The Stories We Wear
Some people wear a story, their everyday style a personal expression. A tattoo can keep a memory from fading or hide a scar. A small stud could mark a milestone; a ring could be a promise or a declaration of love till death do us part.
Your body is a canvas that can carry meaning more intimate than anything displayed in your home or posted online. The colours you choose to wear, the accompanying accessories, jewellery, piercings and tattoos shown or not influence what you are communicating.
A visible tattoo could be an unapologetic celebration of something while a discreet piercing may have a meaning that only you know. Maybe there is no meaning beyond that you liked how it looked or it had seemed like a good idea at the time.
What were you thinking?… You went thinking at all.
Think carefully before making a lasting or semi-permanent change, not just what looks good. Learn how the procedure works, how long healing takes and what suits your skin, then talk to an experienced professional.
If you were considering a tongue web frenulum piercing, for example, you should learn about the anatomical suitability, sizing, and aftercare. It’s also worth looking up how others think about personal adornment choices because our appearances can communicate much more than aesthetics.
I wear my hair as locs simply because I havent had a haircut in a very long time, perhaps that tells the story of how I can commit to a course of action and stand by it until everyone else comes along. To the police though, it means I am potentially a drug dealer or some kind of criminal, and they just havent figured out what I am guilty of.
Body art has existed across cultures for centuries, carrying meanings linked to community, status, spirituality, and major life events. Modern fashion often borrows visual ideas from these traditions, sometimes without understanding their origins or the act of looking that inspires it. Learning that context helps you appreciate a style and avoid treating a culturally significant symbol as a passing trend.
The University of Alabama’s overview of body art and culture offers a useful starting point for seeing modification through an anthropological lens. If a pattern, symbol, or placement comes from a culture outside your own, find out who traditionally wears it and why. You may discover a more personal alternative that captures the quality you admire without copying something sacred or community-specific.
A personal style rarely appears fully formed, most of us stumble into it.
Pay attention to the things you repeatedly find yourself choosing. Perhaps you always reach for silver jewellery, geometric shapes, warm colours or pieces with a handmade feel. Maybe you like tiny, understated accessories or, at the other extreme, prefer one spectacular piece that announces its presence before you do. Those recurring choices tell you more about your personal style than any trend board ever could.
It also helps to remember that looking good and being comfortable are not always the same thing. Take photos of combinations you like and note how they feel after several hours. An outfit may photograph beautifully yet prove awkward during work, exercise, or a busy commute. Your best look should support the life you actually live.
You won’t be the same person in ten years, and your style shouldn’t have to be. Jewellery can be swapped and tattoos pick up new meaning as life moves around us.
Allow yourself to change without being too hard on the version of you that made the earlier choices, that’s what led you to who you are now.
I used to have a dragon tattoo on my arm, copied from Sisqo’s Unleash The Dragon album art. I etched it myself with great difficulty, using a sharp instrument from a mathematical set, methylated spirit and some stamp pad ink… it eventually faded out and now its as if it was never there…
Do you have ink, piercings or a personal style that says a statement without saying a word?
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