Do you wear jewelry? How about make-up? Hats, fake nails, body glitter?

If so, do you wear it all the time or only for "special occassions"? If you don't wear it, why don't you? If you do, why do you think other people don't?

Is it human nature to decorate ones own body, or is it something done only by certain kinds of people? (Tacky people? People with too much time on their hands? People with too much money?)

Of course, feel free to tell us the details on your fave gems, products, etc.

-- Anonymous, July 17, 2000

Answers

Today we were in Fredericksburg, which is a small town where they sell stuff to tourists, mainly. Paul bought me a beaded cuff bracelet and two pairs of amber earrings. And they were all bargains, too. (The amber was half off!) But at first I resisted letting him buy me the stuff. I felt like I would either lose it, or pack it away and never wear it, like I do with the rest of my jewelry.

I have a jewelry box full of stuff, but I can't put any of it on without agonizing for an hour. "Is this too much? Will people think I'm overdoing it?" I act like a pair of earrings is a big freaking deal, even though I regularly see people walking down to the corner store with more gold than Mr. T.

I don't know why I torture myself. I used to be the same way with make-up, but then I finally got over that.

Now I'll buy myself a cheap piece of jewelry, wear it for a few days or weeks, and then put it away and forget it forever. I really do *like* jewelry, too. But for some reason, I have issues with it. I saw a show about that on Oprah a million years ago. They'd made up some name for the phenomenon/neurosis -- you know, people who are always saving stuff for special occassions that never come. I hate that. I want to break out of it. Paul wants me to break out of it.

But will y'all think I'm tacky if I wear earrings with my t-shirts? Tell me for real!

-- Anonymous, July 17, 2000

I wear jewelry if I remember to, and it goes with what I have on. I don't have very much jewelry, though, and what I do have was inherited form my aunt who died 5 months ago. So, I'm not much about wanting wear her stuff.

I have a lot of headbands, though, mostly silver with lots of baubles. One of my friends thinks I look like a princess when I wear them. I think he's too kind.

I used to never wear hats. A lonnng time ago, like 6 or 7 years, someone called my house, saying they wanted me to answer survery questions for them about tampons. I told the surveyor repeatedly that they needed to get rid of all the people wearing hats in the tampon commercials. It really disturbed me; all these cheerful, hat-wearing yentas giggling while they talk about absorbency.

Anyway...

A few months ago I was in Old Navy with my boyfriend, and he kept wanting me to try on hats. "No," I whispered, "I'll be one of those Tampon Girls."

He convinced me I wouldn't be a Tampon Girl. I would look like a Fun Person. I would be the person everyone thinks is really fun. Heh. So fine, he bought me the hat and a purse to match, and I shouldn't complain. I wear the hat a lot, especially if my hair is looking crappy. It's one of those fishing/Gilligan things, so it covers a lot of my head, and I look like a Fun Person.

And I only wear makeup and curl my hair if I'm getting on a plane or know that someone is going to be taking pictures. Otherwise, I let my natural (cough-cough) beauty shine through.

Also, I told my boyfriend that if he and I are going to get married, he must propose to me with a ring. I felt bitchy doing it, but my first marriage was really crappy, and I think (how do I put this without sounding shallow?) that if I am going to get married again, the things I want really do need to surface. He doesn't seem to have a problem with this except for the fact that I want a very expensive ring. But I'm pretty sure I'm going to get it.

Which makes me wonder: If I don't wear jewelry now, why do I so badly want this ring?

-- Anonymous, July 17, 2000

Because you want a symbol of his hardcore commitment, maybe?

I love hats but I don't have the guts to wear them. In Toronto, Sarah from Tomato Nation was wearing a really cool cloche-like hat with a little rosette-thingie. I was inspired to try on a Gilligan/fishing hat with a Hello Kitty band. But the store didn't have any that fit over my big fat head. D'oh.

(Like that name-dropping I pulled off there? Hold on... let me link her page so she can check her logs and then come over here...)

That chick with the nice hat.

-- Anonymous, July 17, 2000

Yeah, most likely.

I hate admitting that I'm materialistic, though.

