Along with showcasing all the newest clothes for Spring/Summer 2024, the runways in Europe and the U.S. were filled with one accessory in particular: Earrings. They were everywhere adorning the collections of Ralph Lauren, Carolina Herrera and Naeem Khan, among others. Oversized hoops and long swinging earrings were particularly popular on the catwalk. And it’s a trend that easily translates to real life. While runway jewelry is always big, dramatic, even theatrical so that everyone can see the jewelry, it’s easy to scale down the proportions (or not) for every day wear. And even though these jewels are trending for spring/summer there’s no reason why you can’t start wearing them now.
Earrings Flatter Your Face
Earrings bring attention to your face casting a flattering glow on your skin. Many of us have a pair of diamond solitaire earrings in our jewelry box and these are a fabulous staple, they are the go to earrings in anyone’s jewelry wardrobe that may be worn any time, any place and they will always be right. However, it’s much more fun to have some choices in your earring collection There are many styles of earrings to choose from and there are a few things to think about when you buy new or vintage earrings.
Neck and Hair Length
Consider the length of your neck. If you have a long neck, you’ll easily be able to wear elongated, dangling styles of earrings. If you have a shorter neck, you may want to keep your earrings closer to the ear lobe with a drop or huggie style.
Think about your hair. Long or short, curly or straight, it may make a difference in the earrings you choose. If you have curly hair, you may want to select earrings that have a curve to them that flows with your hair. Or you may prefer a straight line earring that contrasts the curl. If your hair is straight, do the reverse.
Hoops
Hoop earrings are another one of those jewelry box staples. It’s a style that never goes out of style and they come in myriad looks. They can be oversized or tiny, blingy with diamonds or more subdued in plain gold. Hoops are fun for daytime work wear or casual events and glamorous for night time, but no matter what you select you, can never go wrong with hoops. They work with all hair types, face shapes and ear lobes.
Earlobes and Earrings
When choosing earrings it’s important to think about the size of your ear lobe. It’s kind of like getting the right fit with your clothes, you want the right fit with your earrings so that they hang correctly. If an earring is too heavy it will pull your lobe down or forward, and it won’t look right. Earrings need to be in proportion to your ear lobe, so if you have small lobes, you’ll want something that is a little smaller on top or that it works with your ear size. Also, if you have pierced ears, you want to make sure that the wire or other clasp doesn’t pull your ear down. One way to correct a pierced earring with a post that doesn’t sit right is to use a bigger back with the post. Called clutch or butterfly backs, the larger backing will help to stabilize the earring on your ear. These backings come in a few sizes, so you may have to experiment a bit to get the right sizing. Make sure you have your earrings with you when purchasing backs as you will have to make sure that the back fits on the post. With a French wire ear hook, you can stabilize the wire by sliding a small back on the hook. By sliding the back all the way up to the ear, you do two things: One is to make the earring sit up straighter and the other is that you secure the earring.
You may also choose to wear a sophisticated earring that sits on the ear in such a way that it covers the earlobe. There are plenty of styles that do exactly that and you may want to keep it interesting by wearing earrings that are square shaped or reach upward on the ear.
Multiple Piercings
If you have multiple piercings in your ears, even better it gives you more places to wear earrings, but you will need to make sure that the earrings in your primary holes are compatible with the other earrings you are wearing.
Like any piece of jewelry earrings are a reflection of your personal style, so choose what you love and enjoy wearing them often.
Featured image (top of page): Photo by Olena Bohovyk on Unsplash.
First: Colored diamond, white diamond and gold chandelier earrings, total diamond weight approximately 50-carats; Second: Victorian old mine diamond and gold cluster drop earrings, circa 1890; Third: Art Deco diamond, emerald, onyx and platinum dangle earrings, circa 1925; Fourth: Platinum hoop earrings feature 29.77-carats of emerald cut diamonds; Fifth: Diamond and 18-karat gold clip on earrings, circa 1980s; Sixth: Cultured pearl, amethyst, watermelon tourmaline, pink tourmaline, blue topaz and 18-karat gold earrings, signed Bulgari, circa 1980.
Authored by Amber Michelle