Earrings are versatile accessories with various shapes, styles, and colors to spoil you. Whether you’re a fan of customized luxuries or a sucker for new arrivals and bestsellers, this buyer’s guide can be of great benefit. Keep reading to learn more about the different types of earrings and tips for buying a pair.
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Types of Earrings
Typically, you can walk into any earrings shop and point at the first pair that piques your interest. But knowing the backstory behind each purchase and the occasions they’re built for can ramp up the value you get from them. On that note, we’ve listed some popular earring types below.
Hoops
Hoop earrings are a great way to look your feminine best. You can opt for smaller hoops that sit comfortably with your earlobe or larger ones that make bold statements with each step you take. Hoop earrings are a mainstay of Latinx culture For modern women, hoops can symbolize strength, identity, and resistance to discrimination.
Dangle
Dangle designs help you make a bold fashion statement, especially if they’re sparkly. They flow from the bottom of the earlobe at various lengths and usually hang from a bar. The bars vary in length and texture from brand to brand.
Generally, dangles come in several categories. Some dangle types take the form of chandeliers with shiny surfaces. Teardrop dangles hang from the ear in tiny droplets. Drop designs can also include ornaments like gemstones hanging from a small bar.
Studs
Stud earrings are simple and can go with almost any outfit. Most brands feature a pearl or diamond attached to a lightweight rod that can fit comfortably within your piercing. Often, stud earrings come with back screws to firmly keep them in the right position.
Materials
Earring materials range from high-end luxurious ornaments to neatly polished and crafted materials with lower price tags.
Classic designs are often draped in gold, diamond, or sterling silver to exhibit opulence. The purity of such materials causes them to last even when subjected to water or extreme heat. Classic designs are the favorite of many high-end fashionistas. But the call for fashion to be sustainable is also opening new doors for synthetic earring materials.
If you’re an advocate for sustainable fashion yourself, you can put ethical jewelry brands like Kendra Scott on your shopping list. Many earring lovers also shop for fineness and not much for durability. Materials like cubic zirconia and nickel usually have shiny surfaces. Beads can also suffice as earring materials, especially for culture mongers.
Buying Tips
Here are some tips to help you make the best earring choices.
Skin Color
Earings are a great accessory to flatter your personal skin tone. Metal designs can do very well for fairer-skinned women, while gold and other shiny ones work best for darker skin tones.
Skin Type
Not every jewelry material does well for all skins. For ladies with sensitive earlobes, options like sterling silver, titanium, or surgical steel, can help prevent skin irritation.
Face Shapes
Seasoned earring retailers recommend longer earings for round faces and round options for square faces. But some designs, with their simplicity, can fit just about all face shapes. Also, people with oval faces can be candidates for all types of designs. Some people may ignore jewelry compatibility with their faces, and that’s perfectly fine! What’s more important is their comfort and how they encourage your confidence.
Occasion
Where you’ll wear what earring matters. If you have little children around you for the better part of the day, dangle designs can be a bad idea. Instead, you can try stud earrings to protect yourself from any injuries.
Overall, earrings are some of the most versatile accessories out there. They can help you polish your natural look, put your personality forward, and dress for success on any occasion.
