Kathrina Maribao on new piercing studios and getting her ears pierced.

My ears are boring. I’ve been rocking single lobes since I was a baby and haven’t thought much of it until I became influenced.

I recently saw Michelle Obama on her podcast, IMO, rocking new “constellation” piercings. She talked briefly about how the process was easy getting ten new piercings in just one session and joked that her husband took a few days to notice. Simply, the younger people in her life are getting piercings and she also wanted to participate in “beautiful adornment.” Needless to say, I made my first piercing appointment (in adulthood) immediately. 

Piercing studios seem to be everywhere you turn nowadays. 

Claire’s once reigned the pre-teen market, but as those girls became adults they needed a new space to fit their more grown vibe. Enter: Studs. Studs is a needle-only piercing brand with almost over 40 locations across the United States and with 3 in Houston at the Heights Mercantile, the Galleria, and Rice Village.

Going inside Studs feels like a mix of entering a jewelry store with the bubblegum pop vibe of a candy shop. The atmosphere is friendly, welcoming, and not at all intimidating compared to, let’s say maybe, an edgy tattoo shop. Other piercing studios, like Rowan and Burdlyfe in Houston, also offer similar services with varying pricing differences to entice customers. Burdlyfe, for example, has free piercing Wednesdays where you only pay for the jewelry. 

Houston-based independent piercers like Bre Stings and Teeny Stings Studio also offer the lux experience with curation services, downsizes, jewelry changes, and an overall more personalized experience. In reality, all these studios act more like retail spaces selling you the ability to wear cute jewelry instantly rather than basic (and ugly-ish) jewelry like the classic stainless steel ball. Since some piercings can take up to a year to heal, the option to select something attractive for a beautifully adorned ear comes with a price tag. 

Essentially, it’s a business of luxury for instant cuteness.

Getting fresh piercings is an affordable luxury according to the New York Times. As prices continue to rise for everything and big ticket spending like buying a home or international travel gets out of reach, some consumers are spending on personal adornment and “upgrading their avatar.” It certainly looks like the lipstick effect. Maybe. However, healing piercings take a lot of time and patience (much longer than tattoos btw) and as a result, the experience is innately forward looking.

Since kicking off my curated ear journey at Studs, I’ve found myself with a timeline on my Notes app on when I can get my conch done, then tragus, then cat flaps, and then who knows after that. Eventually I’ll run out of space, but for the meantime it’s fun to dream. 

As I stare at my earstack timeline I realize maybe the real luxury then isn’t the piercing itself, but just having something to truly look forward to.

LATELY IN HOUSTON

Picasso, Klee, Matisse. Oh my! MFAH's next blockbuster lands May 20: "Picasso-Klee-Matisse: Masterpieces From the Museum Berggruen," making its U.S. debut with around 100 works by Picasso, Klee, Matisse, Giacometti, Cézanne and more. Bold midcentury-inspired walls, a rare Klee-heavy room (a first for Houston in 30 years), and Dora Maar's own work included. On view through Sept. 13. $24. Axios Houston

Infatuated with… happy hour? The Infatuation just dropped its list of Houston's best happy hours, 28 spots strong. Highlights include Azumi's $5 martinis and $4 nigiri, Better Luck Tomorrow's half-off everything, Bludorn's $3 oysters, Grand Prize Bar's $3 wells every day, and Tiny Champions' half-price pizza window. The Infatuation

Running + coffee = community. UH senior Jose Salinas built Arlo Espresso Club, a coffee pop-up serving butterfly pea blue lattes, horchata, and cafe de olla cold brew, after struggling to make friends in Houston. Now it's a dozen-student operation with Nike and Vuori partnerships, plus an Arlo Running Club aimed at building community. Houston Chronicle

Stay cool. With the 2026 FIFA World Cup landing in Houston in June, the Host Committee is rolling out a "Green Corridor" to fight the heat: 16 stainless-steel "architectural trees" along Texas Avenue, solar-paneled shade at Midtown Park and the EaDo Fan Fest, shade structures at Columbia Tap Trail, and art installations at Rice. Chron

WEEKEND EVENTS

Due to the weather this weekend, please check business socials for updates on cancellations or reschedules!

All weekend:

• Comicpalooza 

• Agnes and Sherman x Golden Diner

• Dear Alien at Alley Theatre

• The Sequence is Your Exhibition presented in collaboration with CAMH at Artechouse

Thursday, 5/21

5:30pm-8pm, Community | Houston Botanic Garden Open House. Postponed.

6pm-8pm, Art | Clay Conversations with Susan Budge by ClayHouston at New Magnolia Brewing Co.

Friday, 5/22

6pm-9pm, Art | Four new exhibitions at BOX 13 ArtSpace Opening Reception.

6p-10pm, Market | A Snoopy Inspired Night Market presented by Houston Market.

7:30pm, Live Music | Apollo Chamber Players American Story: Venture at MATCH. $40.

Saturday, 5/23

8:30am, Community | Houston on Foot Tour at Hermann Park. Free.

1pm-3pm, Art | Poets Garden HTX Writing Workshop at Friends Gallery.

5pm-8:30pm, Culture | Taco Fest by Texas Monthly at Discovery Green. $60. Date Changed: July 25.

7pm, Film | Watch 10 Things I Hate About You at Rooftop Cinema Club. $21 and up.

8pm, Culture | Flamenco Live at POST. “Featuring the powerful guitar of José Manuel Tejeda, the evocative voice of Celia Corrales, and the dynamic percussion of Jesús Pacheco, alongside the captivating dance of Ana María Barceló and company.” $22.

9pm-2am, Nightlife | Noche de Salsa y Timba with Manana Vida Social at Room 8o8. Salsa dances at 9pm.

9:15pm, Live Music | Candlelight: Tribute to Bad Bunny at Lone Star Flight Museum. $66 and up.

Sunday, 5/24

10am-2pm, Market | East End Farmers Market on Navigation Esplanade.

10am-5pm, Community | Tats Coffee Market at Riders. “Catch us for a day full of tattoos, curated coffee, and vintage resale!”

2:30pm, Live Music | Sunday Funday: Local Sounds & Stories Sofar Afternoons in The Heights. $23.

9:30pm, Nightlife | Bad Bunny Night at Barbarella.

Monday, 5/25

7am-12pm, Books | Last Oh Goodie A Book $30 fill-a-bag sale before they close for summer.

11am-4pm, Party | The Saint Augustine Splash. $75. Cancelled.

ON THE HOU(S)E Concierge

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