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Bod mods

Maya

Veteran

I am pretty sure this is going to be met with more criticism than praise, but what does everyone think about tattoos and piercings as part of a person's style? Of course, few people get a tattoo simply for how it looks, but it will still affect your appearance profoundly.

I got a lip piercing when I was 18 shortly after going to college. I had it in for only about six months before deciding to retire it. It was appropriate at the time because I had a kind of indie/punky style and personality, but once I started growing up a bit and trying to dress like an adult, it just looked weird and out of place. But I still really like the look of a Monroe piercing (a stud on the upper lip meant to emulate Marilyn Monroe's mole). I doubt I'd get one, but I like how it looks on the right person. Other facial piercings no longer appeal to me anymore. I always found eyebrow piercings seedy looking and the rest I just find unattractive.

I have never been a tattoo fan. The only tattoo I have ever liked was the one my friend got of the golden ratio on the back of her calf. It just looks like a simple line drawing. Overall, I think most people look better without tattoos than with them...although of course as I said, they're usually not done for cosmetic reasons in the first place (except those crazy women who tattoo their eyeliner on...eww). And they look simply hideous after a certain age. Even if you're in tip top shape, they just look faded and more like a skin disease than art. And of course there are all kinds of other reasons regarding the permanency, but I'm just limiting the discussion to style since that's what is most relevant here.

Other bod mods like scarification and the freakier and more intense types like suspension just make me queasy. I'm fairly liberal and openminded but those are two things I could live without ever being exposed to.

General

17 replies

Latest reply was from Alecia

shiny

Veteran

I've been on other forums and this tends to be one of those topics that you have to watch what you say and be diplomatic, or a flame war starts up, and I will probably fail in that yet again.

Tattoos: My great uncle was in the Navy and he had a huge tattoo of a ship on his chest, and mermaid on his arm. I loved my great uncle and have such fond memories of him.... but I have to say.... seeing tattoos on an 87 year old man turned me off on tattoos forever and ever. I don't find anything stylish about them at all.... no matter how discretely placed. I have a visceral reaction to the whole idea. I wouldn't get one myself; I wouldn't date a guy with one; I would kill my DD's if they got one.

However, I am not that bad, really! I have no prob if you have one .... or your entire body is tattoo'ed. That's your business. And I definetly do understand it can be more than just a style statement.

Body piercings: I'm much more open to them. Some are silly (like those giant earrings that stretch out the earlobe). Some can be really cute on the right person. I've seen many women with nose studs who look absolutely adorable. I have actually long and secretly thought my own DD could pull off a discrete eyebrow piercing (not a hoop - maybe like a tiny diamond).

I'm squicked out about piercings on ... nether regions. But to each their own, and that's not about style anyway because those aren't meant to be seen. Ahem.

I think tongue studs are the worst of all.

My DH was involved in a mentoring program for young lawyers. He had a mentoree fresh out of law school, and she had a tongue stud. He had to gently explain to her that it needed to disappear. No court would take her seriously - she could barely talk with the thing in her mouth!

And I have to also say that in my DD's crowd, this subject came up - all the girls thought tongue studs were so cool and trendy - but none of them realize that there are many many men out there who think a tongue stud can mean something.... they don't want it to mean. When I delicately explained, they all went "Ewwwww....!"

Maya

Veteran

Hm, you have a point there Shiny. Perhaps I should include a disclaimer. This is just MY relationship with bodmods. I couldn't care less if anyone else has them.

Bodmods are one of those things you love or you hate. There were some people who flat out told me they didn't like my lip piercing, but it didn't bother me. I had expected it. It's certainly not everyone's cup of tea. I guess I assumed most people who have bodmods also have that understanding, and there's nothing personal about it.

I've never been into nose studs. When I used to go to India to visit my relatives, it was a pretty common sight to see a wedding procession where the bride had a HUGE nose ring. I think this is mostly a Hindu custom and I am not Hindu so thankfully I would never have to deal with that. But in any case, I think that turned me off from any kind of nose dressings for good. It just LOOKS so painful, even if it isn't.

