Body Jewelry - Ear and Nose Rings Included
By Mark Knowles
So, I am looking for a diamond engagement ring for my wife (long story) and I figure ebay is as good a place as any to start looking, but ebay is one of those websites that sucks you in and forces you to look at things you had absolutely no interest in and while I am trolling around looking at things I can't afford and don't want, I discover a whole section of jewelry entitled “body jewelry,” which sort of intrigued me because I was having trouble thinking of any jewelry that is not “body jewelry.”
I suppose you could have “dog jewelry,” but that would also be for a body, and perhaps “car jewelry,” if you wanted to be pedantic about the rubbish that people stick on their cars to make them go slower and persuade the police to stop them more often, but that is not really jewelry. So – if anyone can fill me in on why a pair of earrings is not body jewellery – I am all ears (sic).
Anyway – it turns out that they are using this term to distinguish jewelry that you insert into places in your body from – I hate to use the word – normal – jewelry. So things like ear plugs, belly button rings and eyebrow studs. I guess I much be a little out of touch, or perhaps I just look the other way when I see these pieces in the street? Who knows – but I was surprised to discover just exactly what people stick bits of metal into.
Belly button rings
Now - I have been around a bit and in my single days came across a few of these in my travels, but there is an entire industry built around these things.
But why is there so many of them? Are they disposable? Do they get lost easily? Inquiring minds want to know.
So – any of you single dudes out there – I expect a full report on my desk by 2012 – it needs to be a thorough, in-depth report so I would think it will take time to find a representative sample for tests.
I am sure men wear these as well, but as I don't play on the other team – so to speak – I will just take a leaf out of my mother's book and call that, “something I don't need to know about.”
I always found them appealing on younger, slimmer women. That is not to say there is anything wrong with being older and heavier – I have put on a few pounds myself since quitting smoking and – well – some things you can get away with when you are young and slim and others – not so much
If some people (you know the ones) tried wearing one of these it would be in danger of disappearing in a fold - and for my part – I promise you won't catch me slipping into my Grateful Dead wife beater any time soon either.
Diamond Belly Button Rings
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Multi-color 14G double eweled surgical steel piercing belly navel ring
Current Bid: $1.99
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Tongue Rings
I came across a few of these in my travels also, and always think of the film, Pulp Fiction when I see a woman wearing one of these and the classic scene when Travolta is waiting to see his drug dealer.
Trudi:
You know how they use that gun to pierce your ears? They don't use
that when they pierce your nipples, do they?
Jody:
Forget that gun. That gun goes against the entire idea behind
piercing. All of my piercings, sixteen places on my body, all of them
done with a needle. Five in each ear, one through the nipple on my
left breast, one through my right nostril, one through my left
eyebrow, one in my lip, one in my clit... and I wear a stud in my
tongue.
Vincent:
Excuse me, but I was just wondering... why do you wear a stud in your
tongue?
Jody:
It's a sex thing. It helps fellatio.
And, yes, it does, but let's be careful out there......
Gold tongue rings
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Fake Nose Lip Belly Tragus Tongue Piercing Magnetic Stud Ring - Silver or Steel
Current Bid: $5.50
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Tongue studs
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Sexy Body Jewelry Unique Light Blue Barbell Tongue Ring Titanium 14G 5/8" Stud
Current Bid: $3.95
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Eyebrow rings
I must confess to being a little nonplussed at these. I assume it is just a product of getting old, but where I grew up – you would not have lasted five minutes with one of these in your face and I just cannot imagine wanting one myself.
I was the first person I knew with an earring when I was 15 and – although they became very popular for men shortly afterwards. I came in for quite a bit of flack for at least 5 years before they did so. This was back in 19......
Some of them are quite attractive and some of them are extremely expensive, so – yup I will put it down to getting old. They just look uncomfortable to me, but – hey – what do I know – I am old.
Eyebrow rings
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10pcs Different Ear Eyebrow Eyebro Barbell Rings Barbell Body Piercing Jewelley
Current Bid: $1.04
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Nose rings and Ear plugs
Another “getting old” moment I suppose. These both remind me of the African tribes that used to (still do) disfigure themselves to make them less appealing to slave traders, and have redefined what is appealing to their own members..
Not sure an ear plug would put any would be slave trader off, but – much like the eyebrow studs – would not have lasted five minutes where I grew up. Still – times change, but the temptation to put a finger in the ear plug and pull to see what happens must be difficult to resist in certain quarters.
Once again – a massive array of choices, so I have to assume that these are popular adornments. There are even special tools to help you stretch your ear lobe to cope with a large piece of metal implanted in it.
Ear plugs
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16g ACRYLIC GLOW IN THE DARK FAKE EAR PLUG STRETCHER with 2g Look CHEATER GAUGES
Current Bid: $9.99
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Nose rings
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Fashion 20pcs Rhinestone Nose Ring Bone Stud Body Piercing Jewelry Beautiful New
Current Bid: $1.78
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Comments
I suddenly felt too old and too old fashioned. I still can't understand this manner of self-expression, poor me.
I am pretty old fashioned myself when it comes to this stuff. But there are lots of people who have these piercings around here.
