I’ll fess’ up. I’m afraid to say that there is one fashion territory which I sadly am unable to run towards with open arms, the way I do towards most things. That is non-silver/gold/platinum metal jewellery. i.e. the sort of metalware you don’t pay a lot for in high street jewellery. Why? I have a X-Men freakish skin condition that means as soon as I so much as touch any sort of metal that isn’t pure gold or silver, it goes red and blotchy within minutes. I learn the lesson of this freakish genetic oddity when I was in maths class in year 8 and was tapping my metal Parker pen against my cheek whilst trying to work out some algebra only to then have my friend point out that my cheek had turned an attractive blotchy red. Nice.
So my love for plastic jewellery is not because I’m a) cheap and b) well into Fisher Price. There is bodily necessity attached to it. Bangles especially are my weakness. So my Monday eBay find in the form of this Peter Jensen for Topshop bracelet (how did I pass this by?) that I’m determined to have scares me a little for two reasons:
a) I spy cheap metal in the links and b) I spy red blotchy wrist in the future because I simply have to have the perspex blue skirted figures dancing around my wrist to remind me that the world is a nicey nicey place.
This personal body affliction of mine made me think of what other bodily barriers people have (bar weight and body shape… that’s a whole palava that I don’t even want to go into) that prevents them from PHYSICALLY wearing/donning whatever it is they want to wear/don. I can’t be the only freakish one. Fashion-X-Men, please step up and tell all.
My best friend has the same affliction as you, so annoying. She often puts clear nailpolish on small bits to help prevent the problem.
I don’t have any issue myself to tell of, just wanted to give you a suggestion for the bracelet. You could go to a jewelry supply shop and get sterling silver or gold small hoops (they’re called jump rings) and replace the cheap ones with some quality ones. A pair of needle nosed pliers is all you would need, and the salesperson at the jewelry supply store could surely help you find the right size of rings if you brought in the bracelet.
It’s super cute!
i have the same problem and painting clear nail polish on the inside helps so much.
Susie, I have that same condition. Generally I wear no jewelry at all. Back in November I had an interview to write a column for a behemoth blog and I merrily threw on some faux silver chunky necklace that had eight woven strands of cheap metal.
Leaving the interview, I felt as if I were wearing a yoke, so I reached up to unclasp the thing and the skin at the base of my neck was raised and itchy, big lumps of scratchy meanness.
This lasted for a week.
NEVER AGAIN.
i’ve given you the thinking blogger award! see my blog for details 🙂
That’s terrible. I don’t have any affliction, that I know of…but I do covet that dancing girls bracelet.
I have somethin v. different but it affects me every single day… broke my leg in Thailand Jan 1st 2000, had nasty surgery there, can never wear anything above ballet flat/trainer since. Oh how my heart aches for high heels/ interesting footwear…..
I’m still pretty sure that men shouldn’t wear jewelry, but I’m willing to be proven wrong.
I love your bangles! I would wear so many more bangles if I didn’t work at a typing-heavy job…
I have had some awful stomachaches from wearing tights or pantyhose when the elastic band falls right on my middle. Add in someone wearing strong perfume (I get very scent-sensitive when my tummy hurts!), and I’ll be queasy for a good while.
That doesn’t mean I don’t wear them, though! I just have to consider if I’ll be eating, or what I’ll be eating (dim sum and pantyhose are a BAD combination), and the pair of tights themselves.
Susie i think many of your readers share your pain – I usually have to omit jewellery from my dressing routine since I get allergic reactions to non-metallic wristwear as well as eczema on my neck, which means I can’t wear metallic neckware, and a severe reaction to non-pure gold earrings (I can’t even wear gold plate, or silver!) Earrings are my absolute favourite jewellery item but I can’t indulge and experiment since, being of the post-student/first-job variety money is lacking and I can’t (yet!) afford expensive jewellery. I have however discovered some work by young jewellery designers like Hannah Louise Lamb and Marianne Anderson who make stunning and original jewellery and, being independent craftspeople, can make earrings with 24 carat gold posts. Although costly (around 100+) they’re all beautiful pieces, which means if I ever did buy any they would be treasured and would be investment pieces. These are what I’m saving up for: http://www.marianneanderson.co.uk/earrings.php?id=58 – I only wish cost wasn’t an issue!
you could wear it over xtra long sleeves (a trendy look i’m told) or some kind of fabric cuffs. i’m sure you’ll rock it any way!
