9 Interesting Things A Nose Ring Says About A Man

While most would associate nostril piercings with women, it’s important to remember that men have actually worn them for hundreds of years for a variety of reasons. You’re about to learn some wildly interesting things a nose ring may say about a man. 

Let’s get to it. 

9 Things A Nose Ring Says About A Man

Remember, the term “nose ring” is often used (some may say incorrectly) to refer to any type of nose piercing. 

These could be rings, hoops, studs, and barbells. 

They could also refer to nostril piercings or septum piercings. Nostril piercings are where one of the nostrils is pierced, while septum piercings involve piercing of the space between the nostrils. 

1. He’s Not Afraid Of Attention

As small as a nose ring may be, it’s front and center on the face. They’re very difficult to hide, other than maybe a septum piercing with a horseshoe barbell. 

They’ll often be the first thing that someone sees given how obvious they can be. 

Of course, the larger the nose ring, the more attention it’ll draw. 

This is even more important to recognize when it comes to men. Nose rings are simply less common in men and so will be more likely to turn heads. 

While some men can shy away from this sort of attention, a man with a nose ring doesn’t have this luxury. 

He’ll have to deal with the occasional comment – some positive and some negative. 

It may come at the most inappropriate or unwelcome of times. But you can bet on it happening from time to time. 

A man with a nose ring may not necessarily like this attention, but he’ll probably have to come to terms with it. 

At the very least, you could bet that he isn’t afraid of the attention. It’s simply a by-product of a style choice he’s made and he’s willing to live with it. 

2. He Can Commit 

Two things to talk about here. 

One: 

A man with a nose ring is able to commit to a style. Although a nose piercing is by no means “permanent” – after all, it can be removed and stored away pretty easily. 

But the process of going to a reputable piercing artist and going through the discomfort of getting the piercing shows a level of commitment that few other style choices would demonstrate. 

You can safely say that a man willing to get a nose piercing of any sort can commit to a style and put in some serious effort to achieve and maintain it. 

Two: 

Here’s a fun little historical factoid to do with commitment in a different sense. 

In some ancient Eastern cultures, nose rings were gifted by men to their future wives to present them with “financial security”. 

Not the most relevant or progressive bit of information you’ll read here, but interesting nonetheless. 

3. He Appreciates Tribal Cultures 

Septum piercings in particular played an important role within the tribes of ancient Eastern and Native American cultures. Australian aboriginal tribes could also be seen sporting them too. 

They could have been used to symbolize various different traits including wealth, ferocity, beauty, commitment, and more. 

The materials used for these piercings were just as diverse; bone, wood, tusks, etc. 

Ancient South American civilizations favored gold and jade for their septum piercings as they were used as symbols of prosperity. 

While septum piercings aren’t quite as common as nostril piercings in modern-day Western culture, they’re not hard to find. 

In fact, men are more likely to don a septum piercing than a nostril piercing, although nose piercings as a whole are more common in women. 

Nose piercings have played a hugely important cultural role within tribes over thousands of years. 

A man that chooses to wear a nose ring today may well be appreciative of this fact. 

4. He Is A Non-Conformist 

While the nose ring may have originated in ancient Eastern cultures, it eventually made its way to the West. 

The exact period during which this happened is debatable, but the early 1900s is a pretty safe bet. 

In fact, the famed French singer Polaire was seen wearing a nose ring at various times during the 1910s, even on US tours. 

But in the United States, nose rings really broke through in the 1960s when the “hippies” adopted it as part of their core aesthetic. 

Because of this, the nose ring became a modern symbol of rebellion and counterculture movements. 

The 1980s punk movement strengthened this association further, with the nose ring often being worn by rock stars and fans alike. 

A statement of defiance and independence. 

Although the nose ring has become more mainstream within Western culture as the decades have gone by, they still do carry an edge of rebellion. 

While not every man that chooses to wear a nose ring finds this appealing, there will certainly be some that do. 

As I mentioned earlier, they aren’t afraid of attention – to stand out from the crowd for not falling perfectly in sync. 

A nose ring is a stylish way to achieve just that. 

