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.

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?

This is hands down one of the neatest new navel jewelry styles I have ever seen, and even though it’s pretty neat and new, there’s already enough of a variety out there that you might just want to grab three or four.  (I know I did.)  It’s called a super spiral, but I called super cute!

The other new style that I came across that was super Christmasy and super fun involves actual jingle bells hanging from the belly ring.  Now, I know what you’re thinking.  This probably isn’t the most discreet.  But the little bit of noise these beauties give off is actual part of their charm.  It’s really festive.

And last but not least, here are a few new updates of old standards.  Have I mentioned how in love I am with snowflakes?  What could be better for Christmas than a touch of crystal, shine, jingle, and a little snow?

Happy Holidays!

So most of us have seen some weird and interesting things come out of the world of dermal jewelry, but when did horns suddenly go mainstream?  That’s right, it’s now not only normal, but actually kind of cute to have microdermal, transdermal, or even subdermal horns.  The thing that translates so well into pop culture is that the horns themselves (at least those that have become fairly popular) are less outlandish and frightening, and more innocent and fawn-like.  Horns = cute…..who knew?

Next on our list: candy canes become multi-purpose.  Okay, so stretching of the ear is nothing new, but the thing that makes this especially cool isn’t the piercing itself, but the choice of jewelry.  You might be thinking that this is so much less extreme than what I usually feature, but there’s no denying that everyone who sees this is going to wish that they thought of it.  I know I do!  Looking cute for the Holidays and having a built in snack?  Pretty sweet.

And finally, the best has been saved for last.  It’s beautiful, it’s bionic, it’s….really attached?  The answer to that question is a resounding yes.  The newest and most interesting thing to hit body piercing since the invention of the curved piercing needle gives seriously new meaning to the phrase “body jewelry.”  This unique method of body mod uses dermal anchors and surface bars to attach beautiful metal plating to the skin.  Most often paired with ink in celestial or tribal designs, this fun and fancy new form of super-piercing lets you go all out when the occasion calls for it, and then remove layers of bling when it’s time to relax.

Now that’s got to be one of the coolest piercings you’ve ever seen, right?

Even if all you have pierced is your ears, a piercing or jewelry party is a cool and interesting way to reconnect with friends you may have lost touch with since last year’s festivities.  You’ll hear great stories about piercings and tattoos people have gotten in the past year, get gift ideas from friends and family members who attend, and have the opportunity to save yourself and your pals some green on new items you might want or need.  Plus, it’s the perfect excuse for a Holiday hang-out session.

Here’s the idea:

1. Start by playing a few fun games.  One of my favorites is The Guess Game, where you basically go from person to person and everyone gets to guess how many piercings and/or tattoos that person has.  Whoever guesses each round right or gets closest wins a little goodie bag with cute body jewelry or aftercare products inside.  Another fun one is Truth or Lies, where everyone tells an amazing, hilarious, or outlandish story about piercing, tatts, or body mod and you have to guess whether it’s true or not.

2. Use the theme in fun ways.  For example, different colored flexible horseshoe rings make adorable stemware charms.  That way everyone knows which glass is theirs, and they get to take home a piece of jewelry when they leave.

Other neat ways to incorporate the body modification motif?  Use floral cocktail rings as decorations and napkin holders, or use custom earrings with people’s names on them to draw for door prizes or decide who’s turn is next in games.  (These adorable stockings are just $8.99 a pair!)

3. Save everyone a little money with a virtual shopping trip.  By loading a Paypal account or Visa gift card and then shopping together online, you can save big.  Large orders will almost always qualify for free regular shipping and special Holiday deals, and coupon codes can take off up to 20% on top of sale prices.  Plus, when buying in groups, you can take advantage of bonus pack deals and then split the pack when it arrives, and by shipping everything to a single location, you have a built in excuse to see everyone who orders again soon.

Another thing that I like to do is provide some adorable gift boxes for people to put the prizes they’ve won in to take home.  That way you make sure that noone looses any of those teensy pieces.

Alternative Holiday parties aren’t just fun, they’re fabulous!

Nigel Tufnel is the fictional guitarist character from 1984′s rockin mocumentary, “This is Spinal Tap.”  More importantly though, he’s the guy who likes to “turn it up to eleven.”  Turning it up to eleven is most certainly a music reference, “it” being the amplifier attached to his flying V electric guitar, but in the past few days since the holiday has been firmly established, this fiery catch phrase has taken on a whole new meaning.

Turning it up to eleven means giving it your best and then some, getting louder than loud (literally and figuratively), and just having an awesome time.  It’s about taking everything you do and bumping it up that extra notch.  And for those of us who have a stereo and like the metal music that drew us to the Spinal Tap movie in the first place, well, lets hope your model is like mine and has a volume knob that goes higher than ten.

For people who are pierced and tattooed, tonight is the once in a lifetime opportunity to party like it’s full of elevens, literally.  Since the 11/11/11 date won’t come around again until the year 2111, less than one percent of the people currently alive on the planet will live to see it, and most of those were born in the past two weeks.

So rev it up, bring the noise, overdo all things rock and roll, and don’t forget to riff a slammin solo for your man Nigel Tufnel, as you turn it up to eleven.

When newcomer Rooney Mara won the coveted role of Lisbeth Salander in the English Language remake of 2009′s acclaimed Swedish film “the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” nobody could have guessed what was in the cards for alternative fashion at the hands of this twist of fate.

Many people may recognize Rooney, 26, from her roles in the 2010 blockbusters “The Social Network” and “A Nightmare on Elm Street,” and those that do will likely remember her looking a little something like this:

So what’s changed since her days playing a cute, average teenage girl?  Well, for starters, this powerhouse actress took the ultimate plunge to delve into her role as the pierced, tattooed, and mohawked character, Lisbeth: she got pierced.