Ah! I have the black plastic bracelet in red… but I feel it’s sooo huge! i love it though. and it makes me wonder about the Lucite one you have… it’s looks like it came from the Snow Queen’s closet in Narnia… Excellent.
😉
i used to have the same reaction to cheap metal although, i can still wear the metal for an evening or so but not for a prolonged period.
after dying my hair different colours of the rainbow for YEARS (oh to be fourteen) i developed a serious sensitivity to the chemicals in hairdye (particularly black) which left my face/scalp burned/dry/flaky and i noticed i was shedding a lot of my lovely chinese locks :'(. VERY painful, the worst 2 weeks ever. that in turn lead to my persistant eczema (which is slowly disappearing) and an increased sensitivity to a lot of products including some dermalogica items :@! it has also lead to my longing to be a redhead-ginger just because it can never happen :'(
I have an allergy to nickel which is I usually wouldn’t mind since I don’t own anything that contains it EXCEPT for one pair of chunky and borderline tacky earrings that I adore.
I was going to suggest clear nail varnish too – wearing bangles over long sleeves is a good idea also, I love that look!
I have the same condition, it even extends to my ears! I’m always so jealous when my friends find lovely accessories for cheap and all I can do is turn green with envy. Better than red and itchy i suppose 🙂
In the winter I’ve managed to compenstate by wearing the necklaces or braclets over turtlenecks and long sleeves. Or compensate with a stellar pair of shoes.
Ah, same thing here. Except it’s only restricted to my ear piercings. The clear nail polish thing does work, but in my case, it only lasted for a while.
My other sad fashion allergy is wool. If I put on wool, within seconds I’m itching and scratching madly. However, I’ve been experimenting with wool a bit lately (read: masochist me putting various wool articles of clothing to my skin) and I’ve determined that it’s only certain wools. Merino wool doesn’t affect me. But, oh the sadness, when I find a great coat that I can’t wear because it’s wool!
I also use the clear nail polish trick and it stops me getting an irritation to the back of watches.
The clear nailpolish trick is definitely the way to go, I also use it to keep cheap metal from tarnishing. Though I myself do not have the skin condition I know many who do, specifically nickel allergies. Just make sure to reapply the nail polish periodically because it rubs off with wear.
I’ve started getting issues with any earrings. It’s starting to really bug me.
Luv
Poochie
Oh I have the smae problem. but as other [people have stated on with earrings. My friend has a padlock necklace and has the same condition that you have when you wear cheap metals but she determined to wear it blotchy neck or nor blotchy neck! It must sting!
I have a really bad allergy with wool I omce up on big red bumps and can’t stop itching. I put on a pair of wool mittens once and it waqs like putting on gloves made out of sandpaper! erghhh horrible. I can only waer fake wool (synthetic) which sucks because in New Zealand things made out of wool are so easy to get and cheap! (mianly becuase there are 3 times more skeep than people)
good lord! I’m incredibly worried about my ability to type and spell after seeing my last comment! sorry about that!
i have the exact same problem as owl pyjamas. it’s really frustrating!
Well, I have arthritis in the joints of my feet, and I can only wear shoes that fit orthotics. (I can kinda wedge them into shorter heels, so it’s not like I’m wearing granny shoes all the time, but I definately can’t wear the majority of shoes I see around town without experiencing nasty pain). And last summer, during the height of a heat wave, I developed dyshidrotic eczema (you do NOT want to know how awful that is) on my hands and feet, and I had to wear awful sneakers and socks with all my cute summer dresses.
