don’t do it.” That or have enough money to fix it when you have to.
November 10th, 2010 at 7:33 pm
I’m the same way — I have three piercings on each of my ear lobes, but nothing more. I work at a District Attorney’s Office–so I tend to look at body modification, admire it on others, realize I could never do it, and then think about all the ways that a criminal could take advantage of that piercing and really hurt you.
But I’m very paranoid, probably from work. With that being said, I really like how it looks on other people–I have lots of heavily pierced and tattooed friends, and have no problems going with people when they want more piercings or tats.
I just can’t see myself waltzing into court with more than what I’ve got already. 🙂
November 10th, 2010 at 10:25 pm
I have two holes in each earlobe, two in the cartilage of my left ear and I used to have my nose pierced (I miss it dearly and would love to have it redone). I can’t say I’m anti-piercings, but there are definitely some that squick me out. That big stretchy ear thing? Ew. Pierced cheeks? Icky. And I can’t even *think* about some of the other places people put studs and barbells.
That said, I’ve seen some piercings I’d generally consider icky done to great effect (usually combined with a Look).
November 11th, 2010 at 1:26 am
I have one hole in each ear. That’s as far as I’m ever going. It’s not because I object to the choice to modify or pierce one’s body as much as one pleases, but because it dadgum HURTLIKEATHINGICANNOTPRINTINANEWSPAPER! I almost fainted between my phobia of needles and the actual pain of inadequately-numbed earlobes being run through.
There are certain things I really prefer not to see pierced on the human body, but on the one hand I consider it a highly personal choice, and on the other hand, I would have to know someone remarkably well to know whether they had pierced those particular bits so I can just ignore the fact that some people do make the choice to do so. If they begin to discuss that choice, I further can choose to stick my fingers in my ears and say LALALALALALALALA until it stops.
November 11th, 2010 at 5:40 am
I hear you, Twistie. When I had my navel pierced — holy thundering bathmats, did it ever hurt! My entire torso felt like it was on fire.
And yes, as far as those other…bits, I don’t really need to see it or hear about it either, thankyouverymuch.
November 11th, 2010 at 10:35 am
I have no piercings. None, nada, nothing. I express my individuality my way, thankyouverymuch. I think some go overboard with the piercing–I saw one guy on a charity bike ride and not only did he have at least 20 piercings in his head, the spandex told me he had many piercings elsewhere. Talk about TMI.
That being said, some body modifications aren’t bad, if done in moderation and as an accent. I have a friend with a stretched earlobe who keeps a stone in it and it’s quite attractive on her (I’d say it’s a bit smaller than a dime). But the cellphone or candles I’ve seen in others…dude, you are so going to regret that in about twenty years.
November 11th, 2010 at 11:49 am
I <3 piercings.
I currently have 8, but when I was younger that number was up to 16 (including navel, nipple, eyebrow, and labret). And there are still more that I wish to get! I do have stretched ears, but they aren't extreme (about 8mm in diameter) and I have my right nostril pierced twice, one hoop and one diamond stud.
Piercings can be beautiful and feminine (I never had huge steel balls on my face, I always had little sparkles ^_^)
But even I think that there are some piercings that are just horrible, like the stretched lip piercing I saw–it was horrific!
November 11th, 2010 at 7:38 pm
I am either part of the Baby Boom or Generation X, depending on the definition. I identify more with Generation X.
My ears are triple-pierced and that’s it. When I had them done (two in the late 80s, last one 1994), I kept hearing how this would limit my career. I don’t feel they have made a difference. I usually wear studs or small hoops (so as not to stretch the holes) and they are mostly covered by my hair.
It’s just a personal choice. Just make sure you can live with it.
November 11th, 2010 at 11:49 pm
[…] I need this like I need another hole in the head (ManoloJewelry) […]
November 12th, 2010 at 2:08 am
I currently have 12 piercings, most of which are in my ears. I also have 2 labrets (lip piercings, but slightly lower) and a nose stud. I used to have a few other piercings both above and below the neck, but I took them out when I realized they didn’t suit me.
(That’s one of the things I think some people don’t always think about when they get mods– that not everything looks good on every face or body. A good part of what makes a piercing attractive to me is whether or not it suits the person wearing it.)
My “permanent” jewelry tends to be the only kind I wear with any frequency. I admire other kinds, like the pieces posted on this blog, but my style isn’t really conducive to anything other than the most practical gear.
I’m currently looking for work, so I don’t exactly have to worry about what employers will think, but I do take my facial jewelry out when I go in for interviews. Just because I think I look good with it in doesn’t mean I don’t understand that it’s not widely accepted by the powers that be in hiring.
November 12th, 2010 at 2:38 am
One hole in each ear, thanks very much.
I am not a fan of body modification, but to each their own, I guess.
Having weird piercings/body mods is probably the only way to shock people anymore, tattoos certainly don’t do it.
November 13th, 2010 at 6:08 pm
I had three holes pierced in my right ear in 1977, and it was so unusual that people would literally stop and stare at me on the street. What a long way we’ve come!
November 13th, 2010 at 10:10 pm
I have two holes in my left ear and four in my right, one of them being in my upper cartilage (THAT one hurt like hell, I tell you). I like the look of eyebrow rings, but always felt that I couldn’t carry it off.