The name “Earring” came into existence as a combination of the body part where it is worn and the original jewelry item that it was derived from – the ring. The ancient earrings were actually large sized thin rings with open ends.
Interesting Trivia: The church officially banned piercing of ears and wearing earrings in the 13th century as they believed that the human body was the image of God and it shall not be altered from its natural God given shape. However, those outside the law, continued to pierce their ears and wear earrings.
In certain European societies, the only son in the family wore an earring in the right ear. The sons of a single mother, on the other hand, wore a single earring in the left ear. And if by any chance, a man wore earrings in both ears, he would get extra protection as the earrings would signify that he was the last man in his family line.
While the trend of men wearing earrings continues even today, it has reduced quite drastically. Today, earrings have become fashion and style statements mainly for women. Many different styles of earrings have been developed over the years, ranging from the simple gold bead studs, to solitaire diamond studs and long, designer dangling earrings.
Studs: One of the earliest forms of earrings, studs can be either a metal ball, or a stone encrusted design. Either way, the earring would remain flush against the skin of the ear lobe and remain there unmoving. Solitaire earrings and small cluster earrings mainly fall into this category of earrings.
Tear Drops: This earring style draws its name from the shape of a tear drop. They can also be described as dew drop earrings. These earrings can be made of plain metal or feature a pearl or precious and semiprecious stones. The tear drop would usually hang just below the lower edge of the ear lobe and would swing freely.
Hoops: Most probably the first earrings ever crafted, hoops are basically large rings that are threaded through the pierced hole in the ear lobe. Most hoops are plain metal strips or extremely thin tubes. However, certain modern hoops also have a single string of diamonds studded on their outer circumference.
Ear Huggies: Another form of hoops but of much smaller size, ear huggies are earrings that usually sit on the ear lobe through a clamp or clip. These can also be plain metal or diamond studded on the frontal visible circumference.
Danglers: Amongst the most elaborate earrings around, danglers are big earrings that can be made of one or more parts. These earrings dangle well below the ear lobe and have intricate designs and patterns made of metal and diamonds. Danglers are among the most worn and in demand earrings, especially among the celebrities and style icons.
Cluster Earrings: These earrings are similar to studs, yet slightly different. Cluster earrings stay flush against the skin of the ear lobe, but their size is larger and they are made of intricate designs that extend beyond the lower edge of the ear. Cluster earrings are extremely chic, stylish and perfect option for cocktail parties.
