If 2020 brought us one positive thing, it’s that when it comes to beauty and fashion trends, anything goes. 2021 is about individuality more than ever. After all, 2020 is when we said goodbye to bras and hello to face masks and goodbye to hard pants and hello to sweatsuits. Who would have thought?! Tattoo and piercing trends for 2021 are just as unique. We’re all about customization this year, getting exactly what we’ve been dreaming about.
But that doesn’t mean we can’t look to our favorite celebrities for inspiration. You can take Kaia Gerber‘s snakebite piercing and add it to a conch like Keke Palmer. Or (and?) keep freeing the nipple this year with a piercing like Rihanna’s, Kristen Stewart and (allegedly) Kendall and Kylie Jenner.
Celebrity piercings are a great place to find inspo but so is Instagram. We love following the top piercers across the country to see what innovative looks they create on regular people just like us. Save these looks for when you’re able to get in to see a professional piercer to show them exactly what you were thinking. This way, you’re more likely to love the finished product.
Below, five piercing trends that are blowing up as of late and we’re sure to see in 2021.
Snakebite
Source: InstagramNot only is this stacked piercing trend, seen on Kaia Gerber, so freaking cute, it’s also pretty practical. You see, many of us got our first ear piercing back in elementary school and maybe didn’t see the best of the best when it comes to professionals. (We’re looking at you, Claire’s.) Because of that, the placement of your hole might be in an awkward place. A snakebite piercing is an easy way to make that too-low hole look intentional. Just have your piercer place another hole right on top or below your original one.
Constellation
Source: InstagramNot surprisingly, constellation piercings are just getting more and more popular. They’re called “constellation” because the placement vaguely looks like a grouping of stars in the sky but really, anything goes. Get creative with mixing up stacking and height, heading up to your conch or even an infinity hoop.
Conch
Source: InstagramA conch piercing is placed in the center part of the ear and can be either an inner or outer conch style. While it might feel like everyone is getting a conch piercing, check with your piercer to make sure it’s right for you. Where the hole goes can depend on the shape of your ear. These piercings also take a long time to heal, up to even nine months, so you’ll want to talk a lot about aftercare. If you do decide to take the plunge, both a stud and a tiny hoop looks chic as hell.
Nose
Source: InstagramWhile the nose piercing is nothing new, it seems both celebs and influencers are adding back in an old ring or stud to bring the look back and into 2021. Teyana Taylor plays around with different ring styles and always nails it. Even Chrissy Teigen got a new nose piercing while on vacation for John’s birthday. She said on Instagram that it didn’t go so well and the stud ended up falling out! She made sure to tag an LA-based piercer she’ll see to get it fixed.
Nipples
Evan Agostini/Invision/AP.
Since we’re going to continue shunning uncomfortable bras in 2021, why not upgrade your look with a silver bar? After not a great 2020, we see folks of all genders saying “screw it” and taking the plunge, doing something they’ve always wanted to do but maybe we’re too scared before. When safe, there’s no better time to make a decision that makes sense for your own body—and looks pretty great, too.