Now, you may be shrugging in that “so what?” kind of way, but when we say “pierced,” we’re actually talking about several rather painful piercings, all at once!  That’s right.  Miss Mara got over a dozen piercings in all, including four holes in each ear and piercings of the lip, nose, septum, eyebrow, and nipple.  And, as aforementioned, most of them were done at the same time.  Prior to her transformation, the budding actress didn’t even have her ear lobes pierced.

Rooney also had her eyebrows bleached, lost a few pounds to allow her a more androgynous look as Lisbeth, and got her hair cut, shaved, and dyed stark black.  Talk about a new look.

Her real life jewelry style closely mirrors that of her new cinematic persona, except that while the character is often seen in more elaborate and edgy earrings, the actress’s own style is a little more forgiving, often wearing smaller and simpler silver tone hoops.

Although generally not known to show off her lip or nose rings in public, Mara has been seen rocking her eyebrow ring, which again (being more of the same) is a simple curved steel barbell.

As for regular jewelry, scenes from the film show Lisbeth wearing dog tag necklaces and oodles of gorgeous circa-1980-punk style bracelets in everything from nylon, to metals, leather, and a cacophony of studs and spikes.

For the most part, it’s hard to tell where Lisbeth ends and the actress begins in the middle of a promotional media frenzy and countless magazine spreads, but whichever way you slice it, it’s hard at the moment not to have a girl crush on Rooney Mara.

Whether the costume is a pin-up or something with the feel of old Hollywood, for all things retro that are making a Halloween comeback, simple black plugs paired with a red lip seems to be the statement of the moment.

Glitter Plugs and a Bare Neck

When going for a soft, feminine look (a fairy, princess, ballerina, angel…) a glittering plug accents a bare swan-like neck and loads of feathers and frills perfectly.

Blood Red Belly Rings

Flirty belly-baring costumes need just one accessory, a sultry blood red navel ring.   ’Nough said.

Labret Spikes

Guys and girls who go as ghouls, beasties, vampire slayers, or action heroes can let their evil-never-looked-so-good ensembles benefit from the classic cool of spike or talon labret jewelry.

Indian Style Nose Jewelry

Belly dancers, Bollywood stars, exotic goddesses, and more will all be made stunning with another of the moment trend piece: Indian style nose piercings.  Flowered studs, skinny hoops, and jewel bearing fare add a real tropic flare and will be noticed for their uniqueness.

Fangs and Lip Piercing

Vampires, werewolves, and monsters all have one thing in common this Halloween season.  Whether it’s real or fake, they draw extra attention to their lips with studs or hoops aplenty.

What will you be wearing this Halloween?

To go as Alice:

Alice’s trademark look is bare ears and minimalism, her only piece of prominent jewelry being the crystal teardrop necklace that you see her in throughout the film.  Rather than splurging on an overdone piece, the better way to go is grabbing something similar in size, shape, and color for less than half the price.  All three of these necklaces are under fifteen dollars, and you’ll never be late to tea wondering what to wear.

To go as the White Queen:

Having bare hands and an exquisitely decorative gown, the white queen keeps it simple with a single pearly necklace.  To get the look for less, go for a regular strand that’s long enough to be doubled, or keep it minimal with a classic, gold tone ball chain (at just over $30, it’s affordable and luxe).

To go as the Red Queen:

Our queen of hearts has a penchant for rings, and (you guessed it), they’re all in the shape of hearts.  To hit the mark, just be sure you layer at least two per hand and strategically pick your items to foster a look of opulence.  The awesome cocktail rings below all have an awesome price tag to match, and in deep earthy hues and jewel tones, they’ll make any rendition of the red queen steel the show.

To go as the Hatter:

Our friend the Mad Hatter is the very vision of coolly cuckoo, and since he wears literally NO jewelry at all, that leaves you free to add your own spin by incorporating generalized wonderland themes like locks and keys, tea cups, drink bottles, crowns, marigolds, and playing card suits.  The sky is the limit and the cost is extremely reasonable, so go nuts!

To go as the Cheshire Cat or the White Rabbit:

If you’re aiming for the white rabbit, you need only a waistcoat and a pocket watch, but the for the Cheshire Cat (who wears nothing but fur and a smile) a single comical accessory will really drive home the kooky mood, and I found the perfect pick: a fish necklace!  Just $3.99 and full of catty goodness.

Time to fall down the rabbit hole into Halloween costume Wonderland.

To go as Harry Potter:

Our title character doesn’t really wear a lot of jewelry, but there are a few things that can make a slightly lackluster costume really pop.  For example, you could wear a necklace that looks like either a snitch or a philosopher’s stone.  Both of these items are normally fairly pricey (running for up to 75 Euro ((just under$100)) ) but you can get your hands on a budget fake for around fifteen bucks.  Just look at these philosopher’s stone type necklaces, all under $14.99.

To go as Hermione:

There are a couple things that will let everyone know you’re dressed as Hermione, (even if you can’t get your hair to fluff up quite right): a faux time turner necklace, or a pair of pink posy earrings.  Both can be snatched up for about half the price if you choose pieces that give the overall look and shape instead of an exact replica.

To go as a member of Slytherin House:

The easy way to accessorize is with a snake ring.  Affordable and unmistakable.  Or if you want to go for house colors, just grab a colored enamel band.

General Potterisms:

When going as a generalized character or adding interest to an existing costume, there are some relatively inexpensive accessory options that will bring the fantasy world to life.  Things like phoenixes, owls, lightening bolts, and magic hats.

Now you’re good to go at a fraction of the cost.