What remains
October 31, 2010 12:44 PM Subscribe
What is something an adult woman might wear next to her skin that would leave a multicolored residue/mark/stain on her skin?
This question is for a short story I am writing. Currently, the character is wearing a candy necklace, but upon writing and editing the piece, I realize that a candy necklace is out-of-character and immature for her to be wearing (she's 19 years old).
What are some other objects that a woman might wear that would leave a kind of mark (perferably temporary, preferably more than one color) on her skin?
All suggestions welcome! Even if it involves an elaborate backstory as to why she is wearing this oject, or if it only leaves a mark in certain situations.
This question is for a short story I am writing. Currently, the character is wearing a candy necklace, but upon writing and editing the piece, I realize that a candy necklace is out-of-character and immature for her to be wearing (she's 19 years old).
What are some other objects that a woman might wear that would leave a kind of mark (perferably temporary, preferably more than one color) on her skin?
All suggestions welcome! Even if it involves an elaborate backstory as to why she is wearing this oject, or if it only leaves a mark in certain situations.
When does your story take place? I remember wearing candy necklaces as an older teen (16-19 or so) during the late 90's, when raver fashion and the "kinderwhore" look were in style. If she's the right sort of young woman, at the right moment in the right subculture, she could totally be wearing a candy necklace.
Are we assuming the mark needs to be on her neck? If so, maybe some kind of cord or ribbon that is part of a piece of costume jewelry?
Dark denim can stain light colored clothing, or even your skin if you get wet while wearing a pair of tight jeans.
If you use cheap hair dye, that can stain your skin. If you were some kind of goth/punk/burner type you might have multiple shades of crazy colors in your hair. Which, if not done professionally, could definitely leave a multicolored stain on your skin. Especially on your neck, face, or shoulders.
posted by Sara C. at 12:51 PM on October 31, 2010 [1 favorite]
Are we assuming the mark needs to be on her neck? If so, maybe some kind of cord or ribbon that is part of a piece of costume jewelry?
Dark denim can stain light colored clothing, or even your skin if you get wet while wearing a pair of tight jeans.
If you use cheap hair dye, that can stain your skin. If you were some kind of goth/punk/burner type you might have multiple shades of crazy colors in your hair. Which, if not done professionally, could definitely leave a multicolored stain on your skin. Especially on your neck, face, or shoulders.
posted by Sara C. at 12:51 PM on October 31, 2010 [1 favorite]
I wore some cheap navy blue tights once on a really rainy day when I got completely soaked. My legs were a creepy blue-gray color for the next two days. It probably would have been really cool if I had been wearing multi-colored, patterned tights.
Any heavily/cheaply dyed fabric can leave a color mark on your skin if it gets wet. Especially shoes worn without socks in the rain or hats if you get really sweaty.
posted by phunniemee at 12:51 PM on October 31, 2010
Any heavily/cheaply dyed fabric can leave a color mark on your skin if it gets wet. Especially shoes worn without socks in the rain or hats if you get really sweaty.
posted by phunniemee at 12:51 PM on October 31, 2010
Brand-new clothing (esp. cheap stuff) that hasn't been washed yet can occasionally transfer dye marks to the skin, particularly with darker colors.
posted by scody at 12:51 PM on October 31, 2010
posted by scody at 12:51 PM on October 31, 2010
Response by poster: The mark does not need to be on her neck, or even visible when she's wearing clothes.
It takes place in the 2000s, and it would be out of character for her to be a candy raver or anything like that.
posted by Ideal Impulse at 12:52 PM on October 31, 2010
It takes place in the 2000s, and it would be out of character for her to be a candy raver or anything like that.
posted by Ideal Impulse at 12:52 PM on October 31, 2010
I once wore a tie-dye sarong, and sat on the damp ground... the dye transferred to my skin. So maybe she could wear a tie-dye scarf and get sweaty?
posted by kimdog at 12:54 PM on October 31, 2010
posted by kimdog at 12:54 PM on October 31, 2010
I have accidentally stained my skin by wearing:
- a new and unwashed shirt, especially at points of friction or sweatiness (for example: collar, armpits, tight cuffs);
- an embroidery-floss friendship bracelet made by my young niece, which soaked through in the rain and left a stain on my wrist;
- cheap or heavily tarnished jewelry (though that leaves mostly green, sometimes gray or black patina) and does scrub off.
