University of Michigan - Michiganensian Yearbook (Ann Arbor, MI)

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df H ; story by sarak smudier layout by emma cartwrigfit Tattoos and body piercing had become almost commonplace at the University. They were a conversation piece at times, but for those who had them, they were GM wi j i l pa it fr tk iSi ideriuuj,. What was the attraction? Were the tattoos and piercings worth the pain involved, or did the pain actually enhance the idea? IGAtQQd ' 3 l VGAM G MAQUu , said LSA creative writing concentrator Jeremy Chamberlin. Not having one, but getting one. The first 15 minutes are about as painful as a cat scratchi ng you, but after that, it can be a real high. Professional body piercer Rob Petroff of Insane Creations, a piercing parlor on East William, found piercing very energizing. I ' ve been doing this professionally for seven years, and I love the energy and excitement I get from piercing. It ' s an adrenaline rush. Tattoos and piercings were no longer viewed as out of the ordinary. Jt y(WM, Q telfr- A young man displays his nose and tongue piercings. While many students simply pierced their ears, others resorted to more exotic places. Whether it was a tongue, belly button, nose, lip, or eyebrow, students decorated their bodies with metal. Some men and women even pierced their nipples and genitalia. Sarah S mucker Sarah Smucker like any art form, ex- plained Suzanne Sauser, a tattoo artist at Creative Tattoo by Suzanne, a tattooing parlor on East Liberty Street. Tattooing and body piercing an art form? Both Petroff and Sauser agreed that both mediums were two of the mfril OMoietit a iti Uc jjQSiwiA- known to mankind. Students ' self-expressions had a price, though. Tattoos cost a mini- mum of $100, depending on the size of the tattoo and the amount of time spent on the design. Contrary to the stereotype that ob- taining a tattoo was a spur of the moment whim, Chamberlin put years of thought into his two tattoos. Getting his first tattoo was a mutual experience with his younger brother. The two decided to be 2W 70700 Z4 fc but with the same design, a whale from the Haida culture of the Northwest United States. Whales and wolves in the Haida culture represent the same animal. I believe in balance so this is why I wanted my second tattoo, which is also another of my favorite animals. Similarly, in many cases, the decision to have a body part pierced was M t MCMa iiLf a tekeluon against an established norm but just a way of being decorative. I got my nose ring because I always thought it looked pretty, said LSA junior Sarah Johnson. School of Natural Resources senior Karin Mueller got her navel pierced for similar reasons, I just thought it looked cool. Neither student regretted their piercing in any way. Piercing represented a myriad of things for many people. Though being pierced is t l wly, these days, for many people it represents a part of their identity. The more personal the piercing, the more emotional the experience, said Petroff. Students ' tattoos and piercings signified more than just rebellious decisions made in haste. They spanned cultural lines and for many represented an integral part of their identity. Tattoos and Body Piercing + 19

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m uzanne Sauser tattoos a client at her tattoo parlor on East Liberty. Sauser was cautious to use latex gloves and properly sterilize her equipment to avoid the possibility of infection. Transmission of HIV and Hepatitis B were potential health hazards of getting a tattoo. toos and Body Pierci

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warm winter coat in a must to endure the long, cold Michigan winters. The most popular jackets among students were Northface jackets which hail a waterproof shell and a zip-out fleece liner. Bivouac, a local sporting good store, reported that Northface jackets were their best selling item. The jackets ranged in price from $170 to $425. Mike Campbell micnigcm Some of the most commonly seen clothing on campus displayed a word famil- iar to everyone: Michigan. Emblazoned on sweatshirts, hats, sweatpants, t- shirts, and jack- ets, U-M sym- bols were every- where, allowing students to dis- play their pride in the University. Area sport .hops profited highly from this fashion trend. Moe Sports Shop sold approximat t-shirts and sweatshirts during an average football week, and an estimated 500 articles of Michigan clothing during a normal week. The most popular items were navy and gray sweatshirts. Another University clothing store was Steve and Barry ' s University Sportswear which offered great deals on clothing. The tely 2000 basic deal was buy one get one tree on anything in the store. In response to the growing demand for products, Steve and Barry ' s opened a larger store across from their original store on South State Street. In addition to sweatshirts, baseball hats were immensely popular among both men and chip Peterson WO men. Two of the most popular styles were the navy blue hat with the gold block M and the white bar caps. Michigan apparel with the Nike tag apparel was popular outside of the Ann Arbor area as well. Hats were so popular in Europe that junior political science major Josh White traded his old, worn Michigan hat to a visitor from England. This man really wanted my hat, said White. 20 + Fashion