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Original poster

Multiple ear piercing now acceptable by all walks of life

31 replies

Wherecanitbe · 26/11/2023 21:58

When I was younger, if you had several earrings in both ear lobes it was considered a bit "common" or you were a punk or similar, and people higher up the social scale never seemed to have more than one small earring in each lobe.

Now it is very acceptable and extremely fashionable for people from all walks of life to have multiple ear piercings.

I was just wondering when and why this shift of opinion began.

OP posts:
VesperLind · 26/11/2023 22:02

I don’t know that it has. I had a second lobe piercing a year or so ago and a friend said “ooh you hussy”. We’re 60. 🙄

Fluffycloudsfloatinginthesky · 26/11/2023 22:03

I have an eyebrow piercing at work and I have had no comments. 20 years ago when I first wanted it done my manager commented it wasn't appropriate!!

Wellthatwasntfun · 26/11/2023 22:05

In 1994 I wanted a second ear piercing like the coolest girl at school and my dm told me absolutely not ‘it’s only for slags- mark my words by 16 she will be pregnant !’ ……..

In my case it seemed that only having one earring in each ear did not work as contraception and dm was horrified that it was her dd with single piercings that had a teen pregnancy 😂😂😂

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GeneCity · 26/11/2023 22:05

I suppose it's just something becoming more common / seen as more acceptable over time. I think tattoos are probably similar.

YoullCatchYourDeathInTheFog · 26/11/2023 22:07

I work in a super-straight environment (no visible tattoos, no shoulders, no toes, no hair of an unnatural colour) and even we wouldn't bat an eyelid at multiple ear piercings. I've never seen anyone with an eyebrow or nose piercing though.

Beignet · 26/11/2023 22:08

I agree. A second earring was a big deal when I was a teenager.

My oldest dd - probably has around 4-5 holes in each ear!

RetinolStings · 26/11/2023 22:19

How old are you all??!
I had 3 piercings in each ear as a 15/16 year old in around 1988, and I’d done most of them myself.
I then had a helix piercing in 1990 and then a nose piercing in ‘93 when I went off to uni. I was always a goody two shoes too! I came from a really small town and lived a very sheltered life until I went to uni, but lots of my school friends had two or three piercings in each ear in the late 80’s.

Cotswoldmama · 26/11/2023 22:21

I had my seconds when I was about 13, I didn't and as far as I'm aware no friends/family etc thought it was common. I think more than that wasn't seen as common either like at the top of your ear, we all just thought they were cool. I now have 10 piercings in my ears, I don't think people particularly notice

TeenLifeMum · 26/11/2023 22:24

I waited until I was a senior manager in my specialism age 40 before having my second piercing. My boss has multiple too. I wear a tiny diamond princess cut stud in the upper one and small hoops with diamond chips in the lower holes. Took me until I was 40 to go against my father’s opinion it’s common. He’s never commented to me but mum mentioned he has noticed. I didn’t ask her what he said as I don’t need to hear his opinion. (He’s happy with most of my decisions so he seems happy to ignore this one tiny rebellion).

UsernameFail · 26/11/2023 22:26

I had my ears pierced at age 6 because my older sister was too afraid, followed by second piercings in my teens

I had a helix done about 18years ago.
Mice recently had my nose pierced after wanting it done for years, and another helix

The curated ear is quite popular now and there is so much lovely jewellery out there too.

I will be 50 soon Bear

maximist · 26/11/2023 22:33

I had my ears pierced for the second time in about 1986, when I was 16. I don't remember my mum objecting, and if she'd had even a whiff of it being common, she very definitely would have objected....

I only really wear a small stud in the second hole, but I have quite large lobes, so I think it looks better with something there.

Deargodletitgo · 26/11/2023 22:36

Got my third piercing in my ears a couple of years back, same time as teenage daughter got her second. Loved it

DrMarshaFieldstone · 26/11/2023 22:53

I had no piercings until I was 17, then got three in each lobe and two in my left helix within the space of a year. It was a very very mild act of rebellion even then, around the turn of the century. Those of us who had those piercings done then are now in our forties and are your respectable headteachers / accountants / solicitors / vicars!