I also indelibly dyed my hands bright purple when I incautiously handwashed a richly overdyed and dry-clean-only chiffon scarf. (And I mean I indelibly. It was the night before a big meeting, so I tried everything I could think of to remove it: soap, bleach, nail polish remover, pumice stone, everything. I finally got it to fade by wiping my hands liberally with rubbing alcohol.) I now think twice before I wear richly dyed scarves on a damp day.
Even if it involves an elaborate backstory as to why she is wearing this oject
Just a note: I wouldn't be surprised to see a 19-year-old wearing a candy necklace in a casual setting. If she's a very mature 19-year-old, you could spin a brief backstory explaining that a [beloved niece/ younger friend/ playful boyfriend/ babysitting charge/ friendly unknown toddler on the bus] gave it to her.
posted by Elsa at 12:59 PM on October 31, 2010
- a new and unwashed shirt, especially at points of friction or sweatiness (for example: collar, armpits, tight cuffs);
- an embroidery-floss friendship bracelet made by my young niece, which soaked through in the rain and left a stain on my wrist;
- cheap or heavily tarnished jewelry (though that leaves mostly green, sometimes gray or black patina) and does scrub off.
I also indelibly dyed my hands bright purple when I incautiously handwashed a richly overdyed and dry-clean-only chiffon scarf. (And I mean I indelibly. It was the night before a big meeting, so I tried everything I could think of to remove it: soap, bleach, nail polish remover, pumice stone, everything. I finally got it to fade by wiping my hands liberally with rubbing alcohol.) I now think twice before I wear richly dyed scarves on a damp day.
Even if it involves an elaborate backstory as to why she is wearing this oject
Just a note: I wouldn't be surprised to see a 19-year-old wearing a candy necklace in a casual setting. If she's a very mature 19-year-old, you could spin a brief backstory explaining that a [beloved niece/ younger friend/ playful boyfriend/ babysitting charge/ friendly unknown toddler on the bus] gave it to her.
posted by Elsa at 12:59 PM on October 31, 2010
Yeah, I once had a new GoreTex raincoat — hot pink it was 1994 and I liked hot pink — and during one of our Oregon marching band practices, which we routinely did in the rain, because if you cancel for rain in Oregon you might as well not do anything, the pink bled onto my hands, neck, and jeans. It was kinda cool. (And I was totally dry underneath the coat; it served me well for a few more years.)
Back in the day, Columbia made multicolor jackets, too; I had one of those in the 80s. Hot pink body, blue inner fleece, yellow cuff and collar bands. Don't remember it bleeding when wet, though.
posted by fraula at 12:59 PM on October 31, 2010
Back in the day, Columbia made multicolor jackets, too; I had one of those in the 80s. Hot pink body, blue inner fleece, yellow cuff and collar bands. Don't remember it bleeding when wet, though.
posted by fraula at 12:59 PM on October 31, 2010
Wearing poorly dyed leather goods in wet weather will leave you with a semi-permanent stain that varies in color depending on the dye and how long the wet leather was against your skin. I had a pair of boots that turned my feet (and socks) various shades of orange and tan for a week.
posted by Inspector.Gadget at 1:00 PM on October 31, 2010
posted by Inspector.Gadget at 1:00 PM on October 31, 2010
What about keeping the candy necklace/bracelet, but making the reason she's wearing it because a small child gifted it to her and asked her to? I've worn all sorts of wildly colorful yarn/pasta/bead/stuff necklaces because a small child in my life asked me to.
