Archive for August, 2011
Turning Japanese – Japan’s Influence on Piercing and Tattoo Culture
Posted by: | CommentsWhat’s the latest cultural craze amongst the young and pierced? Why, Japanese fashion of course. Harajuku style fashion is becoming more mainstream in the US and the UK, along with several other countries around the world, but here in our own little corner of North America, it seems that lately everyone is turning Japanese.
The more feminine side of this awesome trend is the updated Fall fashion looks from designers major and independent alike that are Japanese batik laden and kimono inspired. From silken shirts and wide sleeve wrap dresses to direct imitations of traditional kimono, these hot pieces are being mixed with contemporary tattoo art and monochrome facial piercings for a look that’s East meets West and then some.
Anime colored hair is also making a huge appearance, even in the mainstream sector of celebrity based fashion, with every color of the rainbow now being seen on everyone from the famous, to the frugal, to even business executives. Sometimes it’s even paired with eyes that match. (That’s Katy Perry in the middle!)
And leave it to Japan to start new trends in piercing itself. Years ago when androgynous chic first came into the forefront, gothic styled male musicians in Japan began piercing their bellies, a micro trend which has slowly made it’s way through Europe and into the US. The look of a single, off-center lip hoop can also arguably be attributed to the growing appeal of Japanese rock music , as several prominent personalities in the country began rocking this style long before it reached the height of popularity in the West.
Even motifs that are decidedly Nihongo have steadily become standard fare in the world of clothing and jewelry. Just look at the ready availability of koi fish and sakura spangled merchandise.
So what does the future hold for our sushi eating, kimono-clad, manga amassing subculture? In a world where trends are in constant flux, only time will tell.
Jewelry That’s Peachy – Celebrating National Peach Month
Posted by: | CommentsIt’s National Peach Month in the month of August, and it’s time to celebrate in style, with peachy colored jewelry!
It seems that lately everyone who has a belly button piercing has been stepping out in perfectly peachy navel rings, and I have to say, it’s a trend I could get used to (I have a belly piercing too!).
Even the stars are bearing their belly with peachy goodness. Remember when Heidi Montag first unveiled her belly piercing on MTV? That’s right. Her navel ring was peach colored (and gorgeous.)
Peach earrings seem to be a fairly widespread trend as well. In fact, I even found some earrings that literally looked like a halved piece of fruit. Um….maybe that’s a little bit too peachy? Don’t be discouraged though, because the best of the peach-toned set is far from satirical and only hints at actual peaches. Think round crystals in soft salmony tones.
If you’re looking to get your hands on some peach inspired earrings or belly rings of your own, check out these options:
The month of August as far as body jewelry goes isn’t just good, it’s downright peachy.
Spotlight on Uniqueness in Piercing – Industrial Barbells
Posted by: | CommentsOne of the coolest, most unique, and customizable piercings is the industrial piercing. These piercings can be done any which way, in varying directions, and through many different parts of the ear cartilage. They can even be made in multiples that either intersect or parallel one another, which is called a “cage.”
To a great extent the jewelry that is worn in an industrial is what really sets it apart. Barbells go from straight, to curved, to wave shaped, to spiral, to just about any shape that a piece of barbell body jewelry can be bent into. Some industrial wearers even get their jewelry custom bent for a one of a kind look that makes their industrial piercing stand out.
Just check out these awesome custom bends:
Pretty neat, huh? And when you think about all of the color and decoration combinations that are possible, it’s hard to imagine seeing the same industrial twice! Some of the most popular jewelry trends right now include spike shaped tips, center decoration, and extreme wave.
Now that’s what I call a unique piece of body art.
Super Celebrity Jewelry Trend – Cocktail Rings
Posted by: | CommentsMake a statement and show off your remarkable style with gorgeous cocktail rings! These large and flashy rings add feminine flair and fun to any outfit. Cocktail rings were originally worn in the 1920’s during prohibition. Women wore these bold, attention demanding rings as a style of status. They were also worn at cocktail parties to signify that the wearer was drinking illegally, and that they were doing it with style! Either way, these rings were the center of attention.
There are many different types of cocktail rings. Styles include antique, vintage, Victorian, exotic, modern and funky. There are also handmade, glass, and graffiti style cocktail rings. The unique designs range from classic to contemporary and from edgy to urban. Cocktail rings can be accented with gold, silver, cubic zirconia, gems, glitter, diamonds and more! Stretch rings are one of the most popular types of cocktail rings, giving you that comfortable fit that can be worn on almost any finger. You’ll never have to worry about sizing with the fashionable flexible band. Other styles include double rings, stack rings and other glamorous rings that are distinctly modern. In addition, the colors, shapes and patterns are endless. No wonder these rings are the top trend in the fashion industry ring now!
