In the past, women would typically get a single piercing in each ear and stopped at that. A simple pair of pearl studs or dangling crystals would suffice. On the other side, the more rebellious souls would attempt to jab themselves with a needle at home for an edgy second piercing. Having more than one piercing was uncommon and very few embraced this niche trend. As time passed and trends changed, however, the multiple ear piercing subculture became a force to reckon with inside the jewelry world.

Just like with clothing, jewelry trends have come and gone and resurfaced again throughout the decades with each subculture boasting its own signature trends. While body piercing can be traced back to ancient times, its popularity rose in modern times through the punk and grunge movements in the 1970s, 80s and 90s, according to the Encyclopedia of Fashion.

Later, nose piercings became an emerging trend gaining more mainstream popularity, followed by the belly button piercing made popular in 1993 by supermodel Christy Turlington on the runway, as reported by the Irish Examiner. Over time, the once niche piercing subculture became mainstream. Once supermodels and stars began adorning themselves with multiple earrings and piercings throughout the body, the general public became more willing to embrace the trend.

The creativity and placement of body piercings have also evolved as the subculture went mainstream. Flashback to the early 2000s and you’d see low-rise jeans and crop tops revealing a bare midriff embellished with flashy belly-button piercings. Eyebrows, noses, navels and more all became hot spots for pierced jewelry statements.

In recent years we’ve seen the complete mainstreaming of multiple ear piercings. Known as the ‘curated ear’, rows of multiple asymmetric earrings have taken the world by storm. In the past, only punk rockers had multiple piercings climbing up their ears. Today, you can see sparkling earrings of all shapes and sizes climbing up just about any pair of ears.

Popular earrings to help you create the perfect curated ear include huggies, hoops, studs, ear cuffs and dangling earrings -- all of which can be worn at any point of the ear. Symmetry is no longer required. The fun part of creating a curated look is that you get to experiment with all types of earrings to find a look that suits you best.

With the rise in popularity of piercings, you no longer need to seek out a specialty shop for all of your piercing needs. All sorts of unique pierced earrings, cuffs and clips are readily available at most mainstream stores.

As opposed to the original multiple-pierced ear, today’s piercings are no longer seen as edgy or even intimidating. The curated ear is now even viewed as elegant, dainty and chic. Creating an eclectic mix of pierced earrings and cuffs allows you to express your individuality and explore your personal style.