Munequita

Yeap, tattoos and body piercings are rampant in American society and yet my eye has still not adjusted. Include me in the group of people who don't find the look attractive one bit.

Oh and I'm in my twenties and a Navy wife to boot, go figure!

Nicole

Veteran

My opinion on tattos is very negative, so I will keep my opinions limited in a public forum.

I have varying degrees of tolerance for body piercings. If it gets in the way of daily functions (like talking, eating, breathing) then I find it annoying. I like the look of a small stud in the nose on the right person. I have nothing against an eyebrow piercing, or a Marilyn piercing. I don't even mind the ones that are in the crease of the chin. To me, that is no different than getting your ears pierced. I actually prefer those kind of piercings to 10 ear piercings. However, I would not get one myself. I am not cool enough for it.

My daughter has talked about getting a tattoo "someday". I told her she could do what she wanted with her body when she was living by her own means. I love to point out to her women with tattoos. What looks cool and funky on an 18 year old, looks quite different on a 40 year old.

What bothers me the most about the high tattoo rate among young women (Two of my 40+ sisters recently got HUGE tramp stamps, and both of my 18+ nieces have multiple piercings and tatts), is that it's commonplace and no longer makes any kind of statement, other than "I'm just like everyone else." If you want to be REALLY unique, don't get any tattoos or piercings--you will definitely be in the minority.

I am also not a fan of bellybutton piercings. They look good if you're young, but once you reach a certain age, they look like you're trying too hard. I think things like that make a woman look older rather than younger.

Ana

(website)

Veteran

Hmm....I'm sort of neutral on tattoos and piercings and those types of things. I don't really care if someone has them, but I don't generally admire them on people--ie, I'm not likely to compliment someone on their tattoo or piercing, the way I would their shoes or specs or clothing.

shiny

Veteran

Some people view them not as a style statement, but rather, a cultural one. Or as a personal statement. I have talked to such people so I do get it - and I'm sure my Great Uncle's tattoo meant a lot to him - even at 87 he'd wiggle his chest and biceps to make the ship and mermaid dance for us kids.

I tell my kids this: fashion is meant to be fun, and trends come and go. Do whatever you want, as long as it's reversible!! Most body peircings fall into this category (except for those ones that stretch out your earlobes beyond all repair). Holes close up quickly. Tattoos - no matter what they tell you - really are not reversible. Or at least not that easily.

Bellybutton piercings: when I worked out in the gym, there was this woman who was in her 40s. She had the most incredible abs, and a belly button piercing. She said she had made a deal with herself that once she got fit enough, she'd get one. I loved that idea, so I made a private pact with myself.

Unfortunately the reality is, I've got so much loose skin no matter how fit only surgery would give me back a somewhat decent belly.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I live in Seattle. Body piercings and tattoos are around every corner. It’s a very admired look in this neck of the woods.

My opinions on tattoos are also neutral. I would never encourage one, but it is what it is for those who have suffered the process.

I can appreciate one body piercing and she has to be Indian and the piercing is a pretty nose ring. That’s it.

shiny

Veteran

But what about pierced earrings?

My mother never had her ears pierced. She wouldn't let us girls have ours done either. The *minute* I got my driver's license, I went straight to the mall and had them done. Hurt horribly.

DD15 got them pierced at age 13 - it was all she wanted for her bday.

DD14 watched the process.... I told her she could have hers done at age 13. She says she never, ever wants it done - looked too painful to her (even though DD15 didn't even flinch).

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

You are SO right. Of course I condone pierced ears. I suppose I don’t regard that as a body piercing. Absurd!

My late mother was Eurasian (half Indonesian and half Dutch) and Indonesian people are quite happy to have their children’s ears pierced when they are toddlers or even younger. It’s part of the culture. Needless to say, I was five when I had my ears pierced. But the last time I wore earrings was on my wedding day, almost 12 years ago.