Or, on preview, exactly what Elsa said.
posted by booksherpa at 1:00 PM on October 31, 2010
Or, on preview, exactly what Elsa said.
posted by booksherpa at 1:00 PM on October 31, 2010
Came in to say the fabrics thing too-- I've had that experience with patterned Halloween tights as well (they were red with demons on them and the demons sort of came off on my legs). Hair dying experiments have gotten dye EVERYWHERE; any hand-dyed fabric (especially the kind used on imported skirts and the like from street vendors) can bleed and leave marks on skin if you get them wet.
posted by NoraReed at 1:01 PM on October 31, 2010
posted by NoraReed at 1:01 PM on October 31, 2010
Faded temporary tattoo? (Hello, I am a 20-year-old woman that really likes temp tats, so that's a total possibility)
An X on her hand from going to a party or club?
posted by i_am_a_fiesta at 1:01 PM on October 31, 2010
An X on her hand from going to a party or club?
posted by i_am_a_fiesta at 1:01 PM on October 31, 2010
I have a variety of necklaces that I've worn only once: all contain dyed coral and pearls that reacted with my sweat/skin oils to transfer the color to my skin. The pearls are all sorts of colors, though the blue ones caused my skin to turn purple, blue, green and a sickly sort of black; red gave me red, orange, yellow... Colorful times.
posted by LOLAttorney2009 at 1:12 PM on October 31, 2010
posted by LOLAttorney2009 at 1:12 PM on October 31, 2010
I was 19 in 2001 and I wore a candy necklace (although it never stained my skin) usually with a suit but you say its out of character for her to wear one so maybe you could tell us a bit more about her character so we can suggest something in-character.
posted by missmagenta at 1:30 PM on October 31, 2010
posted by missmagenta at 1:30 PM on October 31, 2010
Jewelery with copper in it can turn your skin green -- a fairly common problem with cheap rings and earrings.
posted by frobozz at 1:42 PM on October 31, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by frobozz at 1:42 PM on October 31, 2010 [1 favorite]
Copper and nickel jewelry leave marks on my body. Copper leaves green and nickel leaves dark blackish grey. If I wear the jewelry for a long time the marks will be darker and hard to wash off.
I actually had a bracelet that was supposed to be a silver and copper design (this would have been mid-1990s FWIW) that turned out to be nickel and copper. It had a two inch twist and then tied on with a blue leather cord. I had black and green twisted where the metal was and blue where the leather was. The marks lasted a few days. As a matter of fact, I've had other dark colored leather thongs discolor my skin too, especially if I sweat when I'm wearing them.
posted by TooFewShoes at 1:43 PM on October 31, 2010
I actually had a bracelet that was supposed to be a silver and copper design (this would have been mid-1990s FWIW) that turned out to be nickel and copper. It had a two inch twist and then tied on with a blue leather cord. I had black and green twisted where the metal was and blue where the leather was. The marks lasted a few days. As a matter of fact, I've had other dark colored leather thongs discolor my skin too, especially if I sweat when I'm wearing them.
posted by TooFewShoes at 1:43 PM on October 31, 2010
A dyed shell necklace, maybe? Like this one? Usually the dyes on those are pretty stable, but there are always exceptions.
posted by KathrynT at 1:44 PM on October 31, 2010
posted by KathrynT at 1:44 PM on October 31, 2010
A dyed leather string necklace left a burgundy mark around my neck once. Also, when I got a cute shirt from a hippie store that proudly noted it was dyed with clay, and then I got rained on -- welp, I got dirt all over me.
posted by Countess Elena at 2:06 PM on October 31, 2010
posted by Countess Elena at 2:06 PM on October 31, 2010
I accidentally dyed my skin pink and blue because some foil confetti got trapped in my shirt. Sweat + cheap foil confetti = temporary body art.
posted by mmmbacon at 2:09 PM on October 31, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by mmmbacon at 2:09 PM on October 31, 2010 [1 favorite]
If there is perfume on my skin that hasn't dried completely, the dye from faux leather bags leaves a mark.
posted by ellieBOA at 2:11 PM on October 31, 2010
posted by ellieBOA at 2:11 PM on October 31, 2010
Rather than something she's wearing, it's something in her pockets. It leaks (e.g. a pen) or it gets wet and bleeds or tarnishes, and it marks her skin through the pocket. Happens with jeans all the time.
posted by madmethods at 2:13 PM on October 31, 2010
posted by madmethods at 2:13 PM on October 31, 2010
Some weird combination of cheap tank top, sunblock and sweat turned my daughter's shoulders a strange orange-red color for a few days this past summer.
