Author Archive
Twist on Tradition – the New State of Ear Piercings
Posted by: | CommentsEar piercings are supposed to be some of the most common piercings on the face of the earth, right? So I decided to go in search of the fun ways that people were taking these now “old news” piercings and reinventing them. And some of the neat things I found are anything but ordinary. Check it out:
Happenin’ Helixes
Some of the things that people are doing to decorate their multiple helix piercings are absolutely amazing. Sometimes it’s hard to tell exactly what types of jewelry are being coordinated together (like with this spiral/stud combo).
Extreme Stretch
It seems that stretching multiple ear piercings, whether in the lobe, helix, or other cartilage areas, is becoming a pretty big trend. I love the multiple stretched piercings with the spiral barbell wound through, don’t you?
Industrialized Nation
As industrials become more and more common, new sets of industrial style piercing that go through multiple points does too. Just take a look at the helix-rook-tragus industrial here, and the fun jewelry being worn in verticals (like this cute trident made of an industrial bar and a stylized horseshoe).
In the quest for the coolest ear piercing/jewelry combo, it doesn’t look the race will be over any time soon.
Fact or Faked? – Zip It
Posted by: | CommentsMost of us know how to use photoshop programs (some of us a little too well), so how do you tell if what you’re seeing is real. Here we examine some of the neatest, most hilarious, and provocative piercing and tattoo photos on the web and find out if they’re fact, or just clever fakes.
The Tongue Zipper
Many of you have seen this utterly awesome looking mod floating around the internet, but did somebody really have their tongue not only split, but also pierced multiple times to look like a zipper?
Actually, the answer is no. At least, not yet. Even if we knew nothing else about this picture, when you blow it up a tiny bit and invert it for a better look, you’ll see some faint haloing around the second body jewelry stud, and a zipper-pull shadow that has a size, color, and placement that are very slightly inconsistent with the rest of the image.
Upon further investigation, you’ll find information on the internet that lets the truth out into the open. This image was actually entered in a Worth1000 photoshopping contest, as an awesome and thought provoking work of art. The original image has no second monroe stud, and showcases an unadorned tongue that was actually split, reportedly by Maryland modification artist Zak Zito. The artist added the second stud and the zipper.
The Verdict
While it’s a pretty convincing image, this one is clearly faked. Bummer, right?
Hilariously Bored – Stretched Lobes at Play
Posted by: | CommentsDrink Up
“Ten times better than a coaster.”
Hang Out
“Hold this for a second, would ya?”
Goof Off
“Look mom, I’m playing nice with the other kids!”
click here for large gauge plugs
Go Go Gadget Ear Lobes
“Everything you need to survive in the modern world.”
Have you got any funny captions to add? Leave them in the comments.
Body Modification – Evolved
Posted by: | CommentsAs more extreme forms of body modification come into mainstream culture every day, the gap between human and superhuman continues to shorten. But what direction is the next step in human evolution? Just ask these folks who have modified their bodies to the extreme to achieve a blending of man and machine, man and animal, and even man and immortal.
In many places cyber goth has been taken to a new level with full body tattooing, cyborg contacts and eye tattoos, and even plate armor attached to the skin using dermal piercings. The illusion of a mix between man and machine has never been so apparent.
Other humans prefer to mimic immortal creatures, like Rick Genest the “Zombie Tattoo Boy,” and Maria Jose Cristerna, Mexico’s “Vampire Lady.” Maria doesn’t just have oodles of tattooing and piercings, she also has dental fangs and several dermal implants, all in the interest of transforming into a free, immortal, and powerful creature: the vampire.
Some others like Eric Sprague and Dennis Avner prefer to meld with animal species. Sprague is know as the “Lizard Man,” and has subdermal implants, a split tongue, and a full body tattoo to back it up, while Avner has taken the nickname “Stalking Cat,” having taken several measures to transform himself into a tiger including dental work, ear surgery, a modified upper lip, tattooing, and several dermal implants that hold his whiskers.
