How to Build an Ear Party
What is an Ear Party?
Starry Night and Mona Lisa beware. There's a new masterpiece in town - the ear party. An ear party is an arrangement of earrings with varied shapes, sizes, and colors worn in piercings in and around the ear. There's a secret to designing the perfect collection, and not everyone has the skills to do it.
Anyone who wants to add an artistic edge to their style should consider crafting one. You might ask, "What's the point?"
There's a reason ear parties have become so popular over recent years. In a world of cookie-cutter style, wearing an ear party signals to everyone you walk past that you have a sense of individuality that's hard to replicate.
Placing different earrings alongside one another creates a vision worthy of a still life painting. Each earring compliments the other, and the result is more visually striking than if they stood alone. Play with texture, color, and shape, build from larger to smaller as you move up the ear, and add asymmetries to craft the perfect gallery. Want the insider's guide? Read on to get the secrets everyone wants to know.
Start with the Anchor
The most important part of an ear party is the anchor. We styled our model in the Naya Baroque Pearl Earrings, a gold pearl huggie with a small tear drop pendant at the end. The irregular pearl draws the eyes towards the wearer’s face. It’s also large enough to stand out among the smaller hoops on the outer ridge of the ear.
Build the Supporting Cast
Any masterpiece wouldn't be complete without all of its details. Design the rest of your ear party by adding smaller hoops or studs along the outer ridge of your ear. The model wears a variety of small gold hoops to build cohesion with the Naya Baroque Pearl Earrings. They slightly differ in variety and shape, which adds visual interest. The Naya Earrings bring weight while the smaller gold hoops add levity, hugging the shape of the ear.
Mixing Metals and Textures
It's every designer and stylist's best keep secret - mixing textures and metals is the way to go. Play with light and shadows by mixing and matching your earrings. Here, we paired the Hecate Dangle in Gold with the Hecate's Eye in 18k on Sterling. The difference between the earring lengths allows the wearer to play with balance. Neither piece gets lost behind the other, they both have space to shine. The smooth surface of the pearl contrasts with the sculptural details in the Hecate Dangle piece. Whereas past trends emphasize conformity, the ear party gives you more space to transgress conventional style. This matches what every famous painter knows - your audience won't look unless you surprise them with something unexpected.
L: Hecate Dangle in Gold; R: Hecate's Eye in 18k on Sterling
Ear Party Sets vs. Building Your Own
The benefit of an ear party is that you aren't confined to a pre-made set. Cookie cutter sets disappear in a crowd; building your own lets you stand out. Pair earth tones with vibrant hues and soft golds with stunning silvers. The more contrast between each earring, the better.
L: Crescent Hoops in Silver; R: Paloma Pearl Huggies in 18k on Sterling, Nora Pearl Huggies in 18k on Sterling
Ear Stacks We are Obsessed with and Why We Love Them.
Combine pieces from our collection of stud earrings and pearl huggies. Our Pyramid Studs in 18K on Sterling add a punk-rock flair to your gallery. With a petal detail, the Pyramid Studs can be paired with smaller studs or hoops around the ear.
The Crescent Hoops in Gold add a new dimension to your look - get them in small, medium, and large. With 18 karat gold-plated recycled sterling silver, these hoops catch and bend the light. Pair these hoops with tiny studs right above your ear lobe or with a small hoop on your upper ear. Either way, you’ll shine bright.
The Paloma Pearl Huggies in Gold are made with 18 karat gold-plated recycled sterling silver and a freshwater pearl. Wear these on your first or second lobe piercings with a pendant style earring, studs, or delicate, ear hugging hoops. We paired these with the equally gorgeous Nora Pearl Huggies in Gold.
Every piece in the stack is hand-sculpted in our Seattle studio and cast from recycled metals: our own designs, not a stock casting from a catalog. Ethically crafted with a casting partner third-party certified by Sedex SMETA 4-Pillar.
The Ear Party, Composed
Any good artist must learn the rules to break them. Contrast shadows with sources of light, find your focus and build around it, pair opposites to make your details stand out. All these rules apply here. When building your ear party masterpiece, remember that originality is key.
Common Questions About Ear Parties
What is an ear party?
An ear party is your own personal art gallery featuring all of your favorite earrings. Place studs, hoops, chains, and huggies along your ear to complement your beauty and that of your jewelry. Bringing each piece together amplifies their unique qualities and helps you stand out.
How do you style an ear party?
Ear parties are easy to create. Place a hoop or stud to shine on your earlobe and alternate sizes, shapes, or even colors as you work your way up the ear. Change out your pieces to add variety and test different combinations. Once you’ve found your perfect arrangement, display it for all to see.
How many earrings should an ear party have?
Ear parties can include as many or as few earrings as you want. Depending on how many piercings (and space!) you have available, stick to two pieces per section on your ear. For example, on the lobes, pair a stud and ear huggie. The key is to balance out empty space with each piece.
Can you mix gold and silver earrings in an ear party?
Absolutely. Alternate between silver and gold for each piece to maintain balance. Try using the same designs on both ears while maintaining different patterns for each. For example, if you use a gold stud on one ear, use a silver stud on the other.