5 years old – to copy my cousin

Screamed so much at the first lobe pierced we had to leave for an hour and come back

Tiny delicate gold sleeper hoops

14 years old – to show I’m a teen

Denim miniskirt pink everything 

Not just on Wednesdays

Thick and wide baby pink hoops

18 years old – to say don’t mess with me

Eyeliner for eyeshadow

Gargantuan, get my whole fist through, could rest a bloody budgie on hoops

25 years old – to get through

Those painfully adult

Work meetings

My sensible wee earrings

For the classy affairs

For the several days into a bender need a pick me up to contrast my messy hair

For the epic live gigs and nights out we share

For the every fuckin’ day wear. 

Empowered, cool, complete. 

Thank you, my hoops, for being my comforting constant, forever and for whatever.

Image courtesy of Joeyy Lee