Cute Earrings

Small earrings that get worn rather than admired — stars, hearts, flowers, clovers, evil eyes, pearls and tiny huggies. All 18K gold vermeil at 3 microns over solid sterling silver, or gold plated, in gold, silver and rose gold. Many sold as singles as well as pairs, from $12.

Small Earring Questions

What makes small earrings look expensive rather than cheap?

Two things: what's underneath, and whether they sit flat. A small earring in plated brass goes patchy at the edges within a season. One in gold over sterling silver doesn't. And a stud that tips forward on the lobe reads costume however good the metal is — weight distribution matters more at small sizes.

Can you mix and match different earrings?

It's the current way to wear them, and it's why so many of these sell as singles. The rule that keeps it deliberate rather than accidental: keep the metal consistent and vary the shapes. Mixed shapes in mixed metals looks like you lost the other halves.

How do you build an ear stack?

Largest at the lobe, smallest as you go up. A 12mm hoop at the bottom, a stud in the second hole, an 8mm huggie in the cartilage. Reversing that — small at the lobe, large above — is what makes a stack look unbalanced.

Are small earrings good for sensitive ears?

Generally the best option, because less metal sits inside the piercing. What matters more is the base — nickel causes most reactions, and gold over solid sterling silver has none. At 3.0 microns the plating doesn't wear through to find anything else.

Can you sleep in them?

Studs and small huggies, comfortably. Flatbacks are the ones designed for it — the smooth back sits against the pillow without pressing. Anything with a butterfly back works loose overnight, which is how singles become singles.

Why buy singles?

Second holes, cartilage, and the pair you've already lost half of. Buying two different singles costs the same as a pair and gives you a stack rather than a match.

See also stud earrings, huggie hoop earrings, flatback earrings and all earrings.