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I have one word to say on this subject: “Ewwww”. Is there any doubt about where yours truly stands?

Not meaning offense to readers with a different opinion, but “fashion” covers a broad spectrum, and I found myself wondering if women are considering such ornamentation as stylish. As such, I thought I would dedicate an article to it, and as always, fashionblog welcomes your comments.

During the last few days, friends and I discussed the subjects of body piercing and tattoos. I’m the most conservative on the issue, probably because I’m the oldest. It could also be because I am horribly afraid of needles. I’ve actually passed out when getting an injection-and that’s not even watching the needle go into my skin. I cannot and will not observe a needle being poked into any part of my body. Even if I could get past the idea of a needle being used to purposely make a hole or picture that God did not mean to be there, my question is “Why?” What is the point, other than trying to impress people?

And why should they be impressed that I’ve stuck holes in places that don’t need holes in the first place, or I’ve decided to have pictures permanently etched into my skin?

It’s taken me years to get to this point, but I’m finally where I can say that costume jewelry-or even expensive jewelry-doesn’t always enhance a woman’s natural beauty; it often distracts from it. A person who is lucky enough to have a healthy, whole, working-order body should not be focused on punching 10 holes in each ear to stick $30 worth of metal studs around it. It mars the perfection that has been entrusted to them. Judaic law actually states that doing so-along with tattoos-prevents entry into heaven for that very reason.

I never saw an eyebrow or tongue piercing, or a tattoo, make any woman more attractive. I’d never hire anyone with facial piercings, either, regardless of their qualifications. Call me biased, prejudiced or just plain old fashioned, but I think there are better ways to make an impression than by ruining a perfectly fine exterior with holes. Just pick up any fashion magazine or mainstream news publication and I doubt you will find any of the highly paid, gorgeous models sporting face piercings. Perhaps they have some, but since the majority of society does not equate that fad with beauty, they’re well advised not to-or forbidden-to display them. I don’t know of any first-run, professional, A-List television shows or movies that cast actresses with facial piercings.

At least piercings may be made less noticeable with makeup, or may close completely, but tattoos outlive their hosts. There’s something scary in making such a lifetime commitment. As someone who changes her mind about every aspect of her wardrobe frequently, how would I know if I’d find a butterfly tattoo ugly within a week? The constant appearance of a tattoo I no longer like would be torturous. No matter how lovely any image is on a flat surface, it will appear differently on skin, which leads me to other questions-do folks who get names etched into their skin in strange places ever regret that they can’t read them, even when looking into a mirror? Do people who get tattoos on their shoulder blades, the small of their backs, or butts ever regret that they will never be able to really enjoy looking at them, after all that pain and effort?

I do not see tattoos on women in the general advertising of today, especially in the fashion segment. I suspect that it has something to do with tattoos drawing attention away from the clothing and accessories. Admit it: when you see a photo of a celebrity in evening wear, with clearly obvious tattoos, do your eyes first jump to the tattoos or the gown? Personally, I’d rather be noticed for my hair, choice of ensemble, or overall glamour than for the dye someone injected into me. Plus, think about how hard it would be to co-ordinate a multi-colored tattoo with formal wear. No, I don’t think I’ll go there, but if that’s your cup of tea, hopefully, you’ll still find it tasteful 20 years from now.