Which earring styles are currently in demand? Which trends from 2011 will return in 2012 as a street style? What has generated interest in the fall/winter collections? Which earrings are “trending” in 2012?
Once again the trends are quite varied—this is true for quality jewelry as well as costume jewelry. Whether with jewelry designers, on the catwalk, during awards ceremonies and celebrity events on the red carpet, on fashion and jewelry blogs, shops such as Etsy or as street style: Some trends have already been defined, while others remain highly anticipated for the remainder of 2012.
1. Sparkling studs: “Bling it on.”
Every classy outfit calls for beautiful studs. They look great with long evening gowns, a business look and a more sporty style. In short, you can’t go wrong with studs. Many women, and men too, love studs because they are so versatile. The more fashion-conscious pay attention to detail and go for a little sparkle. Styles vary too. Pearl studs are a true classic which never gets old. The same is true for round or square diamond studs. Studs with synthetic pearls or Cubic Zirconia are affordable, even in skin friendly, hypoallergenic materials. Flower, star and heart shapes are very popular. In some countries, birthstones are among the favorites. 18 karat (750) gold or 14 karat (585) gold studs look stunning. Examples of celebrities who love diamond studs are Halle Barry and Sandra Bullock. Your jewelry store is a great place to look for top-quality jewelry made from real gold, silver or with diamonds.
2. “Big is beautiful.”
With inspiration drawn from movie and music stars and celebrities from reality TV shows, one thing seems clear: The grand entrance requires statement earrings to make an impression. The designs are becoming more and more extravagant. Materials, shapes and colors vary too. There are various trends which we cover in the following paragraphs 3 – 6. It is important that the extra large earrings are a real eye-catcher. They look best when combined with very little other jewelry. It’s a good idea to wear statement earrings mainly for special occasions, since they are too heavy to be worn all day and they easily get caught in clothing or other objects.
3. Feather earrings
Real and artificial bird feathers have already adorned many women’s ears since last year. Peacock feathers are just as popular as combinations of natural earth colors such as brown, black and white and all the way to bright pink. The good thing—feather earrings are large, though light. It seems that people either love or hate feather earrings. While those who never liked them in the first place are quick to see a waning trend, the masses seem to have just jumped on the bandwagon. Miley Cyrus, Drew Barrymore and Paris Hilton have been seen wearing such earrings. Feather earrings are for example part of the collection of the jewelry chain Claire’s.
4. Large hoops: diamond-studded or with large pearls
Simple, but large hoop earrings have been “in” for a long time. The best example is definitely Jennifer Lopez, who is rarely seen without her giant hoops. This is another mass trend. Some still prefer plain gold, silver or surgical steel hoops. But strikingly decorated hoops are definitely trending. They are either wider and studded with diamonds, Cubic Zirconia or synthetic stones, or several large pearls made from various materials are threaded onto thin hoops.
5. Chandeliers: from romantic to Arabian Nights
Chandeliers are a retro trend. They are very feminine and appear as if from a dream, a different time or a distant world. They may look vintage, but in most cases they’re not. Combinations of silver or gold with droplet-shaped precious stones or synthetic stones in various colors are seen frequently. Gwyneth Paltrow, Cameron Diaz, Uma Thurman and Nicole Kidman are not the only ones who accentuate their femininity with chandeliers.
6. Tassel earrings
Tassels, which we remember from grandma’s curtains in her living room, have been used in fashion in various forms for some time. With earrings, the tassels can be shoulder-length or even longer. The individual threads can be made from silk, sometimes they are strung with pearls, sometimes they are small silver chains, sometimes made of leather strips. Natalie Portman wore her tassel earrings in violet and silver on the red carpet, Kate Hudson chose hers in white and silver, and Rihanna in gold and silver. Bijou Brigitte offers earrings in this style.
7. Cool elegance
Focus on black or anthracite and silver is also trending. Materials used for this are, for example, hematite, onyx, and silver. Some studs and hook earrings from JETTE, Thomas Sabo and DKNY, which are available at Christ, Rockberries or the Danish jewelry label Pilgrim, are representative of this style.
Image credits
Header image: © Dmitry Fisher/Fotolia