Earrings: Types, Closures, Choosing & Styling Tips
How to choose your Earrings
Earring shapes, styles and closures are considerable factors, also learning how they pair with your facial features is beneficial.
The metal & gem: First consider metal and gem choices according to your colouring. If you have warm undertones in your skin, this means yellow/rose gold and copper look good on you. But if you have blue or pink undertones, then silver and white gold are better for you. Pay attention to the metals of your other jewelry and how they match your types of earrings. If you are wearing statement earrings, don’t wear statement necklaces.
Bone structure: If you have a fine bone structure, go for earrings that are thin and delicate. If you have a medium bone structure, medium-sized and medium-weight earrings will look good on you. But if your bone structure is large, then you can choose medium to heavy and chunky earrings.
Hairstyle: With short hair, you can practically wear any type of earrings and look fabulous. Jackets, ear cuffs, crawlers, and hoops create a casual look while chandelier earrings create an eye-catching appearance. The best types of earrings for long hair are linear drop earrings and large hoops. For an elegant or relaxed updo, teardrop, dangling or chandelier style look best. If you like to wear braids or ponytails, try clusters, huggies, dangling earrings, or hoops. If you are wearing your hair half up, you can choose a delicate pair of stud earrings.
Neckline: The neckline is important not only for your necklaces but also for many types of earrings. Tassel earrings, for example, will not look great with turtlenecks, while hoops will clash with a sweetheart neckline. Instead, you should choose statement drop earrings with round edges that perfectly complement your sweetheart neckline.
Strapless necklines ask for big, bold statement earrings of any kind especially hoops, and tassels offer a cool complement to your straight neckline.
For Boat necklines, in addition to classic studs or small drop earrings, choose a pair of earrings that drops well below your jawline for a more elegant look.
V Neck is universal, but it is best to go chunky such as statement studs and dangling earrings.
For Asymmetric necklines, crawlers, and classic studs work best.
Halter necks go with chunky earrings since they create a balance with your chest and ears.
Crew/Jewel necklines call for drop earrings to provide some excitement.
High neck/turtleneck/collars look best with neat accessories, such as studs, crawlers or drop earrings.
Off the shoulder is so trendy and looks best with a pair of earrings that will draw attention to your jawlines such as hoops and dangling styles.
Clothing/ Occasion: It is very important that your earrings’ elegance match your outfits'. The general rule is that the earrings need to reflect the fabric type, precious fabric, precious and elegant earrings and vice versa.
The size of your earrings can serve a range of purposes. It has the potential to make a statement or refined look. Big and bold earrings are eye-catching but if you’re going to your office, go for simple stud earrings or huggies.
Face Shape: The shape of different types of earrings can influence the way your face looks. Earrings can make it seem as if your face is wider, thinner, longer, or larger.
Round-shaped Face's features are spaced equally, and you can offset the uniform length with shapely earrings. Stud earrings, drop earrings, long dangling earrings or pointing chandeliers also look lovely next to their prominent cheeks. It is very important to avoid hoops, button studs, and large circular earrings which will only emphasize the shape of your face.
Square face shapes carry a sharp jaw line and corners in the forehead. Huggies, studs and smaller round-edged earrings let your natural beauty stand out. Avoid square studs that have sharp corners and reinforce squareness.
Oval-Shaped Faces have the most versatile options. Your features are even, and with the right earrings, you can create further dimensions. This type of face can allow you to wear almost any type of earrings. Stud earrings, moderate length or geometric drop earrings, and hoops are good options to emphasize the middle section of your face.
Heart-shaped and triangle-shaped faces have a narrow chin. Drop, dangling, chandelier and teardrop are wider at the bottom, they will fill in the lower part of your face, making it more balanced, reinforcing your best qualities and amplifying your overall look.
Diamond-Shaped faces have slim foreheads and chins, coming to soft points, and many earrings suit this structure. Diamond shapes go well with elongated earrings like a drop or dangling ones, with curvy shapes.
Teardrop-Shaped faces have a wider chin, therefore stud and drop earrings with curved or teardrop shapes are better options for these types.
Rectangle or Oblong Faces are long and slender, clustered earrings, short dangle earrings, hoops and studs can help widen the face. But if you like long dangle earrings, look for styles that have a round shape incorporated into them.
Types of Earrings
Stud
The basic type of pierced earring that a gem or ornament is mounted on the front and held in place by a clutch back on the other side
Hoop
Different size and thickness of circular earrings
Drop
Hang vertically from the ear, single or several pieces together or hoops
Dangle
Hang down vertically to below ear, they are larger, bulkier and free to move back and forth
Cluster
Stud style earrings have decorative pieces made of several stones or gems clustered together in a single enchanting composition
Jacket
In a modern style that front part is a simple latch or stone to hold the earring in place while the main body sits behind the ear and hangs down
Huggies
Similar to hoops but smaller and sitting tight on the ear, encircle the earlobes as a fastening way
Chandeliers
Dangle earrings hanging below the ears and resemble a chandelier with multi-layered decorative pieces and an interweaving of multiple precious stones, sometimes with feathers
Tear Drop
Dangle earrings hang low down from the earlobe and have a stone or decoration shaped like a teardrop
Threader
Simple, long and thin chain threads through the ear and dangles down on both sides
Tassel
Layered, colourful, and free-flowing designs come in an array of materials such as silk, embroidery floss, beads and gold
Cuff
Covers the majority of the ear from the earlobe to the top and runs up the edge of the ear
Barbell
A long bar is connected on either end by two studs or balls to hold it into place, they stretch from the lobe up to the top of the upper earlobe and require multiple piercings to fit in place
Crawler
Begin at the base of the ear and climb upwards toward the top of your ear, designed as trailing flowers, golden constellations, or a chain of gently curving diamonds
Cartilage
They are made to go into piercings on the cartilage of the ear rather than in the earlobe and come in an array of designs, sizes, and shapes
Bajoran
Combine several styles into one distinctive look, a thin, decorative chain links a lobe piercing to a cuff clip high on the shell of the ear
Chain
Has layers of thin chains connected via piercing
Two-sided
Has two interlocking pieces that are attached on either side of your earlobe
Lobe
With a stud piercing through the lobe and an extended hook around the inner ear, the lobe earring wraps around the ear lobe
C Hoop
Half hoops that forms a J or a C shape when seen from the side
Types of Closure
Screw Back
Screwed onto the lobe, allow for exact adjustment, an alternative for those who find clips too painful
Latch back
A straight latch that goes through the ear and then snaps into a notch on the other side of the earring, most used for hoop earrings and huggies
Hinged/Saddle Back
It features a hinged post that snaps onto a groove on the back of the earring, best for hoop and huggie earrings
Push Back/Stud
The most common backing style has a small hole that slides onto the post
African/Fish Hook
A metal wire which is curved in the shape of a fishhook, long enough not to require any other backing, the hook can sometimes be additionally secured by silicone friction
Ear Wire
They are comparable to fishhooks but have a longer length. The metal wire that hangs down is typically so long that there's no need for a stopper
Spring
The wire or post is inserted into the opposite tube, commonly used for hoop earrings
Lever Back
An extension of the fishhook contains a lever that completes the hook and avoids slippage of the hook from the hole
Magnetic
Magnetic earrings simulate the look of a (pierced) stud earring by attaching to the earlobe with a magnetic back that holds the earring in place by magnetic force
French
The ear wire snaps into the opposite fork-shaped part
Omega
It combines older types of ear clips which are used for un-punctured ears with the lever back fastening and stud closure
Clip On
A two-part piece is attached to the back of an earring, closed around the earlobe, using mechanical pressure to hold the earring in place