I also like to believe that I am a low-maintenance because I don't usually wear makeup or jewelry or mess with my hair all that much. I also tend to believe that moms with perfect hair and makeup suck at being moms. Moms who have great tans must sit around their pools, sipping margaritas and gabbing with their other perfect friends about their husbands while their kids drown in the pool. I know that if I gave these kinds of women a chance, I would probably find out that they are wonderful people, but something cannot let me get past that block. It's most likely called the Jealousy Block. ;)

-- Anonymous, July 17, 2000

Gwen, you can get a Sanrio baseball-type hat at Target. They have several Sanrio "100 Cats" things right now -- fishing-type hats, bags, etc. I have kind of a big head, but the (adjustable) baseball hat looks okay on me, and has a really cute sanrio-type cat holding a sign that says "100 Cats." I don't know what this means, but it seems to describe my life in some way.

I never wear hats, but have been told this one is cute, and so I'm trying to change my ways. People who wear them *do* look like Fun People (I think somehow, that's tied up with my own fear of wearing them -- like maybe someone will look at me and think, "Oh, she thinks she's a *Fun* Person").

I have two holes in my ears and wear silver studs in the second hole all the time, and lots of times I wear earrings in the first hole as well. I'm mostly a t-shirt kind of person, so I stick to silver earrings (gold seems too dressy, somehow), lots of southwestern ones (usually with bears or other small things made out of semi-precious stones, hung on sterling earring hooks). You should wear your jewelry even with t-shirts, just because it's fun, and because no one will really care besides you, but you'll feel more glamorous. Or at least, it works for me.

I also do fingernail polish (sometimes glittery) but balk at toe rings and so on. I think concealer, mascara and powder is sufficient for makeup, and wear it pretty much everywhere.

I have a moon-and-star ring I wear on the middle finger of my right hand, and a garnet and silver ring I wear in place of my wedding ring (gold, and I don't like gold now) on my left hand.

Early in college, I remember not wearing makeup, jewelry, etc, because I thought it was superficial and too careful and sort of boring. Now I think I was probably boring then, and besides, I feel more like leaving the house if I am moderately adorned.

I don't remember if it was Miss Manners or what that said you could wear earrings and bracelets, or a necklace and earrings, or bracelets and a necklace, and not be overdressed, but all three was too much. Anyway, it seems like a generally good rule -- people with every surface of their body covered in jangling metal or Full-Kover-Up (apply with spatula) Makeup (a la Tammy Faye) scare the hell out of me.

P.S. (As if this weren't long enough) I know one of those tanned jewelry laden moms, and she's actually very cool and subversive. But I think she might be the exception to the rule.

-- Anonymous, July 18, 2000

I always wear my watch, and usually my wedding band and engagement ring. Other than that, I rarely wear jewelry unless I'm going out somewhere nice or I'm trying to dress up a plain outfit. Or I wear my dog-themed jewelry if I'm showing in breed or obedience.

I love jewelry, though, especially pins and stuff made of marcasite. Guess since I'm usually trying to dress myself and my daughter in under fifteen minutes, I don't spend much time accessorizing!

-- Anonymous, July 18, 2000

Gwen, I also horde things for special occasions that never come. Like, I have loads of really cool-ass stickers which just sit in a drawer because I can't find the most perfect place to put them. (Though I do have Tomato Nation and Blair stickers on my PC.) I have Sanrio stuff I can't bear to use in case I'm wasting it or if I mess up, and I have clothes I won't wear in case I get them dirty.

Anyway, jewelry. I wear diamond studs with dressy/casual clothes, and silver hoops seem okay with t-shirts and jeans or whatever. I never really thought about it. But, really, does it matter. Gwen, remember when you wrote something about not being paranoid about what people think of your outfit or your hair or whatever, because usually people are too busy worrying about themselves to even notice? I don't think many people notice earrings, unless they're the really huge hoops favoured by Rosie Perez, or the sort that Naomi from Mama's Family would wear.

-- Anonymous, July 18, 2000

I'm a girly girl! I have rings, necklaces, earrings, boas, glittery eye and finger and lip stuff, colored mascara, tiaras and so on.

