A new year brings with it a fresh start and the chance to totally transform your personal style. If you're into body mods, you'll likely be interested in the biggest piercing trends for 2017, because piercings are an easy way to keep your finger on the fashion pulse.
It's always fun to shake things up when it comes to how you present your personality visually to the world. Of course, you can do this by investing in new outfits, getting a new hairstyle, or experimenting with makeup, but if you're looking for something a little more permanent, piercings are the way to go.
Being onboard with the latest piercing trends needn't necessarily mean that you must get punctured again — if you're happy with the piercings you currently have, there are plenty of ways to incorporate popular piercing trends with the help of jewelry alone. Although, if you can't wait to get under the piercer's needle again, you've obviously got more options available to you when it comes to the latest swoon-worthy trends.
There were plenty of rad piercing trends in 2016 ranging from constellation piercings inspired by clusters of stars, to chic ear suspenders. In line with the fashion industry's obsession with nostalgia, body mods followed suit and classic '90s piercings made a comeback too. But, what does the year ahead have in store for stylish piercing trends? I spoke with a professional piercer to find out.
"One of the big trends I see picking up steam this year is the comeback of the navel. It kind of had a hiatus for a while — it just lost its popularity. But I’m seeing a lot more young and middle-aged women getting their navels pierced again," says Brian Keith Thompson, celebrity piercer and owner of Body Electric Tattoo, in an email to Bustle.
"So that’s exciting, because I like that piercing. I think it’s a very cool piercing," says Thompson. However, he adds, "There’s this stigma attached to it that once you get to a certain age you can’t have it any more, and I disagree. I think that the only time you’re too old for a piercing is when you’re dead. That’s when you’re officially too old."
"I also think you’re going to see a continuation of what we saw in 2016," explains Thompson, "the small, dainty hoops, a lot of the eclectic, asymmetrical styles for the ears. I think you’re going to see a continuation of that." This is good news for folks who got a trend led piercing last year; you won't have to go back to the drawing board if you want to keep on top of the latest trends.
"But it’s really hard to call trends because of the fact that social media — it picks up so quickly. A trend can start with just a famous actress or pop star getting something done, and boom, instantly it becomes famous. These movements are born quickly and they die young too. They can burn out quickly," says Thompson.
"The trends we’re seeing now," he says, "you just really can’t foresee them as much as you could before. Because any day something can happen and then all of a sudden you’ve got this internet trend going."
"We see it all the time. We get calls constantly. Somebody will post a picture on their Instagram and the next day we’ve got 200 phone calls asking about that piercing," Thomspon says.
This is definitely something to keep in mind when choosing a new piercing — a style that is at the height of popularity one week could be old news the next, so it's always best to choose a piercing placement that you like, rather than base your decision purely on what's trending.
At the end of the day, if you're into sassy navel piercings, dainty jewelry, and contemporary ear piercings, you're sure to be on trend in 2017!
Image: freestocks.org (1)/Unsplash
