A staple of many a jewelry wardrobe is a pair (or two or three…) of hoop earrings. They may be plain or embellished, small or large, round or oval, and they may be rendered in any type and color material. Hoop earrings are almost universally flattering. Unadorned, small to medium-size hoops work with just about any style, from apparel appropriate to a professional office setting to casual looks anchored by jeans. This season, hoop earrings are trending toward bigger, bolder statement versions that draw the eye up to the wearer’s face.
The large earrings are influencing hair styles this season. In the April 2011 issue of Vogue magazine, beauty director Sarah Brown expounds on this synergy: “From seventies waves and pixie crops to all manner of updo, spring hair gets a lift from the new statement earrings.” She continues: “Fashion’s long-standing affair of the necklace shifted to a substantial flirtation with the earring this season, with fresh updates on the once-bohemian hoop—made minimalist in chunky resin at Prada, exaggerated to gigantic proportions at Dolce & Gabbana—and neck-grazing fringe, like the heavy cascades of fine chains at Chanel.” (I’ll do a review of designs incorporating fringe in a forthcoming post. And if you love necklaces, not to worry—there are still plenty of exciting designs prominent in fashion editorials. Do check back for my continuing analyses of the design directions of necklaces.)
Vogue illustrates Brown’s article with the above photographs, among others. The model is wearing the chunky resin hoops from Prada mentioned above along with a Ralph Lauren Black Label trench coat. The earrings pictured in close-up to the left are Saturn looped hoops from Herve van der Straeten.
The aforementioned Dolce & Gabbana earrings with exaggerated proportions are pictured in the April 2011 issue of Elle magazine. The model wears a Dior jacket over a striped sweater from Sonia Rykiel with a clutch and belt from Hermes. Notice that the model also wears a pair of leather-strap gold watches from Cartier on one wrist—a styling detail that plays off the stripes of the sweater (you will recall that stripes with stripes is an important trend this season).
The April 2011 issue of More magazine pictures actress Rosemarie DeWitt in large sterling silver hoops from Ippolita to accompany an elaborately designed dress from Piazza Sempione.
The cover of the April 2011 issue of Glamour features actress Kate Winslet wearing textured rose gold hoop earrings from Van Cleef & Arpels to accompany a dress from Hervé Léger by Max Azria.
Bejeweled versions of hoop earrings are popular too: The March 2011 issue of Glamour features actress and style icon Diane Kruger wearing an ensemble by Balmain accessorized with diamond and gold hoop earrings and ring from the Pomellato Tango collection.
Actress Halle Berry is often pictured wearing hoop earrings, which complement her alluring style, and in the above photo taken on March 19 that was published in the April 4, 2011 issue of People, she appears with Mohammad Ali at his Celebrity Fight Night gala wearing large bejeweled hoops and what looks to be a wide mesh bracelet.
From the March 2011 issue of Vogue is this photograph showing two different takes on large hoop earrings. The large, thin hoops at left are uncredited; the heavier pair of 18k gold hoops at right are from Ofira. The model to the left wears textured bangles from Blumarine; the bracelets on the model to the right are uncredited. (Inexplicably, Vogue’s credit page, “In This Issue” is missing a substantial amount of information about jewelry used in the issue’s fashion spreads.) Notice that the lighter coloration of the ruffled skirt by Emilio Pucci and the delicately pleated blouse by Diane von Furstenburg are matched with thin hoops, whereas the bolder print of the Rodarte silk dress to the right is matched with thicker, bolder hoops.
An ad for Henri Bendel that ran in the April 2011 issue of Lucky magazine features two pairs of hoops: plain hoops from Miriam Salat, above, and buckle-detail hoops from Henri Bendel’s own brand, below, second from right. The other jewelry pictured consists of a necklace from Cara Couture, cuff from Pono, bracelet from Vita Fede, Henri Bendel stack ring, and Henri Bendel chain necklace.
An ad for Chico’s that ran in O, the Oprah Magazine in March 2011 pictures large embellished hoops.
Gleaming golden hoops are shown in a current ad for Diane von Furstenberg.
An ad for JCPenney that appears in the April 18, 2011 issue of People magazine features a large pair of hoop earrings.
Hoop earrings are back in a big way, available in a range of styles and prices sufficient to please just about everyone, and beautiful enough to inspire many a fashionista with hoop dreams.
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