Many of those who modify to the extreme do it simply with the intent of changing their look to something interesting, symbolic, or that they find more attractive, like Cathie Jung, the only living woman with a fifteen inch waist. Super modifiers Pauly Unstoppable and Hawaii’s “Monster Man” have even pierced, implanted, scarred, and stretched their way to fame, proving that it’s possible to alter the human body to suit individual tastes.
Remember when you were little and your parents told you that you could be whatever you want to be?
Hungry for Fashion – Why We Love Effie Trinket
Posted by: | CommentsA big thank you to the stylists on the new movie The Hunger Games for finally making fun and fearless alternative makeup, unnaturally gorgeous hair colors, and gems/piercings that are purposefully visible on the face fashionable in an entirely mainstream sort of way. Hunger Games character Effie Trinket (brought to life by Elizabeth Banks) may be from a different generation, but we actually have a few things in common. We both have fair skin, change our hair color almost every time we change clothes, and enjoy the feminine beauty of a strategically placed Swarovski crystal or two (or ten, haha.)
The real story of Effie’s interesting makeup in the best photos that have been released by the Hunger Games team, is the cute little crystal on her cheek. While I’m sure Elizabeth Banks didn’t go out and get herself a microdermal piercing for the role, the way it mimics one definitely seems intentional.
And lets not forget that the Effie character’s alternative fashion sense has already sparked a noticeable rise in frosted violet wig sales, and, among other things, a Hunger Games inspired photo shoot starring alt fashion icon Audrey Kitching. (For those of you who don’t know Miss Audrey by the way, she’s been a driving force in the resurgence of the Monroe piercing.)
On a softer note, the stunning maquillage seen recurrently on Effie in the movie is actually quite reminiscent of the images seen in recent campaigns from some major luxury cosmetics superpowers, like Dior and Illamasqua. This of course begs the everlasting question of gothic and alternative fashion: “does art imitate life, or does life imitate art?”
I’d prefer to think that it’s a little bit of both.
Kiss Me I’m Irish – St. Patrick’s Day Body Piercings
Posted by: | CommentsMaybe it’s the three B’s (balloons, beads, and beer), that make Saint Patrick’s Day one of the best holidays of the year, or maybe it’s the amazing fashion that shows off our Irish heritage. For those who are Irish, and many who aren’t, this fun and festive celebration provides the perfect opportunity to let loose and doll up. More people every year are dressing up for Saint Patty’s including gorgeous makeup, flirty accessories, and awesome costumes. Green? You betcha. Shamrocks? Uh-huh. And body jewelry? Definitely!
With so much cute and clover-centric piercing jewelry available on the market, it would be practically sinful not to show off our love of all things Irish with a fun lip ring, some flirty ear plugs, or a dangerously beautiful belly ring. Afterall, piercings are about self expression, right? Just check out these super sweet ways that other celebrants are putting their best Patty’s Day fashion foot forward:
Do you love the shamrock industrial as much as I do? Another thing that’s super cute is these fun plugs:
Seriously, they make we want to stretch my ears just so that I can wear them. Be sure to let me know what your favorite Saint Patrick’s Day body jewelry is in the comments, and keep the fun Irish fashion coming this St. Patty’s Day.
I Heart Valentines Day – Hearts and Piercing Culture
Posted by: | CommentsValentines Day is just around the corner, and what better way to celebrate than by having a virtual party featuring one of my favorite things: the heart!
Hearts and piercing culture have long been interwoven, especially in the world of pierced retro pinups and fabulously fun scene girls. A symbol of romance, sweetness, and youthful femininity, it’s no wonder that the phrase “we love it,” has been almost entirely replaced by “we heart it.” And just so everyone knows, I happen to heart hearts!
From dermal piercings, shaped and stretched lobes, and sassy circular lip rings, to body art, color tattoos, and everything else involved in alternative culture, one of the most prevalent and universal motifs in the world and the alt world is the heart. So much so that all of us seem to love it, even when it’s broken.
