There’s this magical place nestled nicely in the City that Never Sleeps, (aka New York City) called Canal Street, where one can find just about anything luxuriously high end. However, there is one caveat to this magical place that I speak of…the ‘luxuriously high end’ products are actually just a bunch of knock-offs. Within seconds of entering this product vending paradise, you can be offered Chanel, Vuitton, Gucci, Coach, and some Jimmy Choos for, ironically, under twenty bucks. Knockoffs.
They are EVERYWHERE! And sure, we all know that these products aren’t the real deal, but it’s fun to showcase something that is, essentially, out of most people’s price range. However, there is just something that a knockoff can’t provide – satisfaction in purchase, guarantee in quality, and the actual feeling that a gorgeous high-end product can provide for us.
When we can buy something that is real, luxurious, and high end – there is no better feeling. You don’t necessarily need someone to know that you bought something incredible, and potentially pricey; just having the personal knowledge that you are donning something made of fine quality, craftsmanship, and unique design makes you walk differently, gives you a confidence to showcase whatever it is you purchased, and just makes you feel like there’s an innate need to flaunt your fierce self all over town.
The same is true for when we purchase our body jewelry pieces. We look for something that represents us as individuals, and even though our pieces are relatively small – they are coveted. So, it is no surprise that we, an evolving community of piercing aficionados, are desperately seeking pieces that are made with the finest in gold and platinum. We don’t just want bling – we want impeccable pieces to meet our demands for a fierce, FRESH look.
I remember getting my first piercings. Each time those surgical steel needles were done with their jobs, I immediately felt different. I’m not talking about different because I got a body piercing…no, no, no – that’s amateur stuff! I felt different because I just realized that I unlocked a whole new wardrobe need of pieces to fill these new crevices on my face and body. Of course, I was in college when I became piercing obsessed – so my budget was blue box macaroni and cheese. However, once I was out of college and working towards the American Dream, using my money to buy beautiful, striking pieces of jewelry to make my piercings immediately become business professional became a new favorite pastime!
Let’s chat about the term dressing for success. Sure, that term alone cues an occasional eye roll and sigh of annoyance, but let’s face it – we live in a dog eat dog kind of world. The beauty about our world, though, currently is that tattoos and body piercings aren’t seen as the work of the devil, or signs that we we’re really going downhill and may need an intervention of some kind.
This generation, being able to boldly represent ourselves as individuals, is what makes the Gen X’ers, Y’ers, and Millenials so empowered to blend the trends and fashions of body piercings with the high-end image of old school power suits that help us dress for success. We don’t just want piercing pieces to wear; we need piercing pieces that are crafted from the finest metals to showcase our finest attributes.
How about an example…I choose me as that example…
SCENE: Eighteen and doe-eyed at my first college kegger, this is what I would wear to adorn my exposed belly button:
Fo Shizzle – belly button barbell
Hell yeah, I would!! Don’t judge me – that’s hysterical, and honestly…I’d still wear that!!
However, let’s flash forward to my early 20’s and a job at an advertising agency.
SCENE: Company beach volleyball tournament with Creative vs. Accounting
White gold belly button barbell ring
The look – well, something amazing. This type of belly button ring would not only look amazing, but would be perfectly handcrafted with a precious gold or platinum setting…something that reminds older generations that I can still dress to impress, even though I have holes in my midsection:
Another example of how high-end pieces can still showcase our fierce piercings, and keep a business profesh look going – done!
SCENE: Eighteen and doe-eyed…again; football game tailgate (8 AM – ????)
Red acrylic cherries surgical steel tongue barbell
I was always so jealous of the people that could tie a cherry stem into a knot within the confines of their mouth. My version would have been this phenomenal piece where the cherry was embedded in my tongue!
Let’s do that flash forward thing again…
SCENE: My early-mid 20’s…this time – a pitch meeting with a pretty big time client with a big time account:
Syntetic opal 14K gold tongue ring
Sure, when speaking there would be an immediate notice that something adorned my tongue.
However, that something would be sparkling and radiant with a perfectly set precious gemstone, giving the appearance that I take pride in every possible detail of my own appearance. So, conversely – my attention to detail on an account must be impeccable. Just saying.
Alas, one more hole to feature on this endless journey towards the realization that high-end jewelry is quickly becoming a must-have for anyone that wants to take their piercing to a whole new level of respect amongst the other career sharks of the world.
SCENE: Twenty and doe-ish eyes; throwing the ultimate 21-st birthday party bash for friends:
Sterling silver eyebrow barbell
What can I say? KISS is timeless!!
Let’s flash-forward one last time…I’ll make it a good one!
SCENE: Mid-20’s; company Christmas party; black tie affair…
14K diamond pave rose gold barbell
Sure, there were two metal pieces occupying both sides of my eyebrows. However, those pieces would have been incredibly gorgeous, perfectly paired with my evening dress of choice, and highlighted with elegance, style, and impeccable quality and design.
You see, high-end body jewelry is not to showcase the contents of your wallet and your bank account. Just the opposite. High-end pieces have the ability to indicate to society that you take complete pride in your appearance, your professional skills, your career, and your sophistication.
Body piercings have escaped the titles of grunge, low-class, and trashy…which we all recognize as terms of dis-endearment from our older generational folks. Today, pierced friends, we are a generation that knows how to work hard and play hard. Our body jewelry trends and fashions have evolved to exhibit our individualism, our unique personalities and traits, our incredibly fashion-forward styles, and our successful professional lives and careers. We know how to work smarter and not harder; we know how to chase success with a vengeance; we know how to showcase our ability to change the world.
High-end jewelry pieces are not just a luxury item that we all hope to attain one day. No. These incredible gold and platinum pieces that fill our beloved piercings are a must-have. Wearing a piece (or two, or three) that we purchase with our hard-earned money and wear with our hard-earned fashionable styles are worth their weight in gold. The demand is simple – we require perfection, beauty, intricate design, and quality with just a twist of rebellion.
Wearing a piece that is perfectly crafted from the finest metals, adorned with precious gemstones, and pristinely set by hand – these qualities represent our pierced generations with a level of ingenuity, impeccable design, and class.
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