My sister can only wear gold jewellery, or else she has a reaction similiar to yours. She had so much trouble with ear piercings–she’s got scars to prove it.
At least you can wear cute shoes. I frigging LOVE shoes–my love of shoes gets more intense the worse my feet get.
My ears, and only my ears, have a problem with all things jewelry related. I’ve tried piercings at least 4 times from the age of eight through fourteen when I ended up in the hospital with a major allergic reaction.
Although I’ve been wondering if I’ve out-grown that problem now I’m an adult. I have a friend who was allergic to walnuts until he was 20 and is now free from having to look out for “This product might contain nuts” label on food items.
I had the same problem with the tights, until I started folding (*not* rolling) down the waistband so it sits on my hips.
I love that bracelet! Maybe as an Ancient-Egypt kind of cuff high up on a white shirt it won’t make you break out, or a hair ornament?
I used to be really allergic to cold, which really doesn’t have anything to do with fashion, but when I would go sledding or ice-skating I’d break into hives…
i dont usually have reactions to jewelry (aside from a pair of earrings that made my ears turn green) but i am allergic to wool and cant wear anything with cashmere or angora or whatever because i start itching like crazy. and im also super super sensitive to how clothes feel on my body. this means i cant wear regular t-shirts because it bothers my neck and i start tugging on the neckline and pulling on the shirt (i can only wear v-necks or shirts with really open necklines)and whenever anything sits on my stomach just slightly above my hipbones it bothers me sooooo much. so i always have to wear super super low rise pants and long shirts to cover it up..im slowly starting to adapt to hi-waists..as long as i dont sit in them. its weird.
I have a strange body shape that is constantly holding me back. Firstly, I’m quite short- too short for regular jeans often, but yet to tall for petite. I have a childish figure- I have no hips and a very small upper half, yet for some reason my waist doesn’t match so my torso shape is like a tube! No curves! Drives me crazy. And to put the cherry on the cake, thanks to my face, most people mistake me for a 12 year old- I’m 19!!! I have great pity for anyone who can top that..
I get the lumpy blotches on my neck if I wear a cheap necklace for too long. And my ear piercings itch if I wear cheap earrings for too long. I think it’s a nickel allergy.
Ah… so there are MANY MANY Fashion X-Men who have the same affliction as me…. thank you so much for bringing up the clear nail polish thing…. I always get scared though of ruining the metal or adding too much of a sheen to the metalware with varnish…
So thank you to those that mentioned this trick as fellow sufferers of this silly affliction…
Dreamecho: I’m struggling to think of seven that haven’t been mentioned… ACK!
edelB: That’s awful…I’m so sorry. Is there any chance of your legs recovering? Good news is flats are at the peak of their beauty these days…
Thom Wong: Leather cuffs? Go for it…
Jeanne: I have tights like that too…it’s the extra thick, super opaque ones that really do me in…
CM: Costly indeed…. I always wanted my ears pierced but again… the whole metal thing prevented me from doing so. Your condition sounds more severe than mine…. I like your approach to investment pieces in jewellery though.
Hoyan: Yes…long sleeves are my saviour in the winter….
Lady C: Snow Queen’s closet…or high street charity shop…hmmm…which could it be… ; )
Owlpyjamas: Oh dear… I was always scared to overdo it with hairdye…. perhaps you can still go redhead with natural dyes?
Jessie: Stellar shoes is my trick too!
Stella: I’ve heard many ppl who have aversions to cheap wool… means you’re groomed for the finer things in life….only cashmere and merino pour vous… 😉
Ayesha: How strange that you can only wear FAKE wool…..! Oh well… works out cheaper doesn’t it?
Jen: Oh dear… I really do feel for you…. by majority of shoes, you really do mean the MAJORITY of shoes don’t you?
Anon: I’ve heard of ppl outgrowing allergies but it rarely happens….
Sarah: Clever girl!
Heather: Hair ornament seems the way to go…. or definitely on over a sleeve…. flee to warmer climes I say!