So I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’ll definitely be spending this Valentine’s Day having a seriously heart filled celebration. (And a heart shaped box of chocolates might not be so bad either.) ♥
Celebrity Piercing Trend – Dermals and Surface Piercing
Posted by: | CommentsAs the body modification industry grows through the inventions, innovations, and creativity of its proponents and resident artists, dermal implants and surface piercing are headed into the mainstream. And who better to give them that extra little push than our favorite sports stars and movie and music celebrities?
When pop superstar Lady Gaga unveiled her “subdermal implants” about one year ago on the Jay Leno Show, dermal implants and piercings were thrust into the spotlight. Gaga is hardly the first celebrity to choose surface piercings or dermals to express herself creatively, but she did happen to be the most theatrical and high profile. Although her “implants” which consisted of ridges on the forehead, cheekbones, and nose turned out to be nothing more than cleverly applied and convincing prosthetics, the world at large was suddenly taking notice of dermals.
NFL player Stevie Johnson (wide receiver for the Buffalo Bills) has actually had a microdermal piercing for about two years in a very noticeable place: the cheek. And he recently revealed that the piercing itself was a spur of the moment decision while vacationing in Vegas with a cousin, who also got pierced. So how did most of us never notice until now? In order to protect the piercing during rough and tumble game play, Stevie usually covers it with a band aid while on the field.
Another popular celebrity with less conventional piercings is lovely Italian actress Asia Argento. Argento has a large surface piercing at the back of her neck, generally referred to as a nape piercing, and it too has recently caught media attention. Some celebrities have even become famous through social networking for having microdermal and subdermal implants, like Pauly Unstoppable, who has several piercings, dermals, and stretch mods in his face and ears.
Piercing Beauty – the New Evolution of Nail Art
Posted by: | CommentsAll of us ladies are interested in our nails, whether it’s just keeping our natural nails healthy, or going for broke with a set of extremely artsy falsies. It seems like nail art trends speed by like a freight train, shooting from gem encrusted acrylics, to texture focused crackles, press-on ombre enamel strips, and back again. But the newest nail decoration trend might just be the funnest yet, and may be breaking the cycle of here today, gone tomorrow fingernail fancy. I’m talking about pierced nails.
Nail piercing can be done with both fake nails and real nails, and many places that offer it professionally pierce acrylic nails with a drill. The jewelry used can be anything from a small gauge captive ring to a spring-loaded hoop, with some who practice the art at home even designing their own pieces using jump rings and less traditional piercing jewelry. Some of the most popular styles are dangling gems that match color nail art, crystal studs, and regular stainless steel hoops.
There are even how-to designs out there for creating special nail art with piercings for birthdays and holidays. Just check out this sweet set of ultra-femme Valentine’s themed fingertips:
Pretty cute, huh? And since the nail piercing process itself is entirely temporary and painless, there’s no reason that all of us can’t indulge in a little nail-centric alternative beauty.
Celebrity Style – Why We Love Adele
Posted by: | CommentsAdele Adkins. She’s a maverick woman about town, a well of endless beauty across the realms of the visceral and ephemeral, and a force to be reckoned with. Possessed equally of polish and punch, it’s easy to see why the world at large is contentedly doting on our latest crush. She has a voice like a lark and a classically lovely face, but I’ll confess that what has me personally smitten, is her taste in earrings.
Adele’s overall style is undeniably vintage, and in music, maquillage, and general taste, the woman obviously shows a penchant for paired down sixties flare. But it’s what hangs from those petite, pale, and feminine ears that tells the real fashion story. In reality this porcelain princess shows a much more grown up and diverse retro aesthetic than many of her American counterparts, effortlessly incorporating designs that encompass everything from 1940′s to 1970′s, and all gently tweaked with a modern twist.
Perhaps the most empowering aspect of the world’s love affair with the British songstress though, is that in a world where thin is in, she makes no apologies for her vivacious curves, and we couldn’t be more delighted. Fast becoming considered as one of the most beautiful women in music, Adele shows no signs of slowing down, having graced the cover of every magazine imaginable including Cosmo, Vogue, Rolling Stone, More, Out, Glamour, Scarlet, the Gentlewoman, Elle, Q, and more than one issue of Billboard.
So why do we love Adele? Why wouldn’t we?