JP reminds me of when I moved to New York City, the first thing I did was to go to Bleecker Street and get my ear pierced. Twice. Oh, did that hurt. I selected a green crystal stud and an amethyst, I think. I showed up for lesson with that and Miss Lawrence cringed. We debated if it was okay or not, if I could still command respect in an orchestra rehearsal. After the piercings supposedly healed, I stopped wearing them (to lessons and orchestra), but the holes ended up closing up anyway, which was okay with me, they kept getting infected. Piercing is horrendous.
Anyway, just three years later, another male student came in with earrings, but in just that much time, it had become more-or-less acceptable, some conductors had them, so she apparently gave in.