Teens with different looks

I have kind of an offbeat theory on teens who want body piercings, different hair colors, etc... I was just wondering what everyone else's take is.

Ok, when I was in highschool, my parents pretty much let me do whatever to my body. I had my nose, tongue, belly button pierced. I had all sorts of stupid hair styles and colors... My best friend, on the other hand had very strict parents. They always told her that she couldn't do any of that stuff until she was out of the house.

Well, I got everything "wierd" out of my system. By the time I was an adult, I didn't have a desire to look different. Therefor, I had no problem getting a good job and whatnot. My best friend, on the other hand...the day she turned 18 got her belly button pierced. Flash forward a few years, we're now 25 and Kim has a zillion tattoes and body piercings. Even her gums above her two front teeth are pierced. She has several college degrees, yet can't get a decent job because she looks different.

Would you rather have your kid get everything out of their system while they are in highschool and appearance isn't so critical? Or would you rather have them do everything that they ever wanted to do after they are out of your house...when they are supposed to be becoming responsible adults?

I never had the desire to color my hair, tattoo, or pierce anything in high school. Yes, my parents probably would have been angry at me if I did, but I mostly didn't do that just because I didn't want to. Now I'm out of high school, and I still don't want to, and I don't think I ever will. Maybe a small tattoo or pierce my ears but it's not very likely.

My parents' rule was that I could do whatever I wanted with my hair, but nothing permanent to my body until I was 18. My hair has been every color known to man and then some. I still dye my hair. I'd have to look at pictures from before I was 14 to tell you what my natural color is. It worked well for us. I got to play around with my look, but I could always correct it if it was awful!

I've never thought about it that way. When I'm older, I won't get any piercings or tattoos that'll conflict with any jobs. Maybe I'll get my nose pierced but that's probably it. I dyed my hair to red, blue and green..and now that I've done it, I don't feel the need to do it again.

Yeah, I deffinately wouldn't let my kid do anything permanent to themselves. But if the teen has a desire to do something that isn't permanent, mind as well do it while they are young...

My parents let me do just about anything (besides my piercings & tattoos - I had to wait until I turned 18 to get them). I had blood red, hot rod red, orange hair... in high school. I still got a job :p I now have piercings & tattoos... still have a decent job (they can easily be covered by clothing). I don't have any children, but when I do I'm sure I let them dye their hair, pierce, and what not. I probably won't let them tattoo until they're 18 - it gives them more time to really think about it. It lets the realization of how permanent a tattoo is really sink in.

My best friend has alot of percings. she is soo pritty just the same. She has he chin peirced, her toungue peirced, her nose peirced, and her eye brow peirced. She also has for peircings on each ear. The only reason she is alloud to get thoughs things done to her is because she gets on the Government princaples list EVERY year, she is the smartest person I know in my school lol. She wants to be a Marine Biologist (sp?), and she could do it. She is soo smart. Her teachers always judge her right away when she is in their classes, they assume she is a druggy and going to skip classes and fail horridly, but she doesnt, prooves them wronge. I only have my nose and belly peirced, and I have had them done since I was like in grade 7, I am in grade 12 now. lol. My mom ever did her nose with me. I love tattoos, and I will always have them mwahahahahha lol.

I see nothing wrong with piercings, tattoos, or hair coloring at ANY age. People should stop looking at it as some sort of sin or something.

I don't see anything wrong with tattoos or piercings as well, however, tattoos at least, are pretty darn permanent (or at least very hard to remove). Until a certain age or maturity level kids aren't always able to see far enough in to the future to a time they might not want to have...say... taz on their forearm, so it's up to the parents to help make those choices. What that age is exactly depends on biology and social maturity.

The only tattoo i've really dreamed of getting is a lifelike picture of Simba on my back, or maybe upper arm.:p

Well, I don't think I would ever dye my hair a wacky color, but maybe like blonde, or back to my natural color or something.
As for piercings, I have my ears pierced, I want to get the tops pierced, I would do my bellybutton if I wasn't fat.
Tattoos- I wouldn't mind getting one, like a multi-colored cosmic sun, like my sis has.

Well, I'm allowed to dye my hair whatever I want, but I'm not allowed tatoos or piecings anywhere other than my ears.

I think it's best to let teens wear and look like they want. It's the most stressful point in your life. Being yourself can loosen that up and make you independant.

I know when I'm out, I'll probably go get a tatoo right away.

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I think it's best to let teens wear and look like they want. It's the most stressful point in your life. Being yourself can loosen that up and make you independant.