Natalie: Another wool allergy…. it’s just as well that cashmere is ever so pricy. The feeling of clothes though sounds quite serious! Do you not like tight clothes – is that it?
Hannah: I have problems with straight up and down too….. but hey, you do get to look younger for longer! You should play up your petiteness though…. It’s deceptively powerful…
Fi: Same thing… though I would try the clear nail polish trick that so many readers have pointed out!
Oh I just have to chime in- what you have definitely sounds like a nickel allergy. (You should go to your doctor to make sure)
But just look up nickel-free jewelry sites on the net, they’re quite common. Or try out H&M, they started making nickel free jewelry and accessories (headbands, hairclips) a while ago.
Any jewelry that says “nickel-free” or “nickel tested” means it is usually safe for allergy sufferers. The nickel is replaced with stainless steel or something like that.
I know because I have a terrible allergy too, I’ve worn the nickel-free stuff overnight to test it and never had any bad reacion. You’d also think that expensive designer jewelry would NOT contain nickel, but alot of them do! If you don’t see a nickel label, you have to assume the jewelry’s got it, and avoid it at all costs.
I can’t wear earrings that aren’t gold…not such a problem, since I’ve given up earrings for the last few years, but when I did, my ears would swell up. Thankfully the nickel allergy was restricted to piercings..nowhere near as bad as yours.
Also, my feet are weirdly shaped, which means heels have to be very carefully chosen. It’s a minor inconvenience, but still..
I have ridiculously skinny wrists (the rest of me is slim but not skinny) which makes it impossible to wear many bracelets because they’re just too big. They either fall off or hang over the top part of my hand and restrict thumb movement, which is very uncomfortable. I restring bead-type bracelets without a few of the beads, move the clasp ring to part way along chain-type ones, and bend metal cuffs, but there’s nothing I can do with the solid chunky kind that you are modelling in the picture 🙁
I have foot problems that means that high heels are always going to be impossible – like Clothes Horse – but as I have collapsed arches so I can’t wear pretty pumps either – with my compulsory insoles, all I can wear is fugly orthapedic trainers. Even though I’m addicted to excellent fasjhion blogs like yours and fashion magasines, I find it hard to express myself clothes-wise in any way to the point where I have a self-imposed wardrobe of blandness. I wouldn’t quite call myself an X-man, but I contributed mostly because I’ve wanted to comment for quite a long time 🙂
Doesn’t really affect my fashion/style, but I have psoriasis on my scalp, edging out onto my hairline and behind my ears, nape of my neck also. This means I can never wear my hair up in public as I’m afraid people will be disgusted by my skin condition. This has sometimes affected how well an outfit looks, as sometimes it looks better with my hair up but I can’t bear to wear it like that.
My only problem is perfume, brings me out in a rash! Means i have to spray it in the air, once im fully dressed and run through the cloud of perfume covering my face with my top like some crazy person!
I can’t wear headbands without getting a headache, whether the headbands are hard or stretchy. I’ve found that using a ribbon as a headband works when I want to pull my hair away from my face.
Also, I have fairly small feet (5 1/2 in US sizes, I think that’s 35.5 in UK/European sizes) This is absolutely both a blessing and a curse when it comes to shoe shopping.
Thanks for post. Nice to see such good ideas.
Hello
This topic is about weight-loss or ‚Äúbariatric‚Äù (or something like that) surgery. It helps to lose weight and lowers your risk of medical problems. Started gathering information and found short video which shows how the operations (3 common types) are performed, here is the link…
[url=http://uploading.com/files/AH7ZXC0M/Gastric_bypass_surgery.AVI.html]>>Gastric_bypass_surgery.AVI[/url]
Anyone knows something about it? Is there any risk?
Is it better to perform this procedure in US?
Thanks for sharing this. Hope to read more of your fashion topics. good luck!
-mikee
I’ve never heard of your condition.. But still cute creative ideas..
https://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=batch_download&send_id=817789614&email=7cff47bb7cdcb76fbfa15e66c81a1961