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Styling your jewelry to match your hair is a skill that could make or break an outfit ensemble. Earrings are especially good at drawing attention to your face, but they also contrast with your hair. To make sure that the overall look is on point, it’s important to choose the right combination.
So, how do you choose the perfect earrings to suit your outfit as well as your hairstyle?
While a general guideline for accessorizing with earrings would depend on the shape of your face and the length of your neck, there are other factors to consider as well.
Let’s get down to it and explore a few basic guidelines on matching your earrings with your hairdo!
Hair Let Down
When you wear your hair down it can distract from any earrings you wear. For everyday wear, a pair of studs is the simplest way to go. To make it more striking, choose a pair of gemstone studs such as pearls or black onyx which will get noticed beside your locks.
You could also layer these if you have multiple ear piercings to create a minimalist ensemble of delicate and tiny studs. This looks great when you use studs in the same metal colors such as silver or yellow gold. Matching the metal colors gives synergy to your earrings and won’t detract from your face or look too busy.
That’s not to say that you should only wear studs when you wear your hair down. Vibrant colorful tasselled earrings look ladylike and sophisticated no matter what hair style you have.
Just ensure that the pair of earrings isn’t hidden or overwhelmed by your hair.
Chignon Hair Style
A Chignon hair style is when you have your hair pulled back sleekly, typically into a side bun or at the nape of your neck. It’s a flawless hair style for formal occasions. The ideal earrings to wear with a Chignon hair style are delicate long drop earrings.
The length of the drop earrings will accentuate your neck and shoulder line whilst the dramatic earring drop will balance the classic nature of the chignon hair style. As your hair is pulled back and away from your face you can choose a bright drop earring which will add an eye-catching color pop to your look.
Short Hair/Pixie
Like the Chignon style, a short or pixie crop cut can be a tricky hair style to match with your earrings. Earring jackets and cuffs look fantastic along your ears when you have a shorter cut. as your ear is likely to be visible most of the time, a statement ear crawler or cuff can add a fresh and edgy look!
Bear in mind that the shape of the cuff is more important than the pattern or color combination on the cuff. Earring cuffs with a single color are the best choice as this gives a classy eye-catching look and does not make your outfit too busy. Crystals and diamonds are the perfect choice for a statement cuff earring as they make earring cuffs looking feminine and glamorous.
High Bun or Up-Do
When you wear your hair in a high bun or up-do there can be quite a lot of space from your ear to your shoulders. Your ears are going to be clearly visible and you can really flaunt a pair of classic earrings.
Pick a pair of earrings that will look gorgeous from all angles so that your outfit will look good from front to back. Long and thin dangling earrings are the perfect combination for the high bun hair style.
Hoops are another sound choice for this hair style as the back of the hoop will look as good as the front. Diamond hoops are a great choice for this.
Sometimes hoops can sit at a funny angle based on how your ears have been pierced. When you wear or try on a pair of hoop earrings make sure they are facing straight forward and not tilting off to the side.
Pony Tail
There are two ways to match earrings to your pony tail and it all depends on how high you wear the pony tail.
If your pony tail is high you will find it easier to match with larger statement earrings. Earring cuffs and hoops can add a lot of drama and movement to a high pony tail without detracting away for your face.
A low pony tail often suggests a low maintenance look so the ideal earrings are something laid back with a little bit of glamor. You can wear a single pair of large studs or you can go for a multiple earring stack with lots of dainty small studs and a huggie hoop earring which snuggly fits your ear. Both looks are feminine and suggest a laid-back style but not a casual or dressed down look.
Shoulder Length Hair
When you have shoulder length hair there is a definite line created across your shoulders. This line gives you an excellent reference point for the length and size of your earrings. The ideal pair of earrings can be colorful and quite large but make sure they don’t go past the line of your shoulders.
Statement earrings and chandelier styles will look seamless with shoulder length hair but any earrings that are long and thin will get a bit lost in your hair. So, look for earrings that fill the space around your face created by your hair.
Curly Hair
The tricky thing with curly hair is that it can often get caught in your earrings which is a problem no one wants to have! Plus, your hair already has a lot of drama and movement which can make it challenging to find statement earrings that will compliment your hair style.
If you’re happy with a pair of studs these will always look cute and flawless and are unlikely to get tangled in your hair. However, if you’re looking for something more statement then hoop earrings are the ideal choice for curly hair. This is because the curve of the hoops will compliment your hair and if your hair gets a little caught in your hoop it will be easier to untangle compared to a pair of chandelier earrings.
You can also choose from a huge range of sizes and textures for hoops earrings. Brushed metals or soft hammer detailing can add a point of difference to a plain pair of hoop earrings.
Side Swept Hair
Simple yet stylish is the way to go when you have your hair swept to one side. Pendant drop earrings are the classic go-to piece.
They are simple, feminine and elegant plus you can wear them in any color to match or contrast your outfit. You can even match them to the color of your eyes.
Avoid wearing any earrings that are too long as with a side swept hair style this will further elongate your face.
Half-Up-Half-Down
Half-up-half-down hair styles look great with long hair as they keep your face in focus but you still have the movement and femininity that is associated with long hair.
Nothing will make this hair style look more elegant than a pair of studs. Keep them simple and delicate so not to detract from your face. A pair of elegant diamonds studs or a neutral gemstone would be a match made in heaven.
Avoid anything that’s oversized or colorful to keep this style looking polished and well put together.
If diamonds are beyond your budget or not something you’re interested in, you can opt for cubic zirconia for an affordable alternative. Moissanit studs also makes a great substitute for diamonds.
How Earrings Can Change Your Face Shape
We use our hair styles to frame our faces in a flattering way. For instance, a bob hair style can elegantly frame a long face to give a more curvaceous look.
When it comes to earrings, there are similar principles in place. Hoop earrings will always add a curvier look to any face so if your face is already quite round this might accentuate your face shape too much. Very large earrings can make your face look smaller than it is and diminish the shape of your face. If you have a long face shape, wearing thin, long earrings will make your face appear even longer.
So how can you get it right?
The secret to matching your earrings to your hair style is to find the balance between your hair style, face shape and your earrings.
The best way to do this is to consider what face shape you have and then try on your earrings with different hair styles.
There might be hair styles you would never have considered for your face shape before but the right earrings and hair style combinations can be a real game changer.
So, in brief…
Matching your earrings to your hair style is a great way to always look well-dressed. However, if you have a pair of earrings you love don’t let your hair style stop you from wearing them.
At the end of the day personal tastes are just as important as the ‘rules’. Whether you wear your hair down, in a pony-tail or a high bun try experimenting with all your different earrings.
Ready to check out some amazing earrings? Etsy has a huge range of earrings to suit any occasion. Or why not browse through the earring collection on James Allen? We’re sure you’ll find something you love!
