Who better to resurrect Y2K trends than someone who set many of them herself? Kim Kardashian rose to fame in the mid-aughts as Paris Hilton’s BFF, and at the time, her sense of style was marked with plenty of bandage dresses, velour tracksuits, and hip-hugging jeans. Like many other celebrities, she has been dipping her toe back into that nostalgic era here and there, from layering slip dresses to sporting body chains with her swimwear. And according to her latest photo dump, she might have just taken the nostalgia to a new level. Slipped slyly into the series of snaps that also included the American Horror Story: Delicate star in baby braids (another throwback), a selfie with French fashion designer Michèle Lamy, and a family photo in coordinating Kris Jenner pajamas was a close-up shot her midriff dressed up with a belly button piercing.
Like many twentysomethings in the mid-2000s, Kardashian proudly rocked a belly ring when the trend was at its peak (although it arguably entered the zeitgeist when Alicia Silverstein pierced her navel in Aerosmith’s “Crazy” video back in 1994), so this isn’t a totally new adornment for the Skims mogul. In the pic, the revived piercing boasts a barbell style piece of jewelry — which was most popular during the days of Blackberries and trucker caps. But unlike the dangly belly jewels of pop stars like Britney Spears, Kardashian seems to be staying true to her new appreciation for minimalist styles, with just a single sparkling gem.
Although it’s possible the SKKYN founder is simply decorating her pre-existing piercing, she and her sister are no strangers to casually adding a few new holes. By the age of 19, Kylie Jenner had already accumulated her sixth body piercing and as of this year, she’s still adding to the collection with new jewels along her ear cartilage. And for Kourtney Kardashian’s 45th birthday, she also added onto her earring stack.
But even beyond the famous family, piercings have been back on the upswing for a few years now. Facial piercings were all over the 2022 Paris Fashion Week runway and stars like Florence Pugh, Cardi B, and Katie Holmes have all made their nose piercings part of their chic red carpet looks. With this trend on the rise and Y2K staples like The Simple Life and French manicures making their big comebacks, the All’s Fair star just might be onto something with her belly jewel — so don’t be surprised when you start seeing a lot more of them.