I'm told I'm not tacky, though. The key is picking one goofy accessory or jewelry item and going with it. If I'm wearing a feather tiara, I am going to be in basic boring black and wear nothing else more than a watch.

You know how your mom told you to spin around in front of a full length mirror and take off the firs tthing that caught your eye? (Jewelry, I think that's what she meant. I'm sure she didn't want me strutting around topless.) That seems to be a good idea. I generally can't wear earrings AND a necklace AND a bracelet AND rings without feeling like a Christmas tree. I'm not really a bracelet person anyway.

The worst problem I have is with necklaces and necklines. If my neckline is low, I'm supposed to be able to wear a necklace but I feel like my neck looks severed. I wear long necklaces mostly during the cold months when I'm in turtlenecks.

The more skin showing, the fewer items of jewelry/sparkle. The later it is at night, the more you can get away with.

Glitter eye liner is definitely for nighttime fun. On the other hand, I've been known to wear clothes with shiny stuff on them during the day and think nothing of it.

I pretty much do my own thing, and describing it always sounds tacky as all hell, but, again, my friends copy me and swear I'm not overdoing it. But they WOULD say that...hmm.

M

BTW, I bought a necklace that has an LED in it yesterday. It's my third. This one is green. It lights up. I'll wear it, too.

-- Anonymous, July 18, 2000

I rarely wear any make up these days. I own some and I will wear it weddings and other fancy occasions, but I so rarely have to attend those kind of functions, it's like I never wear make up.

I wear earrings most of the time. Usually just plain ones even though I have some good gold ones, and some diamond studs.

I used to always wear rings but they bug me when I type so I was always taking them off at work. Now, I rarely wear even my wedding ring because it bugs. The humidity in the summer makes my fingers swell so maybe I'll go back to wearing my wedding ring in the fall.

I bought some funking toe rings a while ago but my mutant toes are too skinny for them.

-- Anonymous, July 18, 2000

When I was in my 20s I had to wear a lot of makeup to cover up bruises. When I got rid of that problem, I guess I was just so used to wearing makeup that I never stopped. Now I love to wear funky colors and glittery makeup - whatever looks fun! I usually wear a hat when I know I'm going to be out in the sun for a long time, and I consider myself a fun person!

-- Anonymous, July 18, 2000

my head's too big for hats, too, Gwennie...unless they have an XL or something. I don't mind, because I figure my brain is just oversized, and also because there is a downside to wearing hats: hat head (sometimes known as hat hair).
Right ear: 3 holes, 3 plain gold wire hoops-- small, smaller, smallest one in top hole. Left ear: 2 holes, 2 simple silver hoops-- small, smaller on top. Have had two more piercings in each ear, two diff years, in the cartilage, but both times my ears rejected the piercings after 7 months to a year, so I have four scars, but no upper ear piercings anymore, though I wish I could handle them. I loved the way it looked when I had 5 gold hoops in my right ear.
I always wear hoops because they're painless to sleep in, they don't ever poke me. I don't know how I ended up having silver in one ear and gold in the other, but I like offending those folks who think it uncouth to mix gold and silver jewelry, so I leave my hoops as is. I've had them in my ears since 1985 or so, with occasional special-guest appearances in the lowest holes by various foofy or sparkly earrings when I have occasion to get dressed up.

I wear a plain, silver, large-link bracelet on my right wrist. My best friend Kristi gave it to me for Xmas 4 years ago and I've rarely taken it off (once was for Kristi's wedding, but that was only so I could wear it outside my elbow-length bridesmaidy gloves). It reminds me of her every time I look at it, 100 times a day, and I love it for that reason. Before this bracelet, I wore a different silver one-- from a different group of friends-- for 5 years, til it wore out. I have the bitchenest watch ever on my left wrist, a ltd edition Curious George watch with a teeny rocket to count the seconds and George in a glass space helmet, floating in space. Love my watch. :)) Dwanollah was with me when I bought it last summer, and so it reminds me of her, an added bonus. :)

Last year my friend from Holland came over and brought me a beautiful sparkly silver necklace with an "Amsterdam Pole" charm. It looks like one of those poles that sticks out of the water in a canal in Venice (or, in this case, Amsterdam), and it has 3 teeny x's on the pole, 3 x's being the symbol of Amsterdam. I wore it daily until sometime this year, can't remember when I stopped wearing it actually. But I'm in a phase now where I don't like to wear a necklace OR rings, so the bracelet and earrings are pretty much it.

