Which Earrings Enhance a Look from Great to Best

This post discusses which earrings enhance your look from great to the best no matter what your age and dressing preferences. Read what are the best earrings for your personal style.

Disclosure: There are affiliate links in this post.

Why Do Different Personal Styles Need Different Ear Jewelry?

We all agree that accessories can make or break an outfit. You want the right accessories for great style that is in sync with your personality.

Why you may have earrings from different styles

You rarely find a woman who is a 100% Bohemian or 100% American Classic., etc. Most women have a primary and secondary style preference, sometimes even a tertiary. It’s all personal!

Tip: The mix makes what distinguishes your way of dressing from that of the next gal.

Often fashion trends like I showed in my post on the history of earrings in fashion, income and changing lifestyle are part of the reason.

Furthermore, midlife women have collected pieces over time. Your preference may have changed as your lifestyle changes, and you did not toss pieces you don’t wear any longer for various reasons. Memories, value, gifts from someone special, family heirlooms, you name it.

Should You Stop Wearing Them When Your Style Changed?

It depends, when you still like them and they don’t make you look old-fashioned (read if they are not trendy pieces from yesterdecades) by all means wear them! But when you are investing in new pieces or updating your jewelry, know when to splurge or bargain and buy pieces that enhance who you have become.

In case, you don’t know your primary style personality, you can determine it here  with my free online style finder. Now that you know your primary personal style, let’s see what’s in store for you style-wise.

Which earrings are best for which primary personal style type?

Best Earrings for the Romantic Gal

You enjoys pretty feminine clothes. Curves and whimsical details, lace, not too large floral pattern make your heart beep faster. Choose decorative items with curvy and rounded details inspired by lace, chandeliers, flowers or tassels like those in the example photos below. Pieces with enamel are great when they up floral or animal details. Given the wide range of materials from which to create such romantic inspired pieces, flea markets, vintage estate stores and even cheap online custom jewelry are in your arsenal to give your LOTD the finishing touch.

Best Ear-Jewelry for the Dramatic/Glamorous Woman

Bold, edgy, black, big and glamorous are your things. “Look at me!” is your motto.  Go for straight geometric pieces like triangle, square, rectangular, and star shapes to add drama to your look. Bold zirconia or Swarovski crystal embellished statement pieces are for you when you are more along the glamour side. Sure the really huge pieces, like those shown below, are for going out and parties. At work, try smaller version of the same.

Great Ear Pieces for Urban/City Style

Each city has its own heartbeat. Just think about how people dress in New York vs. Los Angeles vs. London or Tokyo, Singapore vs. Paris, or any of your favorite towns. However, the globalization of fashion has even picked up on this spirit of the city inhabitants. In a crowd of a big city or mega city, everything nature is rare, and hence, adored, admired, loved where ever it shows, strives and survives. There isn’t much nature left in a city, right? Individuality seems to be lost. Fashion serves to tell who you are more than everything.

City style and street chic is all about creativity sticking out in the crowd of millions of look-alike. Nature and art inspired pieces are along your lines. Artsy style is a variation of the urban style.

Both work well with pieces that dangle. Look for artisan made contemporary pieces. Artfully simple lines are a Do. Try a bold color, if you dare. It’s all about creativity.

Bohemian Style

Bohemian Style is inspired by ethnic pieces from all over the World. American Native drop earring pieces, Evil Eyes, Bedouin or Indian pieces as well as bold wood earrings. They all work well with Boho dressing. You find your pieces when browsing bazaars when on travel, on flea markets or in antique stores. As a real Bohemian, cheap and false is ok. For the luxury Bohemian, an original is a Must. If your version of Boho trends towards Gothic, skulls, mid evil inspired pieces are great.

Classic Style

American Classic Style as well as Euro Chic style are all about no fuss, simple, posh practical and timeless. Small hoops or gold knots, button-like studs in gold and silver look perfect with your clothes. Pearl or diamond studs are also great accessories for you. These earrings go with everything. That’s why they are also great for other styles. The Euro Chic lady may like to wear the bolder/larger variation of these pieces. Why? It’s all Coco Chanel‘s fault. She made elegant, bold classic costume jewelry a Do.

Casual Style

There are several variations to casual style. There is California Casual style, posh casual,  business casual, outdoor casual, … . All these variations have in common that they are about comfort, being able to move, may be a bit informal. If that sounds like you, your jewelry must work in the wild of the outdoors as well as on the job. No fuzz! No embellishment or many/small details! Think plain silver or any other metal, silver wire with a gemstone for going posh casual. Leather or wood earrings when you are all about sustainability. Sure they may be painted.

For business casual style, pearl or diamond studs as well as knot style studs are best. When you answer the phone at the office, it shouldn’t sound like you are dinging with your keys against your phone each time when you move your head, right?

For the other variations of the casual personality, drop sterling silver style, small hoops, studs are practical and chic. These pieces work as well with a T-shirt as a Buffalo plaid jacket. For going out a one inch long drop style with a gemstone is perfect to look posh casual.

Wear the right accessories no matter what the dressing situation. Just look it up in How to Dress for Success in Midlife. Buy my book now.

Wrapping Up the Best Earrings for Your Personal Style

There are various style of earrings that indicate a certain style direction. It is rare that a woman is a clean 100% style. Typically, you have a primary and a secondary style. When buying a new pair the best earrings for your personal style are always those that match your primary style. It’s ok to hold on to a piece for sentimental reasons. If you still feel comfortable wearing them, by all means do. They can become you signature piece or are most likely pieces from your secondary style. Often a primary preference becomes secondary because of lifestyle- or job-changes or because your style developed. More on having no fear of progress in great style.

Photos of me: G. Kramm

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