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Exactly.

I had strict parents and was never allowed to dye my hair when I lived with them. So as soon as I moved out of the house and started college I dyed my hair almost every color imaginable. As for tattoos and peircings I do have several but they can all be easily covered. I want to be able to cover them for when I need to look professional and hide them from my parents who would go nuts if they ever saw them :)

I don't think that everyone has the desire to do that. I'm almost 25 and only have a couple ear piercings. I have no desire for tattoos or anything like that. I have very strict, conservative parents, but even when I moved out, I never wanted to rebel or be different looking.

I think I would rather have a kid who also didn't have the desire. However, I wouldn't have a problem letting my child dress differently as long as it didn't interfere with their lifestyle. What I mean is .. in high school, all the druggies dressed the same way. I would let my child dress that way, but if I ever found out my child was doing drugs ... the *you-know-what* would hit the fan!

I wouldn't call it ugly. :( I know it is YOUR opinion but, it that just basically calling everyone who had piercings,tattoos, and dyed hair - ugly.

My friend Nicole has about 5 or 6 piercings in each ears, and one in each stretched, her nose pierced and everything. She dyes her hair a different color (Blonde with pink, red, orange, green and so on) almost every week -- She is the prettiest girl I know.

Not letting your child do what they want with THEIR hair or their body, is not letting a child live or be a child.

It's not going to hurt them to pierce or dye hair (unless they do it the wrong way, which is something that should be talked about) rather than having sex or doing drugs, which could hurt them.

Oh yeah -- And I remember asking my dad if I could put red streaks in my hair and would he kill me if I did..

He said no, "It would be ugly."

Well, I said "Atleast I have hair to dye!":p :rolleyes: :p :p

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I think its more of a peer pressure than something someone really wants to do to themselves. I mean, if they're friends didn't do it, the kids probably wouldn't even think of it.

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I don't fully agree with this, while yes sometimes it can be from peer pressure like the frat boy who goes down will all his buddies to get their frat tatoo. But it's not always like that. I got my tattoos for me, not for anyone else. I only have one tattoo that can actually be seen when I want it to, it's on my calf but even then not too many people have seen it. My tattoos tell a story, they each show a different part of my life like a stressful time in my life that i feel I overcame or something I feel that I accomplished. I feel they are symbolic, this is how tattoos originated. Tribes from all over the world use tattoos so show personal battles that have been won and lost. I don't feel my tattoos make me "cool" or make me fit in, in fact when I got my first tattoo I didn't know anyone else that had one. I like that I have a permanant reminder of these certain events in my life so that I never forget the things that have happened to me I'm able to think about it everyday and know how and why I am the person that I am. While I agree that I don't think tattoos are for everyone and I don't run around telling people they should get them. In fact when one of my friends mentions wanting to get a tattoo I talk to them and make sure they know that it is something that needs to be thought about for a long time. But for me personally my tattoos are just for me and they aren't about anything or anyone else.

Well, as you could probably guess I dont fully agree with this. Not letting a child do what they want with their body is called being a parent.

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Originally posted by Kfamr

Not letting your child do what they want with THEIR hair or their body, is not letting a child live or be a child.

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I also believe that children live in families and are, to a certain extent, responsible to those families. While I personally probably mind if my kid dyed their hair (imaginary since I dont have a kid:p ) I can understand why some parents aren't comfortable with it and I respect that. A parent does what they think is best, and kids live within families. If the family values are such that purple hair would be unacceptable, then that's the way it is.
Kids do become adults and then can and should live their own lives.

I think lots of parents are too strict. My dad thatnkfully isn't, a while ago I had a phase that I went through where I really wanted my Belly Button Pierced, I did lots of reaseach for a couple months, my dad said as long as I paid I could get it done. Even though I knew he'd rather me not do it he still said I could. Well after much consideration I decided not to do it. Now if he would have totally freaked and forbid me to Pierce my BellyButton I think I would have gotten pissed and gotten it pierced to spite him anyway. I think Parents should give childern more space and freedom and let them experiment with things to find out who they are. Now I'm not saying let kids stay out until 3 am or let your kids do drugs or anything, but just let kids be themselves. About hair color I don't see what the big deal is, if a kid wants pink hair let em have it, It doesn't hurt them physically, it can be eaisly changed, and it's their head, let everyone decide for themselves.

Hmmmm.....I have my ears pierced, and have thought about doing the upper part (right, Baylee?), and a tatoo at various points in my life. I think I hold off because of soceital constraints. I don't think tatoos/peircings on people, once they reach a certain age, are very becoming. I will be that age, at some point.

