A Nose for Jewelry

REMEMBER WHEN HAVING a tattoo was a sure sign of outsider status? Rewind a few decades and they were considered the exclusive territory of tough-guy sailors and bikers. Now, no one bats any eye at the sight of ink on anyone at all, from preschool teachers to police officers. That leap from outlaw marking to commonplace style statement struck me as I’ve been doing the rounds seeing jewelry collections for spring 2016. Nose rings—especially of the septum-affixed variety—look like they’re striving for mainstream popularity.

Of course nose rings have a long history as classic adornment, especially southeast Asia, but closer to home they’ve had associations with patchouli scented hippies or hard core punk style. There’s been a high fashion creep to the contrary, though. In February of this year Rihanna was on the cover of W magazine with an Amrapali nose ring front and center. And each model in Givenchy’s fall 2015 runway show wore jewelry on her face; nose rings joined jewel encrusted cheeks and chins.

Fine jewelry designers are starting to adopt the style, too. At a presentation a few weeks ago, Delfina Delettrez proposed a diamond solitaire engagement ring that would dangle from the nose of the betrothed instead of fitting snugly on her finger. More common are sleek silvers of gold that clip onto the septum—no piercing required—like a mini hoop earring. The pieces add a note of edgy bohemianism to whatever else someone wears. As for anecdotal proof, I can vouch that the baristas and cool shopgirls of Brooklyn and (downtown) Manhattan are in love with the look. It’s something to keep in mind, even if it might take a little time before grade school teacher crowd adopts the style.