Hoop earrings say ‘funky disco with the Spice Girls in the 90’s’. Diamond hoop earrings turn the style notch up a few carats. They add just the right amount of sophistication and glamorous sway to polish some manners into a traditionally devil-may-care, bad-girl accessory.
Diamond Hoop Earrings: How to Style
Hoops have been around forever – just like diamonds. The first ever hoop earring to be unearthed has been attributed to the earlobe of a Sumerian woman. At the time, the trend must have swept like a typhoon through Egypt, Greece, and Rome. The style never went out of fashion.
Thousands of years later, J-Lo was rocking the door-knocker earrings in the Bronx and cut diamonds were fitted on the swaying loops for additional glitz.
Never mind that the Cullinan mine only served the British Royal House with the bluest and rarest diamonds in stock. The time had come for the precious stones to become less a fancy occasion jewelry and more of a cosmopolitan accessory.
Hoop earrings were never subtle or shy. Just like the women wearing them, these fist-sized hula hoops pierced an impression on the viewer. Still, diamond hoop earrings upped the game with some over the top features.
The Diamonds That Took Over the Hoops
Not only are they an extravagant piece of fine jewelry, but the diamond hoop earrings are as versatile as they are timeless. They can be button-sized or as large as coffee coasters, angular shaped or pave with a coating of chocolate colored stones.
Most women yearn to own a pair of this super casual yet extra glamorous earrings. But once you own them, you’re supposed to accessorize.
If you’re accustomed to having your outfit or hairstyle dictate the type of jewelry to wear, put away the preconceptions. This time, the diamond-studded hoops set the tone. So, first put on the earrings, then the clothes.
Size of the Hoop
What is the ideal size for hoops? These are a precarious piece of fashion- it’s easy to get it wrong and ruin the ensemble. One rule seems to hold though, and it will let you know if diamond hoop earrings are really your best friends or enemies in disguise.
The rule is: if you don’t have a distinguishable jawline, maybe simple diamond studs are a better fashion choice for you.
Not too shoulder-grazing
If the diamond hoop earrings are alarmingly big, they might give you an unflattering, bossy look. Also, they can get easily caught in something. The pull might either tear off your earlobe- ouch! or scatter the stones through the pavement cracks. Just pray the diamonds keep their shiny light at night time too.
Not too underwhelming
If you’re going for subtlety, then the mini-hoops are the best choice to both complement your facial features and keep the glamor low. Still, the size shouldn’t border on the non-committal. Unless, of course, you’re either a stylish two-year-old or a stylish grown man.
Ultimately, the size of your diamond hoop earrings should depend on the size of your face, the prominence of your jaw line and the length of your neck.
A rule of the thumb is: longer than your jaw line, two inches from your shoulder, and no larger than your fist.
Of course, all rules fall when they hit personal soft spots. For example, you might be an unwavering fan of the button-sized, on-the-ear huggie hoop earrings. Granted, too diminutive to ever get in the way, but nevertheless open to the versatility of the hoops, the huggies are ideal for both the office environment and the casual theater evening.
Shape of the Hoop
Diamond hoop earrings give ample way to experiment in terms of shape and style.
Jewelers hung mobiles and dangles to the hoops to create versatility and keep up with the ever starving public demand for original designs.
Diamonds have infiltrated inside every style of hoop earring: classic, endless, square tube, satin, twisted, and fancy, the latter being the rule-breaker of hoop earrings. That means they need to be neither round nor shiny.
You can always experiment with edgier styles and decorative motifs. Non-circular, angular or pointed shapes give the impression of attenuating the thickness of a jaw line.
Diamond of the Hoop
Pave diamond hoop earrings
Originating from French and literally meaning ‘paved’, the word ‘pave’ best reflects this arrangement of diamonds on the hoop earring.
Think of a mosaic paved boardwalk on miniature scale and you’ll get a sense of the intricacy of the design. Diamonds have to be uniformly arranged in close proximity in order to build up the impression of a natural coating on the earring.
Small grains of metal hold each stone, although like in any architectural feat, the metal structure is hidden to the eye. The best stones to use for this setting are the full cut diamonds.
Each possessing 58 facets, they’ll combine with the elegant sway of the hoop earring to catch the light in movement and throw it back at the eye in a mischievous dance of flashes and blinks.
Rose Gold Diamond Hoop Earrings
You can choose a considerably lower, therefore cheaper, diamond color to fit on a rose gold setting compared to white gold or platinum jewelry. This is due to the fact that the stone will share some the deep rose gold background setting anyway.
The best diamond color to consider for the rose gold settings ranges from J to M. The same recommendation goes for the rose gold chocolate diamond hoop earrings.
And yes, you guessed it right. They do look appetizing enough to confuse them with chocolate candy.
Blue Diamond Hoop Earrings
One survey says only one natural blue diamond can be found on the market for every 100 Picasso paintings sold at an auction. The Catalan Master of Cubism would not like those odds.
Beating even the rarest diamonds to the top – such as pink, but not red, violet or purple, the stronger the blue in the stone, the more unique the diamond. The hues range from pale and clear to intense steel-deep blue.
As mentioned before, the majority of blue stones fare from the Cullinan Mine near Pretoria in South Africa. Due to the scarcity of the blue diamonds, prices have increased dramatically over the past decade. Between 12 and 17 percent, every year.
You might have to jump through some financial hoops to get the pair of carat loaded blue diamond earrings you want.
What Type of Hairstyle Works with the Diamond Hoop Earrings?
That depends. Do you want your hoop earrings to stand out and steal the show, or would you rather have them yielding to your look?
If you go for the former, wear your hair slicked back in an updo. Curling your hair and pinning it back is another option.
If you choose the latter, though, just leave your long hair cascading over the hoops. Wavy hair is even better for the disheveled, bad-girl look. The diamonds will know when it’s time to shine and draw attention.
What Attire to Wear with the Diamond Hoops?
In the past, the precious stones were only trotted out for glamorous occasions. Nowadays, the sky’s the limit.
Diamond hoop earrings can look stunning with anything from the buttoned-up office attire, a silky top, a blazer, a Cyndi Lauper wacky dress or a Courtney Cox leather jacket.
Pair your hoop earrings with a boat neck top or an all-black outfit for contrast.
Final Thoughts
The diamond hoop earrings are as much of a classic ‘ladylike’ accessory as a fashion bender to live through the ages. They’re enough of a statement to shine for another thousand years in the future.
