Earrings – how to choose the fastening, shape and weight

Choose earrings by their fastening – it decides whether they get worn or stay in the box. Shape is a matter of taste; the fastening is a matter of comfort, and it's exactly the part you can't see in a photo.

The four most common fastenings

• Push-back. A straight post with a back that pushes on behind the lobe. The simplest and most secure option for everyday wear – it doesn't catch on anything and doesn't fall out.
• Leverback. A hinged lever that closes against the hook. The only fastening that genuinely locks shut – which is why it's the one for heavier earrings.
• French hook. A simple open wire. Easy to put in, but nothing holds it in place – on a busy day it can slip out.
• Clip-on. A spring clip with no post. The only option if your ears aren't pierced.

Shop by fastening: Push-back earrings, Leverback earrings, French hook earrings, Clip-on earrings.

Which fastening to choose

• For every day and for work – push-back studs. They don't catch on your hair, your scarf or your headphone cables.
• For heavier or drop earrings – a leverback. A French hook simply can't hold them.
• If your ears aren't pierced – clip-ons. Modern clip-ons have a silicone pad, so they don't pinch nearly as much as the old ones did.
• If you take your earrings out often – a French hook. One movement, no fuss.

Weight – why your ears ache after three hours

The ache is almost never down to size. It comes from weight concentrated on a single point in the earlobe. Two earrings of the same size can feel completely different depending on how much metal they contain.

• Hollow metal, not solid. Hollow hoops weigh several times less than solid ones of the same size.
• Weight carried lower. If an earring carries its weight further down rather than right at the fastening, your ear feels it less.
• A wider post. A thinner post cuts in more – it's the same weight pressing on a smaller area.

Shape and proportion

Plenty has been written about how ‘long earrings suit a round face’, but in practice it's a simpler question of balance between two things: how much space the earring takes up and how much of the space around it is already taken.

• Short hair or hair worn up – the earring is fully on show, so even a small one works.
• Long hair worn loose – a small earring disappears; go for something either long or sparkly.
• Already wearing a necklace – one of the two should stay quiet. Two statement pieces side by side compete with each other.

Sensitive ears

If your ears itch or turn red, the culprit is almost always the post rather than the earring itself – it's the only part that actually passes through the skin. That's why the base material matters: hypoallergenic earrings.

What lies under the plating and what difference it makes: what jewellery is made of and jewellery plating explained.

How to clean earrings so the fastening doesn't start to stick: jewellery care.

Frequently asked questions