A large-breasted woman can get red marks where her bra digs into her shoulders.
A hickey? Or just a bruise of some kind from being klutzy?
Colored socks sometimes dye my feet that color. Shoes (especially colored canvas like Chuck Taylors) would do that too if she wasn't wearing socks.
High-mileage runners sometimes get black toenails.
posted by SuperSquirrel at 2:19 PM on October 31, 2010
A large-breasted woman can get red marks where her bra digs into her shoulders.
A hickey? Or just a bruise of some kind from being klutzy?
Colored socks sometimes dye my feet that color. Shoes (especially colored canvas like Chuck Taylors) would do that too if she wasn't wearing socks.
High-mileage runners sometimes get black toenails.
posted by SuperSquirrel at 2:19 PM on October 31, 2010
Best answer: All of these suggestions sound awfully complicated!
When I go to a club show (or even some bars) I get a stamp or even a marker-drawn X on my hand to show that I've paid and can go in and out.
That might be only on her hand, but if you need it somewhere else, I've woken up with the mark transferred to another part of my body and/or clothes because of the heat and pressure and sweat while I've curled up on myself asleep. This even works with just a highlighter.
posted by Madamina at 2:26 PM on October 31, 2010
When I go to a club show (or even some bars) I get a stamp or even a marker-drawn X on my hand to show that I've paid and can go in and out.
That might be only on her hand, but if you need it somewhere else, I've woken up with the mark transferred to another part of my body and/or clothes because of the heat and pressure and sweat while I've curled up on myself asleep. This even works with just a highlighter.
posted by Madamina at 2:26 PM on October 31, 2010
New, colored clothing plus rain (I have painful memories of a cheap red bra doing this). Also, newly dyed hair if it wasn't washed out properly - I once got a colored neck from a leftover lump of dye + walking in the rain
posted by L'Estrange Fruit at 2:27 PM on October 31, 2010
posted by L'Estrange Fruit at 2:27 PM on October 31, 2010
Response by poster: Thanks so much for all the suggestions. Some background for my story:
The 19 year old is not the main character; she is the older sister of the 10 year old narrator, and the ending of the story involves the narrator noticing the mark on her sisters' skin before the sister does.
The 19 year old is not a huge character, but she is written to a too-cool-for-school type: a little stand-off-ish, overthinking, sees herself as smarter than most people, but terribly self-conscious. The narrator looks up to her (well, kinda) and sees her as very grown-up. I truly cannot imagine this character wearing a candy necklace under any circumstances--she would never wear anything so obviously child-like when she is trying so hard to be taken seriously. Even if a kid, even if her sister, gave her such a gift, she might keep it, but wouldn't wear it. In the original draft, the sister was cool in a cute, trendy, more sorority girl kind of way, and the candy necklace made more sense. Now it jumps out as glaringly wrong.
posted by Ideal Impulse at 2:30 PM on October 31, 2010
The 19 year old is not the main character; she is the older sister of the 10 year old narrator, and the ending of the story involves the narrator noticing the mark on her sisters' skin before the sister does.
The 19 year old is not a huge character, but she is written to a too-cool-for-school type: a little stand-off-ish, overthinking, sees herself as smarter than most people, but terribly self-conscious. The narrator looks up to her (well, kinda) and sees her as very grown-up. I truly cannot imagine this character wearing a candy necklace under any circumstances--she would never wear anything so obviously child-like when she is trying so hard to be taken seriously. Even if a kid, even if her sister, gave her such a gift, she might keep it, but wouldn't wear it. In the original draft, the sister was cool in a cute, trendy, more sorority girl kind of way, and the candy necklace made more sense. Now it jumps out as glaringly wrong.
posted by Ideal Impulse at 2:30 PM on October 31, 2010
I saw socks, but not yet shoes. I recently bought two pairs of shoes that didn't seem that crappy but apparently are, one of which turned my feet black and the other, pink. Pink! I am sure if the shoes were multi-colored (strapped sandals, some styled heel), the mark would be too. NO RAIN.
