Earrings can be put on using many different backings. While most require the wearer to pierce their ear, this is not always the case. Certain styles of earrings tend to place limitations on the available styles - for example, stud earrings tend to sport smaller designs while drop earrings can be more creative when it comes to size and shape of the design. Interestingly, earrings can use multiple styles in one piece - for example, an ear cuff might be attached to both the cartilage and the earlobe.
Clip-on earrings
This type of earrings is attached to the earlobe using a clasp, or clip. This makes them stand out from most types of earrings, as clip-on earrings do not require a piercing - they can be worn without preparation, and can be taken off at will. They are quite convenient, and for those with more sensitive ears there are cushions available to reduce the pressure of the clip on the earlobe. Overall, clip-on earrings are an accessible type of earring for both children and adults alike.
Their most popular application is in fashion jewellery, however there are fine jewellery examples as well.
Drop earrings
Drop earrings attach to the earlobe via a piercing, usually it is a slightly longer one. This allows them to have a great variety of designs - usually this means they can use longer, and more elaborate designs as opposed to clip-on earrings or stud earrings. In fact, some of them can be called Chandelier earrings - these designs resemble a chandelier in shape and tend to feature numerous elements dangling from the earring. Overall, drop earrings allow greater freedom for the designers and expression for the users.
Hoop earrings
Hoop earrings attach through a piercing closure, unlike drop earrings where there is no closure. Their circular design is usually quite large, thus they are a great choice when you are looking to make a statement. Most hoop earrings are circular, however there are many designs that take on a shape not unlike that of a horseshoe. Their size and shape generally allows a considerable amount of freedom for the designer, and depending on the complexity of the design they can be made from various material - Gold and Silver are common, as are other metals such as copper, but even wood can be successfully used to create a set of hoop earrings.
Stud earrings
Using a simple one-way post piercing, the stud earrings are attached to the earlobe using a short post to go through the earlobe, and a clutch to be placed onto the post on the back side of the earlobe. They are one of the smallest earring styles, much like the clip-on earrings, and can be used to give the appearance of 'floating' on the earlobe - the piercing itself is usually difficult to notice. Their limitations are mostly in the design size - given their usually small size they tend to feature smaller designs though they do not necessarily have to be simpler.
Screw-back earrings
These earrings are similar to both stud and clip-on earrings. They can be attached to the ear either using a post or a clasp - depending on whether they require piercing or not - and then their position can be adjusted. This means that they can be worn closer or further away from the ear once they are put on, allowing the wearer to tweak their look a bit further.
Ear Cuffs
These earrings are not attached to the earlobe - usually their position is on the cartilage. However, it should be noted they have a great variety of closures available - some are positioned on both the cartilage and the earlobe. Their designs are typically longer, and can even include a dangling element similar to drop earrings.
Hopefully this will have helped you decide which earring style is the best for you, or perhaps which one is the best as a gift. Feel free to browse our range of earrings, we have lots of interesting designs!