Celebrities are responsibility for making cocktail rings so popular and trendy. Each ring is unique and chic, making it the focal point of any outfit. Celebrities like Beyonce and Rosario Dawson are wearing them at various events as an instant boost of bling.
Beyonce and Paris Hilton rock oversized flowering rings
Kristen Cavalleri and Rosario Dawson go for simple chic vintage styles
Cocktail rings can be worn on any finger, but most celebrities in the media wear theirs on the right hand index finger, like Angelina Jolie. Cocktail rings are a great way to add glam to any look. There’s just something fabulous and effortless about the cocktail ring.
With cocktails rings you can be confident in your look. The most popular colors ‘in fashion’ right now are amethyst, emerald and turquoise, but any color can be worn to compliment and spice up your outfit. When it comes to cocktail rings you’ll be sure to turn heads with a style that reflects you. These ‘diva like’ rings are big, bold and beautiful for a reason… so strut your stuff girls!
Kelly Carlson steps out in a Chanel flower ring
Jewelry and Accessory Fall Trend Watch – Tie-Dye
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What’s the newest vintage 90′s trend to hit the street scene? Believe it or not, it’s actually tie-dye. Tie-dye is showing up everywhere; on hats, purses, shoes, necklaces, shades, jackets, and of course on body jewelry. So why is the tie-dye super trend suddenly taking off? Well as always, it seems that a mix of urban clothing brands and our favorite celebrities are the ones to blame.
Tyler the Creator rocked the Pitchfork Festival this Summer in a collection of bright tie-dyed shirts, while Emma Roberts and Ashley Greene were seen at Coachella sporting sweet tie-dyed ensembles, and Katy Perry sparkled the People’s Choice Awards in dip dye.
And as for branding Levi’s, New Era, and Converse, amongst many others, have all recently come out with tie-dyed items that are absolutely fabulous.
Now check out all the tie-dye body piercings. I love matching multi-tonal tie-dye style earrings going up the helix, as well as the gorgeous but simple belly ring with a dip dyed look to the gems.
Bottom line: hippies aren’t the only ones who have fun with stylish splotching and color blending, and it’s not your momma’s tie-dye anymore!
Piercing and Jewelry Style – Steampunk!
Posted by: | CommentsIn an age when there are so many different subcultures and styles it can be hard to keep it all straight. One style that has been generating momentum for the past few years is the Steampunk culture.
Steampunk style takes its roots in the Victorian era and focuses on how the world would be different if steam power had been used to fuel our society instead of coal and oil. The term “steampunk” was initially coined in 1979 by K.W. Jeter, in a letter to Locus Magazine, as a word to encompass the resurgence of Victorian fantasy influence in literature. This style incorporates a mixture of science fiction and fantasy, think Jules Verne or H.G. Wells.
There are a lot of jewelry and accessory designs that incorporate antiqued gears, watches, keys, locks, grommets, buckles and more. Most of the style is focused around metals—the older they look the better, as well as wood and leather. A lot of the feminine clothing items are corsets, bustles, petticoats, combined with fancy Victorian-style gowns. The male style uses a lot of suits with vests, shoe spats and top hats. There is also a lot of focus on old-fashioned watches, pocket watches, lace or leather parasols, canes, trunks, and aviation-style goggles.
If you are looking for a way to incorporate Steampunk into your accessory collection, check out these ideas:
Tongue rings, nipple rings, or belt buckles featuring industrial metal, old-school gun motifs, or antiqued locks and keys.
Belly rings, necklaces, bracelets, and finger rings featuring Victorian styling, antique tones, stacked gears and chains, or addled and cracked leather.
What’s That Called? – Dictionary of Body Piercings
Posted by: | CommentsThis is it everyone; the last installment of the Piercing Dictionary, for now anyways. It’s time for our final segment: body piercings. Although with the advent of dermal piercing, one can be pierced nearly anywhere nowadays, I’ve stuck with the most popular piercings of the body in an attempt to keep it fresh. Enjoy!
Navel Piercing or Belly Button Piercing: A single piercing through the upper rim of the navel.
Bottom Belly Piercing: Any Piercing directly underneath the belly button or through the lower rim.
Hip Piercing: Surface Piercing on or above the hip, generally done on both sides.
Nape Piercing: Piercing at the nape of the neck.
Vampire Bite or “Vampire’s Kiss” Piercing: a surface piercing anywhere on the side of the neck, so named for its resemblance to a vampire bite, and often worn with red gems to symbolize blood.
Madison Piercing: This is a piercing in the dent just above the collar bone. Much in the style of the Monroe, the Madison was also named for a famous actress: former adult cinema star Madison Stone, who was the first person ever associated with the piercing. Though the traditional style is to pierce with a surface bar or barbell, these are also often seen worn with horseshoe rings.
