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I was aghast when I saw it. A promotional email in my inbox from Kim Kardashian’s brand Skims, advertising an abomination in underwear form. “THE ULTIMATE PIERCED NIPPLE BRA,” the subject line jeered. When clicked open, it touted a “super soft” fabric and “lightweight” feel, promising “an unforgettable statement” that mimicked the look of studded breasts. Some might see this as a unique—if unnecessary—adornment. But to me, it was a blatant attack. For a cool $124, you can now posture as having lived to the fullest—ie. gotten a reckless body alteration—without any of the real-life sting. Something about this struck me as deeply wrong. Perhaps it’s because, when I was pierced at 16 years old without parental consent, I remember the mix of emotions that followed. Sharp pain, yes—but also freedom. The formative realization that I was in control of my body and each badge of honour I gave it. Can that all be replaced with an ultra-padded brassiere? It’s objectively true that the best memories come from taking action; just doing things. Having experiences, good or bad, makes for a truer sense of personal style. But more and more, it seems that reigning trends care only to mimic the look of truly living.
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Take the recent uptick of pre-dirtied clothes. Acne Studios offers celeb-approved jeans covered in muddy motifs. Coach’s Soho Sneakers are purposely distressed for a “well-loved” finish. Nike is selling worn-down versions of its once crisp white Air Forces, positioning the scuffed-up shoes as “a living canvas for the person wearing them.” You may recall hearing about the “eclectic grandpa” trend that took off in 2024, which was arguably a precursor to this crisis. With all its kooky pattern mixing and sweater-vest layering, it attempts to evoke the self-expression of an octogenarian with decades of decisions under his belt. To Akili Moree, a content creator known for his analysis on culture in the digital age, these trends signify our collapsing concept of time. “Technology—especially AI—has either shortened or expanded everything,” he says, noting how tasks that once hours to complete now take minutes. He explains that the distant past feels closer to us than ever, as it can be “conjured up in high definition” with a simple search. “The future doesn’t feel far away anymore either,” he adds. “It’s constantly arriving, constantly updating.” In an age of tech-induced existentialism, Moree argues that inauthentic “lived-in” trends sell back to us the time we feel we’ve lost; the things we’ve missed out on. Perhaps the most obvious example comes from beauty spaces, where out-all-night glam has long been trending, without the adventure-seeking spirit to back it up. Smudged makeup—the kind of messed-up look that comes from moshing in a crowd—is on the rise, but Gen Z is statistically going out less, with studies suggesting a nightlife crisis and think-pieces declaring the end of club kid culture. The indie-sleaze hedonism that birthed this sweaty, sloppy aesthetic has been replaced by tutorials on how to execute feed-friendly party-girl makeup in the comfort of your bedroom. And in the end, comfort is the point. Makeup and clothes that feel lived in, in turn, make us feel alive. Perhaps that’s why, in all its absurdity, the Skims pierced nipple bra is now almost entirely sold out. As Moree notes, it’s more than just a style choice. “[A] piercing speaks to years of lived experience—the decisions, micro-decisions, ideas and impulses that led this person into a piercing shop to choose that mode of expression for themselves,” he says. “The why behind the piercing is what makes it cool, not the physical piercing itself.” He references an essay by Letao Chen, which notes how, in the digital age, everything lives on forever and nothing decays—making life feel “devoid of true meaning.” In contrast, being alive means inevitable deterioration. Piercings droop with age. Under-eyes darken from sleepless late nights. Well-worn clothes develop rips, stains and loose threads. Our style means more when it’s been through things with us. And that’s something a simulated piercing—no matter how real it looks pressing through a shirt—can never achieve. Continue Reading