While they aren’t quite as eye-catching or outlandish as they would have been 40 years ago, they’ll still turn heads. 

This is even more relevant for men, simply because they aren’t quite as common. Men with nose rings are more likely to draw some attention, simply because they’re rarer. 

I’ve written about other “non-conformist” style choices men make, elaborating on the perceptions people have about them. Check that out if you’re interested:

• What A Ponytail Says About A Man
• What A Soul Patch Says About A Man
• What A Mustache Says About A Man
• What Long Hair Says About A Man
• What A Man Bun Says About A Man

5. He Cares About How He Looks 

While a man with a nose ring may not care what those around them think of their appearance, there’s a good chance that they themselves do. 

A nose ring is a daring style choice – you’ve got to be at least a little style-conscious to go through the effort of getting one. 

But it isn’t just getting the piercing that takes effort. 

Taking the time to remember to pop that nose ring back in day in and day out also takes some effort. 

For a man to make a nose ring a core feature of his aesthetic, he needs to care about how he looks – even if it’s just a little. 

That doesn’t mean he cares about whether he’s attractive or not. He may not care about this whatsoever. 

But he probably does care about appearance in some sense. He cares about what he wears and how it projects his identity and personality. 

The same could be said of any nontraditional choice of attire. It may not be worn with the intention of being “attractive” (although nose rings often can be), but it’s often worn with some sort of intention. 

What that intention is can be subjective and very personal. But whatever it is, appearance will be used to achieve it. 

6. He Probably Isn’t Corporate 

It’s true that nose rings are becoming more mainstream, regardless of whether we’re talking about men or women. 

But not every workplace will be as accepting of the nose ring as you may want it to be. 

Although a generalization such as this may not be wise, it’s a pretty safe bet that a man with a nose ring probably won’t work in a corporate setting. 

Sure – he may take it off for work, but let’s assume that he doesn’t. 

One reason he probably isn’t corporate is down to the counterculture, rebellious edge that nose rings still carry today. 

It’s unlikely that the stiff suits and ties of corporate workplaces would appeal to the nose-ringed man much in any case. 

But another reason would be that corporate workplaces are simply less likely to be accepting of nose rings, just as they would be of long hair and casual clothing. 

Their dress codes are going to be stricter, with nontraditional forms of attire frowned upon at the very least. 

A man that chooses to rock a nose ring throughout the day whether they’re at work or not is unlikely to be corporate. 

Simply because the nose ring wouldn’t be in line with the company culture. 

7. He’s Willing To Challenge Gender Stereotypes 

While men with nose rings aren’t rare by any means, they’re still much less commonly spotted than women with nose rings. 

As I explained earlier, men in tribal cultures have worn nose piercings for hundreds if not thousands of years. 

But in modern Eastern and Western culture, it’s no secret that women are simply more likely to sport them. 

It’s one reason why a man with a nose ring is more likely to draw attention – simply because it’s less common. 

But it’s important to recognize that a man with a nose ring is less likely to conform to stereotypes of gender-specific style choices and attire. 

In the modern era, this is a trend that’ll most likely continue going forward. The nose ring is just a single example. 

8. He’s Fashion Forward

It’s true that nose rings have become more common in men’s style, especially in the world of streetwear and urban style. But they’re still a pretty good indicator that a man is willing to take risks and experiment with their sense of style.

Nose rings come in a variety of styles, from simple studs to elaborate hoops and chains. A man may even have a range of nose rings to choose from and may even switch things up depending on their mood or outfit.

9. He May Be Spiritual

Nose rings have a rich culture and spiritual history. Men who choose to wear them may be expressing their identification with specific spiritual or even religious beliefs.

The accessory may represent a connection to their spiritual heritage – beliefs passed down over the generations. They may represent solidarity with a specific group or even a cause such as animal rights or environmentalism.

Ultimately, the history of the nose ring is broad and far-reaching – there could be plenty of different personal reasons for a man to wear one.

Conclusion 

There you have it. 

A single piece of jewelry that’s steeped in a surprising amount of fascinating history.  

Enjoy.