As to having it effect your ability to get a job- I think that is LARGELY true, for most MAIN STREAM professions. Sure, a rock star, or someone in the music industry can be tatoo'd to pieces, and there not be any stigma...but, put that person in a bank, an upscale restaurant, department store, eeks, court...and it would be problematic. Right, wrong or indifferent, that is still the society MOST of us choose to live in.

I would *love* to get a tattoo when I'm older and more responsible. :p
I agree with KayAnn...I don't think "ugly" is the right word to describe it, even if it is your own opinion. I have friends who dye their hair, and have peircings, but I don't hold that against whether there a good person or not.

JMHO.

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My parents' rule was that I could do whatever I wanted with my hair, but nothing permanent to my body until I was 18.

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That's my rule, too, pretty much. I don't care what my son does to his hair. For Pete's sake, it's only hair. It's not worth a fight. Wise parents pick their arguments. My son's hair has been long, shaved, blonde, black, green, blue, etc. It's only hair.

He also has his ear pierced. He has for several years. Sometimes he wears an earring and sometimes he doesn't. Ear piercing is so mainstream for both sexes now that I let him do that.

But, that's it. No more piercing and no tattoos until he's grown. I have nothing against it, per se. I do personally think it's not attractive to have 78 tattoos and 59 piercings, but to each his/her own. I have two tattoos. However, I got them when I was about 30, and I finally knew what I wanted them to be. Perish the thought that I would have gotten a tattoo when I was eighteen. It would have probably said, "I love Jon Bon Jovi" or something equally stupid, and I'd be sick about getting it now! :p

I am kinda middle of the road where my daughter is concerned, I am not over strict, but I do have certain absolute NO to certain things, besides she is still only 11, she has plenty time to experiment, and knowing my girl she will indeed, she is somewhat a free spirit and I can imagine her doing her own thing when she is older, and some of it I will not like I am sure.

As for tattoos, I don't mind small ones, but not so keen on large ones, however it is each person's choice, only trouble is if you have lots of piercings and tattoos, it is very hard to gain employment, probably the main reason I would use to tell my kids against it.

My eldest never went that way, but he did have a thing about having his hair braided for a while, but he has outgrown all that stuff, but that was all he ever did, he shaves it now and then, mainly for his sport, but grows it again, and I have to say I am relieved thats all he does.

I was brought up rather strict, hence I left home at 16, but my worst fashion adventure was to be a bit of a hippy, for a short time, but I never felt the need or wanted to be different, I was happy being rather conservative.

I am ok with hair colouring, have put a couple of wash out ones in my girls hair, but nothing outrageous.
Anyway thats MHO.

My parents usually let me do as I wished with my hair, and I had six piercings in my ears for awhile. Now I don't bother with my hair, and I've let the piercings close up.

One of my dearest friends has neon green hair, more piercincs than most women, and wears a leather trenchcoat no matter the weather. He is one of the sweetest, friendliest, most lovable people I know, but you would never guess that from looking at him!

I'm wierd about tattoos since they are *SO* permanent, but I personally like piercings. My mom lets my little brother buy colored hair gel so that he can have his hair a different color every day. I think it's a good thing to let kids get things "out of their systems" at a younger age. I am not, however, saying that I would condone young kids going all-out wild...just that some "experimenting" is OK in my opinion.

When I was 18 I came home one night asking my mom what she would think if I got my belly button pierced since I really wanted to do it. She about flipped out but told me that she wasn't paying any medical bills if it got infected and that was where it was left that night. The next night, I walked in the door and she wanted to see my belly! I was caught. Oh well, I was 18! I don't have the desire to pierce anywhere else, only my belly button because I think it's cute and it can easily be covered up whenever I don't want it showing, or during a business day since I do work in business environments! One day I'm considering getting a tatoo too, but I only plan on getting a small one on my upper leg or something like that that I can cover up when I don't want it exposed! My husband has 4 tatoo's, but they are all covered by the average t-shirt!

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Originally posted by popcornbird


Also, I don't think teens doing these things are just being themselves. They themselves are the way they look naturally. The *add-ons* are not *themselves*. Its someone different. :p

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I don't agree with this. :) The style of your hair, clothes, earrings, ANYTHING on you tells alot about your personality.