I do have two tiny tattoos, though, if that counts in the body art category. :) I have a tiny black dog bone over my heart, on my (little) breast, I got that 2 years ago when my beloved dog died. It's brought me immense peace and I am so glad I got it. The second one is a wee black pawprint (about the circumference of a ballpoint pen) on my inner right ankle, which I got later that year.

-- Anonymous, July 18, 2000

I am such a girly girl, but not a tampon girl! God you cracked me up, Keli! I never wear hats either until recently I bought a floppy straw hat for my trip to New Mex. I wore it everywhere there. I usually wear makeup everyday but while I was on vacation I skipped it since it was just gonna melt off anyway. As for jewelry, I only wear my white gold tennis braclet and my diamond studs. They were gifts from my boyfriend. I used to be able to accessorize more creatively but I've gotten so much more conservative as I've grown up. Plus now that I have a couple of really nice pieces it seems a shame to wear some costume piece. And anything extra just seems garish to me. Although if Mr. Wonderful found it fit to hand over a big fat rock for my left ring finger I'd glady add another bauble to my look.

-- Anonymous, July 19, 2000

I dont like to wear jewelry. I like the stuff itself, but I dont want it on my body. Im not sure why. Maybe its because my mom wears a lot. Shes not tacky or anything, she just has a lot of tasteful jewelry that she wears all of the time. Sometimes when were outside something catches my eye and I realize that its my mom  glittering.

My husband wears his wedding ring, another gold ring, and his watch. Every single day. If he gets all dressed up he also wears a tie pin.

My son has a necklace of mine that he really likes to wear.

I cant find a hat to fit my babys head, but I usually tie a bandana on there. Babies need a little something on their heads and I cant deal with the brain scrunchie look for girls.

I like hats. I have several. My new favorite hat is khaki/green and looks kind of like a modified cloche. I look good in hats. Thinking about it now, I want to have a series of pictures taken of me in several different ones. But no ball caps. I know my limitations.

-- Anonymous, July 20, 2000

All of the responses so far have been from women.

As a Guy, i find body decorations among men are a factor of age &/or attempt to project a youthful age; &/or, in the case of jewelry, an attempt to convey wealth.

With Tattoos in an easily concealable spot being the exception, tattoos, piercings and jewelry are much more common among younger men.

At 45, i sport a plain white-gold wedding band and a simple Seiko watch, Period. Friends and acquaintences of mine who are 10, 15, and 20 yrs younger have an increasing arrary of decorations.

Interestingly, the guys with the least money wear the loudest Gold chains....The five wealthiest guys i know--not old geezers, either-- wouldn't be caught dead wearing a gold chain, let alone a diamond earring.

Best single indicators a guy is so broke he can't pay attention: #3: Multiple Tattoos, esp if on neck or forearms...#2:Tattoos on the hand...#1: Facial Tattoos. (Guys with #2 or #1 tend to be violent, unpredictable drunks, too---as if being broke wasn't bad enough....

-- Anonymous, July 20, 2000

bretts been giving me tons of jewellery that hes made, but can i let you in a little secret?? its really raelly ugly. he made me this neckelace out of a bike chain but he did'nt cleen it to good and it got grease on my best shirt!!! i was fumigating!!! im ascared that whn he asks me to marry him hes gonna make the ring!!

-- Anonymous, September 14, 2000

you guyz should see the ring brett gave me its huge1!. my freind missy said it has to be at least a carrot and tomorrow were gonna go and get it apprazed just in case it gets stolen.

