Ever since I was little and was in love with cheesy pop bands like S Club 7 (I know, I know, but I was like ten!), I was always fascinated with the girls' belly rings. They always seemed so proud to show off their toned tums, and I always wanted to be like them. And when Britney Spears got her belly button pierced, it looked so good, and I knew I just had to get one!
At A Glance Author Nicole Contact Nicole@bme.anon When It just happened Artist Kate Studio Retro Rebels Location Aberdeen, UK I'll admit, right up until I was 13 or 14 I was a little uneasy about showing my body off, mainly because I was so skinny, and when we got changed in PE, my friends would always comment on my skinniness (not in a nasty way, but it made me uncomfortable). I was really pleased when I finally got a bit of a figure, and my stomach wasn't so bony like it used to be.
After months of convincing, my mum agreed to take me into town to get my navel pierced after my exams. We chose Retro Rebels, as four of my friends had been to get their navels pierced there, and said that it was really good. I went in and didn't have to wait too long before I was taken through into the very clean little room. I sat down in the dentist chair thing after my piercer marked me up very well with purple pen and prepared myself to be poked. I have to admit, I am terrified of pain in general, but I just kept thinking of the final result and how good it would look. I only have my lobes pierced twice, but was strangely excited about getting a 14gauge needle jabbed through my skin!
My friend had said she found it painful, but only for like ten seconds, so I was feeling fine. After she cleaned my belly button (I think her name may have been Kate, but I'm not a 100% sure), she clamped me (which was pretty nippy), and got the sterilised needle ready. It was just so clean that I felt at ease, and my piercer was so lovely.
She slid the needle through very cleanly, and put in the plain titanium silver barbell (you had to have this, unfortunately you didn't get to choose your jewellery), and I stood up to take a look. It looked so neat! And my friend was right, it did only sting a bit for about ten seconds, then it was fine. I used to dislike my belly button, because it was kind of an outie pushed into an innie, with a kind of 'lip' of skin over it, but the new stud made it look so pretty and symmetrical. I texted my friends straight away to inform them of my new decorative accessory.
When I got home, sitting down and bending over was a little sore and tricky (which I'm sure you know), and I had to be careful when sleeping as I thrash about something terrible. I just sat that first night admiring the barbells I had bought in Retro Rebels, as they had such a wide and colourful selection for when you can change your original one. My friend and I are going barbell shopping next week too, to really build up our collections!
Seriously, to anyone who is considering getting his or her navel pierced, just do it! I am the biggest whus in the world for pain, and I'm not over exaggerating one bit! All my brother has to do is nip me and I burst into tears, but getting my navel pierced was far from being exactly painful, more uncomfortable and irritating really, and I did it without my mum being there! She just came with me to the place and waited outside, but I was adamant about doing it myself, it's an independence thing, and as I had just turned sixteen, there was no problem with ID and stuff like that, so I was good to go.
I am going back to Retro Rebels in a few months to get my barbell changed, and I hope to put in a really, really, really pretty emerald green, double-jewelled barbell in that I purchased the other week. Buying jewellery for it is so much fun I tell you now!
It only cost around £20, which is reasonable considering the excellent service they provided for me. If you're ever in Scotland, I greatly recommend Retro Rebels in Aberdeen. I have only just got it done recently, but have had no problems with cleaning it. I use the special cleaning spray and soap they gave me, and follow the instructions religiously. I don't want anything to mess this piercing up! I am very excited to just go and show off my new 'decorated' belly in water polo later this year!