If we technically wanted to be ourselves, then we'd walk around naked, because wearing clothes isn't how we look naturally, right? :P

*shudders at thought of parents walking around naked*

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Originally posted by wolfsoul
I don't agree with this. :) The style of your hair, clothes, earrings, ANYTHING on you tells alot about your personality.

If we technically wanted to be ourselves, then we'd walk around naked, because wearing clothes isn't how we look naturally, right? :P

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lol, I love how you put that :D

I agree, I love my tattoos. I put years of thought into them, they are very much a part of me and DO tell a lot about my personality, likes, & beliefs.

Tattoos are expensive, painful, and permanent... I think most people realize that before getting one. I don't know anyone who just got a random tattoo that doesn't have much meaning to them.

"It" will always be around....and that is what I believe the fads, trends etc. are all about. They, the fads etc., have been around for centuries. Could it be considered "fashion"? I think so.

To each his own.

:rolleyes:

I think its more important that parents monitor their kids to make sure that they are not doing drugs, are getting good grades, and aren't making babies.

food for thought.


Remember that a doctor, nurse and the coroner will
eventually see your tattoos.

The hardest part is getting the coroner to listen to the story as to why you had your college boy/girlfriend's name tattooed on your belly in
Olde English!!

Extended care hospital attendants will ask you about the tattoo on your back....Alzheimer's
may not let you explain it coherently.

Pierced body parts will always get hung up in clothing.

Don't get Disney characters tattooed on your body!
Two words, Copyright Infringement!

If you really like your tattoo, have it someplace
where people can see it! It gets tiring to hear you brag about your tattoo and not being able to see it because, 'it's hidden'.

Before you tattoo, take a Sharpie and draw it where you want it.

Remember, don't panic when your 'MOM' tattoo spells 'WOW' from your POV!!!

Food pictures do not make good tattoos, neither does "SUPER SIZE it for 49 cents".

Tattoos done on a dare always suck.
So do tattoos done on derrieres!

The colors in dog and cat tattoos blend after time!
"Is that a schnauzer on your arm or a badger?"

Find a tattoo artist that knows how to spell,
Find a tattoo artist that can draw!


And finally,
Think about your grandchildren climbing into your
lap on a Sunday afternoon and asking you about the
devil's head smoking a ciggie, dice, beer bottle,
nude women on the back of the '56 truck (your first car!!!) with the slogan "SWORN TO FUN, LOYAL TO NONE".....

"Is that the reason you don't do to church with Grandma???"


I like tattoos......i was just having fun.......

More food for thought:

Remove your nose ring before blowing your nose......

You can also attach a leash to a nose ring.......

If the Lord had a nose ring would that make Him the Lord of the Ring??

When I was growing up I was barely able to get my haircut without asking permission. I'm sure glad times have changed and the younger crowd can express themselves more freely. I don't see anything wrong with coloured hair or tattooes, mind you, I'd never do it myself. To me I look at it the same way as PS, if it makes you feel good, go for it.

My parents don't really care what I do with my hair and body as long as it doesn't result in grandchildren (the non-furry kind at least)

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Originally posted by sasvermont
"It" will always be around....and that is what I believe the fads, trends etc. are all about. They, the fads etc., have been around for centuries. Could it be considered "fashion"? I think so.

To each his own.

:rolleyes:

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I remember when I wore my first halter-top back in the 70's. You should have seen my mom's face when she realized that I wasn't wearing a <gasp> bra!:eek: :eek:

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Originally posted by Andie
My parents don't really care what I do with my hair and body as long as it doesn't result in grandchildren (the non-furry kind at least)

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they won's ask about the devil's head tattoo-will they???;)

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Originally posted by RICHARD
they won's ask about the devil's head tattoo-will they???;)

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In this family you never know;)

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Originally posted by RICHARD
Before you tattoo, take a Sharpie and draw it where you want it.

sharpies bleed -- use a gel pen ;)

Find a tattoo artist that can draw!

Or trace! I drew my own & the lady traced the pattern.

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Originally posted by zippy-kat


Or trace! I drew my own & the lady traced the pattern.

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COOL!!!!! can you draw ME a devil's head?????

;)

Catland your thread reminded me , yep it was the bra-less look in my young day too, remember the boob tubes, I loved the halter top, so its been good to see them back in fashion somewhat.

Honestly we go on and on about the fashion today, how awful and skimpy some of it is, but really they are not much different to my young days, most of them are being revived in some way or another anyhow.

Most of the young ones do indeed wear bras these days, very few would get away with not, girls seem to be getting larger these days, and those rounded bras and push-ups are all the look here in NZ.