-- Anonymous, September 24, 2000

Around here we have Dr Jefe's torture chamber and body peircing salon. This must be the worlds capitol for body peircing and tattooing. Some of these people have more ink on them than skin. What happens when the craze is over? The girls sport nipple and belly button rings and my sons tell me they all have a ring or stud on their clit. Man, what a sexy move. I'm impressed. Alot of the guys have rings through their scrote. Now if I was a gal I'd surely be impressed with this guys intellegence. The girls around here are all tattooed and some of them are pretty creative. But me? Naaahhh! Guess I'm too old fashioned. I'm sure if I got a tattoo on my back like a cobweb or girl sitting under a palm, people would really be impressed. Yeah right!!! No thanks. I don't even wear a wedding band because I used to and almost lost a finger when it caught on a piece of machinery at work. And this one engineer type friend had short hair and no jewlery when he moved here from Boston. Now he has a ponytail and all kinds of silver hanging from his ear. I'll bet he's got a ring around his dick too. James

-- Anonymous, September 24, 2000

i went and had that ring aprazed and i need some advise. brett tole me that it was a 1.5 carrot. but guess what? its a cubec zircnia and the bands not even real gold!!!!!!!! i have'nt told him that i know should i?

-- Anonymous, September 27, 2000

um, yes.

-- Anonymous, September 28, 2000

Floosie, maybe he couldn't afford to buy you the diamond ring he really wanted to get you so he got that one because he wanted to propose to you. You should probably tell him you know, but you don't have to tell anyone else. Besides, it is no one else's business.

-- Anonymous, September 28, 2000

Maybe the ring belonged to his grandmother and is sentimentally really valuable. Oh wait, that was Noah Hunter. Never mind.

-- Anonymous, September 28, 2000

Don't worry about the ring. Just have him prove his love by tattooing your name on his arm.

-- Anonymous, September 28, 2000

Floosie, I hate to say it but I did the same thing. I really wanted to save some money and I knew that my g/f wanted a ring. Now I am so scared that she is going to find out. Although, I'm not sure she's smart enough to go get it appraised. Anyway, I got a fake appraisal and showed it to her and she seemed happy. He probably just wanted to save money and figured you wouldn't find out. Sorry to be the one to break it to you.

-- Anonymous, September 29, 2000

Gee, I don't know if you should tell him Floosie. It may embarrass him. Keep us posted!

-- Anonymous, October 01, 2000

His arm!? Bullshit. His wanker. He won't be able to hide it if he ever dumps you. james

-- Anonymous, October 01, 2000

but kidrock arent you rich??? could'nt you bought your gf the real deal? i saw the recipt at his house and it was only $157!!! i just could'nt tell him i knew cuz he mite get mad at me and call me a goldddigger and call of the wedding. when hes mad you dont wanna be near him epsecally after he lost a race so may be if i make alot of money at my new job ill replace it and hell never know right?

-- Anonymous, October 03, 2000

Floos, honey, do you really want to marry someone who lies to you and has that kind of a temper? Maybe he didn't lie to you about the ring's value exactly, but it was deceptive of him to not tell you straight out that it wasn't a diamond. Just think of all the other things he'll hide from you. It sounds to me like you're setting yourself up for a life of misery. I'm sorry to rain on your rules parade, but you seem like a sweet girl. You deserve a man who'll be straighforward with you and always treat you well regardless of whether he's "lost a race" or not. Think hard, Floosie. You're young and pretty and there are lots of guys out there. I really hope you won't rush into something you'll regret in the long run.

-- Anonymous, October 04, 2000

Floos', babe, of course I could afford the real deal but why do it when I can save a few grand and it's a good chance that there won't be any repercussions. I'm sure that's what he was thinking.

Now, please don't listen to the previous post. It baffles me how someone could say that because a man that you have decided to committ your life to,(a decision made as an intelligent, happy, stable young woman)decides to save a little money that will eventually be used on the both of you, 'you are setting yourself up for a life of misery'. The condescending tone of the post seems to indicate a need for this individual to express an air superiority. Masking that in a fabricated concern for your well-being is far more deceptive and self- serving than what your loved one did with the ring. Please don't take action based on the 'How to have a happy life' or should it be 'How I made myself feel better by talking down to Floosie', by Jill. Please e-mail me if you want to talk more but don't forget, you chose your man for many reasons, his racing being one of them. Don't let someone else put suggestions into your head because for some reason, they believe that their sage advice is far more worldly than the educated decsion that you have made about your life.