Becky

Veteran

I had my ears pierced for the first time ever about a year ago. I knew when I did it that I would be wearing only a few pair of very simple earrings, and that's the way it has worked out so far: mainly studs or small hoops. My 5-year-old daughter inquired about getting hers pierced also, but when I told her it feels like getting a shot, I haven't heard anything more about it!!

Maya

Veteran

Quite right Angie. I don't even remember having my ears pierced because I was too young. I remember when I first called my mom from college and told her I had my lip pierced. I was shocked at her reaction. She almost died when I told her. There was lots of panicking and screaming. She didn't seem to understand that I didn't just walk into some shady back alley piercer and have them stick me with a dirty safety pin. No matter what certificates I showed her or how much I tried to educate her, she still thought body piercers were all crooks who take advantage of stupid kids like me.

I have never seen her so horrified that way about anything else I have ever done (not that I was especially rebellious). My dad didn't seem to care as much. It was the exact opposite reaction from both of them than I had expected. She obviously overreacted and I hadn't expected it at all so I didn't prepare any kind of defense.

Anyway, eventually I pointed out to my mom that she had my ears pierced before I was even old enough to decide for myself if I wanted earrings. The only difference between her having my ears pierced and me getting my lip pierced is that this time, I got to decide. End of story. She still thought it was ugly and would constantly nag me about how awful I was for mutilating the body she gave me...but eventually she piped down and I didn't end up keeping it in for too long anyway.

Nicole

Veteran

Oh gosh, that brings back some strong memories. When I was in middle school, my mom was trying to girlify me--since I was quite the tomboy. She had my sister pierce my ears at the kitchen table. They put these gawdawful dangle ball earings on me (my friends teased me mercilessly saying they looked like wrecking balls). Of course my ears got infected within a few weeks and I let them close up. A few years later, I had them repierced at the mall, and again I had infection problems. I tried one or two more times, all with infections as a result. So I gave up on them until my daughter got a gift certificate to Claires in the mall. (I think she was 8 or 9.) I volunteered to go first to show her it didn't hurt. That was the first time my ears did not get infected.

My daughter followed in my footsteps. She had her ears pierced twice and both times let the holes close due to infections.

I rarely wear earings because I'm usually wearing a necklace. The only times I like to wear earings is when my top does not lend itself well to a necklace, or when I wear my hair pulled back--I like to wear hoops. I probably go months inbetween wearing earrings and my holes never close.

Lena

Nicole, this is interesting. I always wonder how long I can go without earrings. (I'm not in the mood for earrings at the moment, I wear them just to keep the holes).

Nicole

Veteran

I think everyone is different, and it may depend on how long your ears have been pierced.

cyan45

why do some dislike pierced ears? if one isn't wearing statement specs and/or wearing a high neckline, some pleasing earrings attract the eye to the face, IMHO...
i guess i just don't understand how this could be in the same category as nose/lip/chin/belly button etc... piercings.

just curious.

Nicole

Veteran

Cyan, I don't think anyone here dislikes pierced ears.

Alecia

Veteran

Maya, that's a great story. I have a similar one. I got my nose pierced in college. My mom flipped out. She was devastated that I would "ruin my life" like that. She said was considering pulling me out of school. (I was very lucky to have parents that were able to send me to school so they could have done that.) I remember having to hold the phone from my ear because she was yelling so loudly. She got even more upset when I cheekily told her that I thought pulling me out of school would probably ruin my life more than a nose ring.

I took the nose ring out upon graduation though I was still pretty fond of it. My folks had gotten me my first diamond jewelry as a graduation gift and I determined that the nose ring didn't go with diamonds. Ha! My mom wished she had known that earlier.

In any case, as I've mentioned before, I live a bit of a double life with my musician husband and there are all kinds of tatoos/piercings happening in the artistic community. I appreciate the look, but do wonder what the beautiful, edgy young woman with sleeves will look like when she's in her 60s and 70s. I could never pull the look off because 1) I can't think of anything I would want on my body forever and 2) I'm not very hip. So there's that.