Collar or Clavicle Piercing: One or more surface piercings of the skin across the collar bone (usually one on each side.)
Sternum or “Cleavage” Piercing: Any horizontal or vertical surface piercing over the breast bone.
Wrist Piercing: A horizontal surface piercing at the back of the wrist.
Brace Piercing: When multiple surface piercings are lined up near the wrist or up the forearm.
Finger Piercing or “Ring” Piercing: A piercing at the base of a finger or thumb, sometimes called a ring piercing because when done with a single gem-tipped dermal, it mimics the look of a solitaire engagement ring.
Hand Web Piercing: This is exactly what it sounds like, a piercing of the thin webs of skin between any of the fingers.
Corset piercing: A set of multiple parallel surface piercings of any shape, often worn with closure rings and laced through with ribbon to mimic the lacing of a corset.
Corset piercings started out in the traditional placement at the bottom of the back, but have now evolved to include corsetry almost anywhere on the body. Some popular spots include the backs of the legs, the chest or neck, and the sides of the torso.
What’s That Called? – Dictionary of Oral Piercings
Posted by: | CommentsGet ready for today’s installment of the piercing dictionary! This time we’re going over the oral piercings; those piercings that are inside the mouth and on the tongue. Here we go:
Tongue Piercing: A standard vertical piercing through the tongue from top to bottom.
Horizontal Tongue Piercing or “Snake Eyes”: A piercing horizontally through the tip of the tongue with surface jewelry or a curved barbell.
Venom Bites: Two tongue piercings placed side by side on the tongue.
Angel Bite or “Double Tongue” Piercing: Two or more tongue piercings placed one in front of the other on the tongue.
Tongue Frenulum or “Tongue Web” Piercing: A Piercing through the frenulum linguae, the strip of flesh under the tongue that connects the tongue to the lower gum plate.
Uvula Piercing: Piercing of the uvula, the dangling tissue between your tonsils at the back of the throat. These piercings are extremely rare due to the high risk of activating the gag reflex, which could potentially cause serious damage during the piercing process.
Upper Frenulum Piercing or “Vampire“: One or more piercings of the upper frenulum, the tissue that connects the upper lip to the gums.
When this is done through the central tissue (beneath the lip bow) with a barbell, it’s called a smile or Smiley, and in the bottom lip’s central connective tissue, it’s called a Frown.
Dental Piercing: Any piercing of the actual tooth. This may sound ridiculous, but it’s totally true! These piercings are done using a dental drill and implant jewelry. Amazing!
And the newest up and coming oral piercing that’s still in the beginning stages: Gum Piercings.
Stay tuned next week for the last (and funnest) installment of the piercing dictionary: body piercings!
What’s That Called? – Dictionary of Facial Piercings
Posted by: | CommentsAs promised, here is the next installment of the piercing dictionary. This time we go through the facial piercings, which I’ve split up by general area for easier flow. Enjoy!
Nose
Standard “Nose Piercing:” a piercing of either nostril, normally worn as a stud or a ring.
Septum: a piercing of the septum, which is the area between the two nostrils.
Bridge: a piercing of the nose bridge.
Vertical Bridge or “third eye:” a vertical surface piercing or dermal piercing at the top of the nose’s bridge or directly between the eyebrows.
Mouth
Medusa: a piercing of the philtrum (the dent in the upper lip just below the septum.)
Jestrum or “vertical medusa:” a vertical piercing through the philtrum in which both ends are visible.
Monroe: any piercing of the upper lip underneath the nose. (This piercing is named for Marylin Monroe and her signature beauty mark, but over the years it has also come to be know by the names “Madonna” and “Crawford,” referencing other icons who have also been known for moles or beauty marks in the same area.)
Labret: any piercing below the lower lip.
Vertical Labret: a verticle piercing directly through the lower lip in which both ends are visible.
Lowbret: this is what very low labret type piercings that rest on the surface of the chin are called.
Snake Bites: a set of two lower lip piercings, one on either side of the face.
Spider Bites: a set of two lower lip piercings right next to each other on the same side.
Angel Bites: a set of two piercings just above the upper lip, one on either side.
Eyes and Cheeks
Eyebrow Piercing: any piercing through the skin of the eyebrow.
Anti-eyebrow Piercing: a surface piercing next to the eyebrow or below the outer corner of the eye.
Eyelid Piercing: this is just what it sounds like; a piercing of the actual eyelid. It can be done horizontally near the crease like a surface piercing, or be a single piercing through the lid near the lash line. Amazing, huh?!
Dimple Piercing: a piercing through the natural cheek dimple, or in the case of not having dimples, through the spot on the cheek where a dimple would normally be.
Join me next time as we take a look at all the different piercings that can be done inside the mouth and on the tongue!