On the spring runways, ears – adorned with statement jewellery and highlighted with paint – had something of a moment.

Earlobes are good for “beginner” piercings, says Adrian Castillo, who works at Adorned in New York City. Cartilage hurts, he says, and there’s debate about which part of the ear is most painful to pierce. The most important thing is that you’ve got to trust your piercer. “I’m a firm believer in positive energy in the piercing room,” says Castillo, adding that your piercer should talk you through the process and make you feel at ease. Still, nerves are normal – and possibly beneficial. “I always think it’s good to be nervous,” he says. “Your adrenalin starts pumping and actually helps offset the little pain you’ll feel.”

Thank you @annalevy for the constant trust. Fresh 3rd and 5th done at @newyorkadorned.

A post shared by adrian daniel castillo (@adriancastillo) on Feb 16, 2017 at 9:18am PST

This article originally appeared in the April 2017 issue of ELLE Canada.