Tuesday, May 24, 2016

About Those Earrings...

Nineteen forties hairstyles was a primary concern for the cover photos for my Promise For Tomorrow books. What may not be obviously historically wrong is the fact that all three women have pierced ears.

Ear piercing has been performed since ancient times. They’re mentioned in the Bible.
Earrings for women have been in and out of fashion in Europe. When hair and clothing obscured the ears, they lost popularity. During the 16th century, they were more common among men than women. In England, earrings were typically worn in one ear only.
In the western world, ear piercing was popular for women in Victorian times, but lost favor in the early 1900s when screw-back earrings were invented, eliminating the need for piercing. In the 1930s, cheaper clip-on earrings became the rage. During the years of World War II, very few women had pierced ears.
In 1951, Princess Elizabeth (the future queen) had her ears pierced in September, 1951, to be able to wear a pair of pierced earrings she’d received as a gift. Women took note and followed her lead. Within a few years, however, interest dropped, and once again piercing became rare. Not until the late 1960s did piercings revive with the hippie generation.
During the 1970s, interest increased dramatically among women with the invention of the piercing gun. Piercing became a rite of passage for teen-aged girls, and older women chose to pierce their ears because clip-ons do hurt.

Today, the great majority of Western women (around 95%) have pierced ears. Many actresses had their ears pierced on screen, necessitating a single take. On Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman, the character of Colleen had her ears pierced for her sixteenth birthday. Doctor Quinn, actress Jane Seymour, performed the piercing using an antique ear-piercing device for historical accuracy.
Others actresses, like Lindsay Lohan, had their ears pierced especially for a role. Their piercings were done off-screen. Lohan had make-up applied to her earlobes to hide the piercings until the on-screen “piercing.”
In my local writers group, I noted only one other woman besides me with unpierced ears. Why don’t I pierce my ears? I abhor needles. Have you had your ears pierced? Why or why not?


  1. Yes, I had my ears pierced when I was 16 and when I was 17, my earring got caught in my hair and ripped my ear. I haven't been able to wear earrings since...and I do not miss wearing them. To this day, just seeing dangling earrings makes me wince.

    1. Ouch! I often see women whose earring holes have been stretched into slits by the heaviness of their earrings. That makes me wince.

  2. Very interesting thank you. I got my ears pierced once I left home. A long time ago now. I tend to wear studs rather than long dangly things.

  3. I love my dangly earrings, but they are very light. Got mine pierced when I was 17 or 18 by a nurse. Don't know that I would go through it again. lol My granddaughter has her belly button pierced. Ouch.

  4. Very interesting information! I enjoyed reading it-- thanks for sharing. ;)

    I got my ears pierced the first time when I was 8 or 9 years old. Not a great first experience, but it didn't faze me much.
    Then, a couple years ago, I got a second set of piercings (also in my earlobes). I wear studs a lot, but I also love wearing dangly earrings! People have mentioned to me several times that they worry that a child will pull them out, but I'm around kids a lot & I enjoy letting them play (gently) with my earrings. ;)
    As my brothers say: earrings are my thing & I have way more than I need. haha! :P

  5. When i was growing up in my small Kentucky town, pierced ears were considered risque. Only certain girls had them and my mother said that I wasn't that kind of girl! When my daughter was about 13, she asked to have her ears pierced and I thought that if she was brave enough, then surely I could be also! I have enjoyed having pierced ears so much and I so glad that they are now considered the norm.

  6. Dear Terri, I'm a bit older than you are. I abhor needles as well so my earlobes remained unpierced for most of my life. Then a couple of years ago I took up the courage and had them pierced at a jewelry store. I did it on a whim and I'm so glad I did.
    They used a disposable ear piercing device: fast, safe, sterile, and... nearly painless! Just a quick pinch and a strange (but not unpleasant) hot sensation. I was so proud of me... and now I have fun wearing earrings. My husband gave me beautiful pearl studs I love so much.
    My advice to you is: take the plunge and have your ears pierced. Believe me, you won't regret!


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