Piercings are an accessory type that has developed over thousands of years. Contrary to what you may think, nose rings and earrings are not popular because of rock and roll or punk. These piercings were popular in Ancient Greece, Rome and especially in the nomad of barbarian societies such as Germania and Parthia. This is something that needs to be taught to many fashion lovers because they would have so much more inspiration to style their outfits with particular piercings. It’s one of the best ways you can approach fashion, by understanding history and learning where your items originated. Let’s explore the piercings and their particular birth style.
Ancient Amazon
Where did nose piercings really take off? In the Amazon, where else? In all seriousness, tribes that Westerners met in the rainforest, all had some kind of nose jewelry. These societies were the Aztecs and the various other tribes that were trading with them, lived among them or were part of their labor force. The piercings were made out of Amerindian, a beautiful turquoise stone that was only found in the mines of South America. You can get your own modern nose jewelry made out of modern precious metals such as gold, titanium and silver. The rings, bars and other types of jewelry are a great look for those going with the tribal urban style. These will be tribal patterns in your tops, ripped jeans and sneakers with funky neon colors.
Middle-East earrings
In the Middle East, lots of piercings have a particular cultural meaning. Not least the barbell earring. You will find that people who live near rivers wear this type of earring because it doesn’t get caught. Cultures that have made their living fishing, trading with merchants and running ports find that earrings that dangle are more hazardous than they are worth in style. The barbell earring is high up in the ear, so it’s out of the way. However the most popular material isn’t gold or silver in the Middle East, it’s rose gold or simple steel. If you want to wear this, wear it with a Middle Eastern scarf or headband, along with some sandals.
Modern Western
The ancient cultures of Western Europe were mainly made of British, French and Spanish tribes. They all had one thing in common, they had helix piercings of some kind. This could be just a stud of bark, or it could be a precious stone of some kind. The modern helix earring is great for all types of outfits, but mainly a mix of casual suburban and rural outfits. Think about a pair of skinny jeans in dark denim, along with a short-sleeve shirt and a tank top underneath. It’s pretty casual but it fits in everywhere.
Lots of piercings have a backstory that you should take the time to look into. You’ll learn why certain outfits look better with different piercings and thus, become better at styling your wardrobe.