MzHz · 26/11/2023 22:56

You see I’m 55 and wondering if it would be daft to have another couple of holes put into my ears.

ThePoshUns · 26/11/2023 22:56

I had my seconds and a helix done in 1990

chumblywumbly · 26/11/2023 22:57

Oh dear, I didn't realise I was so common.

Had three in each ear for over 30 years. Was and still am a bit of a hippy though.

The term 'curated' ear pisses me off, trying to make this anew thing when it's far from.

starfishmummy · 26/11/2023 22:58

RetinolStings · 26/11/2023 22:19

How old are you all??!
I had 3 piercings in each ear as a 15/16 year old in around 1988, and I’d done most of them myself.
I then had a helix piercing in 1990 and then a nose piercing in ‘93 when I went off to uni. I was always a goody two shoes too! I came from a really small town and lived a very sheltered life until I went to uni, but lots of my school friends had two or three piercings in each ear in the late 80’s.

I was wondering the same. I had my second piercings in the 1970s.

I have however stopped there!!

SemperIdem · 26/11/2023 22:58

Slightly higher end/independent jewellers saw a gap in the market for how they could sell more and thus “curated ear stacks” were born.

Only gold though, based on what is currently being sold. Silver is still “common”.

4FoxxSake · 26/11/2023 22:59

Got my second mid nineties, my Mum said it made me look like a slag. Third, fourth, fifth etc she was beyond impressed 🤣

Jellycats4life · 26/11/2023 23:00

I guess people removed the sticks from up their arses 😂

Trends with piercings are always evolving. I remember being a teen in the late 90s and, although nose piercings were no big deal, septum piercings were quite extreme and only very “alternative” people had them. Now septum piercings are absolutely mainstream.

I think ears with multiple piercings can look gorgeous and really tasteful. I also think people can fill their ears with non-tasteful piercings if they want 🤷‍♀️ It’s just an ear.

DramaAlpaca · 26/11/2023 23:08

My DM wouldn't let me have my ears pierced at all because she thought it was 'common'. She finally relented when I was 15, in 1979. And then decided it looked so nice that she got her own ears pierced Hmm Grin

I got my second lobe piercings done a few years ago, at 51. My DM approves, sort of, so things have definitely moved on.

Then I got a cartilage done, although unfortunately I had to lose it as it kept getting infected I didn't tell DM about that one

IDoNotLikeToMoveItMoveIt · 26/11/2023 23:17

Wellthatwasntfun · 26/11/2023 22:05

In 1994 I wanted a second ear piercing like the coolest girl at school and my dm told me absolutely not ‘it’s only for slags- mark my words by 16 she will be pregnant !’ ……..

In my case it seemed that only having one earring in each ear did not work as contraception and dm was horrified that it was her dd with single piercings that had a teen pregnancy 😂😂😂

In 1994 on my 13th birthday my mum took me to get my second lobe piercings done. For my 16th my nose!

However I’m not from the UK and it’s more culturally accepted. I’m sure most of you would be horrified to know my first were done when I was just under a year. I still have those, in total 10 ear piercings now.

Blipeuy · 26/11/2023 23:19

I remember being seen as a rebel for having ears full of piercings as a teen in the early 90s, so probably around then.

WrongSwanson · 26/11/2023 23:22

Wellthatwasntfun · 26/11/2023 22:05

In 1994 I wanted a second ear piercing like the coolest girl at school and my dm told me absolutely not ‘it’s only for slags- mark my words by 16 she will be pregnant !’ ……..

In my case it seemed that only having one earring in each ear did not work as contraception and dm was horrified that it was her dd with single piercings that had a teen pregnancy 😂😂😂

Grin
Singleandproud · 26/11/2023 23:23

I remember my cousin got his eyebrow pierced and wasn't allowed in my nans house until he took it out, mid 90s although she was a strict Catholic in her 70s at that point.

I work for a public sector body and multiple facial piercings are not uncommon, tattoos regularly on show and one of my colleagues has the brightest pink and turquoise hair and everyone wears jeans. Which I find funny as I've spent the last decade working in education - following the party line on how important uniform and the jewellery rules are to prepare students for work whereas the world of work has moved on