-- Anonymous, October 04, 2000

Oh yeah, it is far better to listen to a persona who admits to being deceptive in the past and who tells you to doubt your own judgement and personal experience!

Bwa ha ha.

Ghosts advising ghosts. It's quaint.

-- Anonymous, October 10, 2000

Milla, he said this days ago. I thought you were just rising above it by not saying anything earlier but I guess I was wrong. Let it go. It is getting old.

-- Anonymous, October 11, 2000

Gee Nicole, thanks for the advice. I'll be sure to take it in the spirit it was given.

-- Anonymous, October 11, 2000

Oh, in the spirit that maybe if you and kdrock stopped baiting each other we could all have a nice conversation on the boards? Okay! Great! I'm glad we got this cleared up!

-- Anonymous, October 11, 2000

Who knew that someone forced you at gunpoint to respond and insert yourself as an "unbiased" referee into conversations that you claim don't please or interest you?

Since the only behavior you have any control over is your own, you might start there. It would be nice to think that you care, but I suspect you're more interested in stirring the pot a bit.

You must have a very dull life at the moment.

-- Anonymous, October 11, 2000

My life is probably dull at the moment because I'm going to post something here.

At some point during the six days between kdrock's post above and Milla's reply, kdrock wrote to me and told me he was going to stop posting on these boards. He even sent me a message to forward to interested parties, but I figured there was no one who'd want to read it so late after the fact. And I didn't think it was necessary to share his decision with others, because I never do that when other people write and tell me they aren't posting anymore.

Repeating: kdrock is not posting anymore. It isn't necessary to reply to his posts any longer.

Oh, what the hell. I'll post this excerpt from the man who made kdrock's postings possible, because I found it amusing.

"All,

I too, agree that it is time for kdrock to move on. The sudden and all too violent posts seem to have only escalated his anger management difficulties, rather than assist in minimizing the fits of rage. I know that he had originally thought that Gwentown would be a great place to express himself with the hopes of aiding in his efforts to rid himself of this awful affliction (rage), however it seems, through no fault of those that either run Gwentown or contribute to it, it became just another outlet for this horrible curse to that plagues his life to fester. Gwentown is a great place and does not need the type of hostility that kdrock, while earnestly working on, does not seem to be able to control. kdrock regrets that he jeopardized the integrity of Gwentown and hopes that he did not bastardize the sanctity of the board (seriously). I, uh I mean, kdrock will be going back to the Sunday afternoon classes as well as seeking other assistance (possibly even chemical aid) in managing his rage. He will think of you all often, especially Nicole, Floosie and of course Gwen. If you don't mind, he has requested that he be allowed to check in at Gwentown every now and then, but I can assure you that he will not post. Good luck to all. Please know that he values all of you highly. I'm goin' platinum!!! Peace out!!!"

-- Anonymous, October 11, 2000

I apologize for my superfluous comment, Gwen. Normally I would not have bothered to respond.

-- Anonymous, October 11, 2000

gee kid im glad u remembrd me. i still luv ya!!!!! xoxox

i did'nt tell brett i know. i just could'nt do ti. were getting married on halloween!!!!!! i cant wait cuz its gonna be a costume wedding!!! bretts gonna dreass up as a racecar driver of course and im gonna be elanore mistress of the dark. i think thats her name. the bridesmaids are gonna be dressed like cheerleders!!! i cnat wait!!!

-- Anonymous, October 11, 2000

floosie, that sounds like so much fun! I hope you are having fun with all the plans!

-- Anonymous, October 12, 2000

ohim having a blast nicloe! its so much fun and my REAL dads gonna walk me down the isle!!!! i have'nt seen him in 10 years!!! im so excited. ma said hes a bit of a drunk thats why she left him i hope he does'nt emberress me!

-- Anonymous, October 12, 2000

Floosie is the coolest.

-- Anonymous, November 01, 2000

fruitfly ur so sweet!!!! when me and brett were brakeing up i forgot to tell him i know his rign was a big old fake!!!! ohhow i whished i woulda remembred that! oh well i guess that why he did'nt ask for it back!!!

-- Anonymous, November 01, 2000