9 Spring 2023 Piercing Trends That Are Such Throwbacks

Jim Kelly, the manager of piercing training at Banter by Piercing Pagoda, predicts industrial piercings will become even more popular this spring. “Now that piercings are more accepted in the workplace, people can go a little bigger with expressing themselves, and industrials always stand out,” he says. Wear a plain barbell in this straight-across cartilage piercing, a set of hoops, or a fun chain.

Septum nose rings are also here to say thanks to the wide range of jewelry you can wear in them, says Kelly. There are horseshoe septum rings, circular barbells, barbells with a bead, double rings, intricate designs — the list goes on and on. As an added perk, these piercings are also super easy to tuck up and hide away, Kelly says, so you can take a break from the look whenever you please.

Gone are the days when you get the same piercing on both ears. If you want to pierce only one lobe or wear a stack of earrings on one side and not the other, have at it — the more asymmetrical, the better. This piercing trend allows you to play around with your style and change things up depending on how you feel, says Nikki Balles, the director of communications for Spencer’s.

One piercing you need to get, especially if you’re into the asymmetrical look, is a helix. Located on the top curve of your cartilage, the helix looks cute all on its own with a single hoop or shiny stud. It really stands out, though, as part of a mismatched ear stack. “The chaos is what makes it fun,” Kelly says.

Belly button rings were the standout piercing of the fall/winter ‘23 fashion week season, with models and guests rocking naval piercings that seemed straight out of 2003 — in a good way. It’s extra cute for spring when you peel off your winter sweaters and get back into crop tops.

Nose chains are a fun way to play around with an existing nose ring, but you’ll need a second piercing to get into this new look. Spring’s nose chains stretch across the bridge of the nose, Balles says, attaching one nostril piercing to another. “Fans are adding jewelry with dangles or charms to their nose piercings,” she says, “and we only see that getting bigger through summer.”

If you want a throwback piercing, go with the labret, which is having a resurgence. “The lip piercing is a classic for a reason, and it’s back big time thanks to trends around grunge and the ’90s,” Balles says. “The most popular is placed on the bottom lip and worn with a hoop or labret.”

You know that little bump of cartilage on the side of your head? That’s where you get a tragus piercing, aka the next trendy spot that’s taking off this spring. It can contribute to an interesting ear stack, Balles tells Bustle, but it works if you want to keep things simple, too.

For a little piercing surprise inside your ear, go for the ever-popular conch. Balles says this spot plays an important role in a fun ear stack, but it also looks fun and different all on its own. Hide a little butterfly earring in there, a crystal, or a sparkly stud.