posted by whatzit at 2:49 PM on October 31, 2010
posted by whatzit at 2:49 PM on October 31, 2010
Yesterday I wore a brand new pair of very dark jeans, and walked around for a while with my hands in my pockets. My hands were stained a weird dark blue all afternoon.
posted by Zophi at 2:52 PM on October 31, 2010
posted by Zophi at 2:52 PM on October 31, 2010
Wooden bead necklaces and bracelets have stained my skin too.
posted by carmicha at 3:00 PM on October 31, 2010
posted by carmicha at 3:00 PM on October 31, 2010
Best answer: I once tucked a folded-up dollar bill in my bra for several hours on a sweaty day and had a nice picture of George Washington on my boob until I took a shower.
posted by tamitang at 3:23 PM on October 31, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by tamitang at 3:23 PM on October 31, 2010 [1 favorite]
I came to say what Zophi said: I bought some indigo-dyed (or some such) trouser jeans from the Gap this summer, and even though I've washed them a few times now, I'm still getting stains from them--especially on my fingers, from putting stuff in and out of my pockets. Annoying, and maybe helpful to you.
posted by bluedaisy at 3:29 PM on October 31, 2010
posted by bluedaisy at 3:29 PM on October 31, 2010
Best answer: -Club/concert stamp on the top of the hand - some are solid, some multi-colored.
-Cleaning up wet party streamers
-temporary tattoos (but i guess that might be too childish)
Also, I'm 30 and still sometimes wear candy necklaces.
But I guess I'm probably in the minority!
posted by KogeLiz at 3:38 PM on October 31, 2010
-Cleaning up wet party streamers
-temporary tattoos (but i guess that might be too childish)
Also, I'm 30 and still sometimes wear candy necklaces.
But I guess I'm probably in the minority!
posted by KogeLiz at 3:38 PM on October 31, 2010
Some gloves that get wet or damp will stain your hands.
posted by davey_darling at 3:55 PM on October 31, 2010
posted by davey_darling at 3:55 PM on October 31, 2010
Best answer: Some kind of dyed wooden beads...especially if they got wet, or especially if they were picked up at a street market?
posted by lemonade at 4:16 PM on October 31, 2010
posted by lemonade at 4:16 PM on October 31, 2010
Scene: an hour and a half before a job interview, my bathroom. Noticed that the @#$% person behind the counter at Dillards had not removed the anti-theft device from my new interview shirt. Damn! Ok, all right. I got this. Thinking it was just a thing that would set off the detector at the store (though why it didn't, I was too nervous about the interview to consider), I got to work with a butter knife.
Dye pack, obviously. Oh, shit! Well, it's on the arm of the shirt, which is a very loose weave, and dark blue. OK, the internet says try hairspray. So I do. And I scrub and scrub, until finally the shirt is presentable. Yay! Then I stand up and look in the mirror to do makeup. Where I see purple, blue and red hand prints on my cheeks where I must have done a Macaulay Culkin when I first noticed the dye.
I did not get this job.
posted by thebrokedown at 4:33 PM on October 31, 2010 [1 favorite]
Dye pack, obviously. Oh, shit! Well, it's on the arm of the shirt, which is a very loose weave, and dark blue. OK, the internet says try hairspray. So I do. And I scrub and scrub, until finally the shirt is presentable. Yay! Then I stand up and look in the mirror to do makeup. Where I see purple, blue and red hand prints on my cheeks where I must have done a Macaulay Culkin when I first noticed the dye.
I did not get this job.
posted by thebrokedown at 4:33 PM on October 31, 2010 [1 favorite]
Dang, forgot to mention that though the shirt looked presentable, after I got home from the interview, I did have another stain on the back of my arm where remaining dye had rubbed off there.
posted by thebrokedown at 4:35 PM on October 31, 2010
posted by thebrokedown at 4:35 PM on October 31, 2010
She was wearing shorts, and:
- sat on a newly-painted park bench, and didn't notice that it left a paint mark on the back of her knee.
- rode the bus or subway, and got some kind of grease or other dirt smudge on the back of her legs.
- walked through tall wet grass which left grass stains on her lower legs.