LOL
Old fashioned seems to be the order of the day. :)
For me it's a matter of comfort. I can't even sleep with ear rings in, which I've had peirced eight times. Love the navel peircing too... BUT I'm a super sensitive person who can't even stand a tag in my clothes. I find things on my body annoying and uncomfortable. So are people who enjoy peircings less sensitive? Put me on a nudest colony and call me done... Peace :)
My 17 year old has spent the last 6 months stretching her earing holes, so now they're all floppy without her ear plugs! It's gross and they also smell. LIke any good Mum I've told her she'll regret it (oh dear I must be getting old!) but she just smiles and does her own thing anyway. I just hope she doesn't start piercing her face :(
LOL
The stretching thing was a new one on me.
Yeh lol - it will be lip plates next!
It's lost on us because we don't understand the 'image' those with piercings seek.
I find it very distracting to talk to a human pincushion. Some of that stuff just looks too painful.
But great hub. And I hope you'll finish the story of your wife needing an engagement ring.
I had a friend who gave his wife an engagmentment ring after 37 years of marriage and 5 kids with a note that said she was off probation.
Sometimes look beautiful and sometimes look scary. It looks sexy with belly button rings. But looks scary when it placed in tongue and eyebrows. Informative hub. Thanks
What a clever piece. :-)
Hi Mark
An unusual subject for a hub, hopefully it will earn one or two more dollars for the ring!
I think that body piercing is definitely an age thing as you have to have young firm flesh to carry these type of adornments off sucessfully, so I'll just have to wait to my next life!!!
Amber
Great piece, Mark. Like how you skirted around "your time". I have always been curious on this myself. I'll keep with the two holes I already have in my ears. Nothing more. I'm getting to be a coward as I get older.
Getting old sucks. But - it is a LOT better than the alternative. :)
Why do people do this??? I understand a nice belly ring, but the other things? Stretched ear lobes?! I've seen this, and it is not appealing or sexy. I wonder what they're thinking of when they do these things. I'll be waiting to read that report of yours in 2012. And, did you find your wife her diamond ring?
Loved the hub, Mark, VERY educational.
I've noticed that when I have a conversation with an individual with more than a couple of piercings in assorted places, I lose the focus of what is being said.
All I can do is stare, and not very politely, at the affected areas.
I am putting it down to me getting old. LOL
Mark, nice hub :) I don't have any piercings, but I've considered it from time to time. I think my favorite piercing on a female is the little shiny stud that some women get in their nose.
There's this guy that comes into my husbands store and everything is pierced from ear plugs to other things (probably)any who he has had implants put on top of his head. Yes with the facial hair and tatooed eye brows and eyeliner he is the spitting image of satan. He comes in with his little kid in his arms and it's like WTF! I feel for the child, mom is also stenciled and pierced from head to toe, but no implants . . . yet!!! Get hub, kinda makes you wonder what this guy will look like when he approaches 60.
LOL
Well - I have always fancied a tattoo but never found anything I could see myself wearing at 65 :)
Okay - I have 14 tattoos - my tongue is pierced and my bellybutton used to be pierced. I have had my eyebrow and labre {right under the bottom lip} pierced twice but had to remove it because of work. I was actually going to do a Hub about this but haven't as yet. I love tats - always have and feel they are a personal decision of self expression. My tongue, well I did that sort of on a whim four years ago and I like having it and am used to it by now. The bellybutton, well - got tired of that. I can tell you from a personal perspective that men either absolutely luuuvv them or think they are "trampy". Either way, it does not matter to me as I am the one that wants the tattoos and keeps my tongue ring in. You are right, it is a mega business because the "rings" do get lost, misplaced, broken, swallowed even at times. There is also, as you can see, an amazing variety and most like to change their jewelry a lot - of course there are also different gauge sized for the "bar" itself. It is really a personal thing and while many judge it, they need not look if it offends. The stigma that is still attached to tattoos remains as well despite the beauty of and in the artwork and the commitment it takes to keep them "healthy" color wise. Just my two cents. Love the jewelry pics - there really is some beautiful stuff out there. Great Hub.
Thanks Ivy - you should write the hub :)
loved your hub. I also like body art and have a hub on studs as body art accessory also. I have joined your fan club and would like to invite you to join mine and stay in touch.
I have my ears stretched to 1inch an they don't hurt at all long as u do it right an they don't get annoying at night wen I sleep an they will go bac to normal if I took them out I've did it once already n yes they stink if u don't clean them an they do look lik a cats ass wen the plug is out but ther not ment to b out its jjus lik that llady with 5t hole n a ear that's wat looks trashy n sum people do look lik freaks bc they go to far or jus get tomany n it gets crowded but long as u keep evrything spaced out n only get stuff that looks good on ur body it looks fign jus bc ur friend looks cute with it don't mean it looks as cute on u:)
Nice stolen stock photo on the African picture.
Thanks dick - you don't happen to know who that water mark belongs to do you? I found the image online but did not know and cannot find it. I can't read the credit either. But thanks for your eagle eyed contribution.
Thanks
frogdropping 2 years ago
The ear plugs. They're the ones I really don't get. A ring in the eyebrow, tongue - nether regions yes. Not that I have any bits of metal attached to ... well that's getting TMI but you know what I mean. The ear plugs. Plain weird. They look painful, odd and have you ever seen someone that's taken one out? Huge gaping hole. Huge.
As body jewelry goes, I like the belly button rings. Were I a few years younger, I'd buy one or two.
I noticed you didn't get too naughty. A chap in my home town sells some seriously deviant looking body jewelry. Sells a shed load of it too. Reckon there's some very unusually pierced and ... strapped and filled folks around the Yorkshire moors :)