Janet Jackson's breast-baring Super Bowl halftime incident hasincreased the popularity of nipple accessories, some say.
Trilogy Body Piercings on Highland has experienced a rise insales of more than 40 percent since Super Bowl Sunday, said ownerLee Siegfried.
With Web sites and advertisements luring young people to "Getthe Janet look without the pain" and "Be just like Janet," thesurging demand for nipple rings is not surprising, Siegfriedsaid.
"Monkey see, monkey do," she said. "My customers arespecifically asking for the starburst Janet had on."
Chris Fitzgerald, professional piercer at Memphis UndergroundArt said after Jackson's exposure he ordered more nippleaccessories in anticipation of the new trend. The nipple ring hastraditionally been an underground accessory some consideredstrange, but now it's becoming more acceptable and mainstream sinceJackson sported it, Fitzgerald said.
"For so long, nipple piercings have been considered taboo --sexy but naughty," he said. "Janet is a pop icon, and she showedthe world how good it can look. That's where the demand is comingfrom."
Some University of Memphis students also said nipple piercingsare no longer as taboo as they once were.
"I got a close-up of Janet's breast on my computer," said JameelGalloway, junior Graphic Design major. "It was sexy. Every womanshould have it done."
Many recent inquiries have come from U of M students, saidSiegfried and Fitzgerald.
"We've been getting about 15 to 20 calls a day since thatSunday, mostly from U of M students who know they get a 10 percentstudent discount (at Trilogy)," Siegfried said
Some U of M students said Janet's revelation opened their eyesto accessory possibilities they did not know were available.
"I didn't even know nipple shields existed," said Cristina Arce,senior Spanish major. "But when I saw it I thought it was verycute."
April Hennings, who had her nipples pierced over the weekend,said she would not have done it had Janet not paved the way.
"The second I saw it I thought 'Oh my Gosh, I have to havethat,'" she said. "It just never occurred to me before I saw it onher."