- sat in a field of dandelions and got yellow pollen all over her lower half (Addendum: picked a dandelion and smelled it, and got yellow pollen under her nose.)
- met up with a dog with muddy paws, who left paw prints on her legs.
Smoking can turn your fingers dark, but it take a while to build up.
posted by SuperSquirrel at 4:37 PM on October 31, 2010
- sat on a newly-painted park bench, and didn't notice that it left a paint mark on the back of her knee.
- rode the bus or subway, and got some kind of grease or other dirt smudge on the back of her legs.
- walked through tall wet grass which left grass stains on her lower legs.
- sat in a field of dandelions and got yellow pollen all over her lower half (Addendum: picked a dandelion and smelled it, and got yellow pollen under her nose.)
- met up with a dog with muddy paws, who left paw prints on her legs.
Smoking can turn your fingers dark, but it take a while to build up.
posted by SuperSquirrel at 4:37 PM on October 31, 2010
I have fallen asleep on a newspaper before and the sunscreen on my skin lifted the newsprint off the paper and imprinted it on my skin.
posted by Jacqueline at 5:09 PM on October 31, 2010
posted by Jacqueline at 5:09 PM on October 31, 2010
I really like the scarf suggestion, given what you've told us about her trying to be more adult or taken seriously. I'm thinking brightly dyed scarf like someone would wear with a suit, not like a cold-weather woolen scarf... otherwise, I'll just second what's been said about bright clothing especially in the rain (or when sweating) and dyed beads.
posted by Lady Li at 6:05 PM on October 31, 2010
posted by Lady Li at 6:05 PM on October 31, 2010
I'm left-handed. When I write, I end up with ink/graphite stains on the side of my hand from where it drags across the paper.
posted by punchdrunkhistory at 6:35 PM on October 31, 2010
posted by punchdrunkhistory at 6:35 PM on October 31, 2010
I once replaced a broken necklace chain with a nice piece of satin ribbon in order to keep wearing the pendant. It didn't stain my skin, but if it had been badly dyed, it might have.
When I was a teen too cool for words (or wished I was), I wore several necklaces with pendants hanging from silk or leather strings premade with clasps. (Generally, the pendant was a crystal in some kind of setting, or a yin/yang symbol, or a peace symbol, or...) Again, didn't rub off on my skin, but might have if badly dyed.
posted by galadriel at 7:15 PM on October 31, 2010
When I was a teen too cool for words (or wished I was), I wore several necklaces with pendants hanging from silk or leather strings premade with clasps. (Generally, the pendant was a crystal in some kind of setting, or a yin/yang symbol, or a peace symbol, or...) Again, didn't rub off on my skin, but might have if badly dyed.
posted by galadriel at 7:15 PM on October 31, 2010
I've had dye from colored beaded necklaces come off when I hit them with a little body spray (the main ingredient in body spray is denatured alcohol which is shellac thinner). I had a multi=colored neck after that little incident.
posted by dogmom at 7:50 PM on October 31, 2010
posted by dogmom at 7:50 PM on October 31, 2010
Don't know if you could work it in the story, but I wore a green feather boa for a costume once and my skin was all green afterwards.
posted by radioamy at 8:29 PM on October 31, 2010
posted by radioamy at 8:29 PM on October 31, 2010
A shirt with a beautiful lace collar worn on a sunny day will leave a sunburn that is the echo of the lace, the empty space burning a mark on her skin. Sunburn is always embarrassing, but especially so to too-cool, self conscious teenage girls.
This would work with lace cuffs, bikini or cutout swimsuit or fishnets or strappy sandals.
posted by Jilder at 9:03 AM on November 1, 2010
This would work with lace cuffs, bikini or cutout swimsuit or fishnets or strappy sandals.
posted by Jilder at 9:03 AM on November 1, 2010
My best friend reported that her 3-year-old son noticed whenever she had subtle eyeliner on. So possibly makeup that isn't quite removed? Glitter? (Those stay on FOREVER)
posted by divabat at 2:27 PM on November 1, 2010
posted by divabat at 2:27 PM on November 1, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by k8t at 12:50 PM on October 31, 2010