By Jae-Ha Kim
Chicago Sun-Times
July 26, 2000
Bindi there, done that?
Get ready for the next wave of decorative body art. The latest trend is adorning bodies with ready-to-use and easy-to-apply skin jewelry–temporary tattoos, glittery designs and tiny gems.
They’re the perfect body decoration for this season’s midriff-baring backless halter tops. Women may arrange an array of colorful self-stick gems around their belly button, apply a small temporary tattoo on their shoulder or dot a few tiny beads on their cheeks.
The result is fun and fresh, all without the commitment–or pain–of getting a real tattoo or a pierced belly button ring.
Did I mention that this trend works best with the young?
“I think kids in particular like body jewels because they can change them as quickly as they change their minds,” says Courtney Regli, 18, who was a kid herself when she founded Especially For You (EFY) three years ago. The Los Angeles-based business sells temporary tattoos, with and without self-stick jewels.
“After going to a No Doubt concert, I bought a mehndi tattoo kit and tried to do a design like [singer] Gwen Stefani had on her hands,” Regli says. “But it was really complicated and messy and it wasn’t cheap either. I just started making my own designs, and the business pretty much took off from there.”
Ranging from $3 to $12, Regli’s creations range from stark Asian symbols to colorful and flirty logos such as “Boys R Us.” EFY is sold at Urban Outfitters, Contempo Casuals and Nordstrom, as well as via phone at (800) 747-5656.
The rule for body art is that there’s not just one way to wear them. Mixing and matching is encouraged. Actress Kirsten Dunst showed up at a premier with a dragonfly painted on her back and sparkly gems sprinkled over it. The look was unique and pretty.
Then there’s Sungirl’s Glitter Sunscreen, which is favored by Britney Spears and Drew Barrymore. The glittery roll-on sunscreen comes in in a range of SPFs, from 3 to 30.
“I like glitter that you roll on,” says Caroline Friduss, 15, who’ll be a junior at Highland Park High School. “You can get them for a few bucks. I use one that’s scented vanilla, and the glitter is a rainbow color of red, orange and yellow. It’s fun to use. My group of friends don’t use bindis or mehndis, but I’ll wear a small fake tattoo on my ankles or arms if I’m going to a party.”
It’s not just the girls who are ga-ga over body art. Regli says she has a clientele of boys who order her tribal arm band tattoos and ’40s-style swing art. But it’s the girls’ repeat orders that keep her in business.
They see their favorite celebrities wearing something new, and they want to emulate them.
Teens are a fickle lot though, so be prepared for the next big thing, which could be just around the corner.
“I think kids are going to want to wear a different kind of necklace,” says Lora Sappenfield, a buyer for the teen friendly mail-order catalog Alloy (www.alloy.com). “About 1-1/2 years ago, women were buying those illusion necklaces [where the chain was barely visible]. I think that what’s going to start showing up next is similar in concept, but without the chain. Girls are going to just stick a little stone by their collar bone and wear that out.”
