Women stand up for equality, and yet they are not that innocent. They practically monopolized the right to wear earrings. We hear so much about ear ornaments for the fair sex but not a word about men’s accessories.
Meanwhile, in the Middle Ages, only guys could wear an earring. So, it’s time to put an end to fashion inequality and give men’s earrings the attention they deserve.
Contents
The Meaning of Men’s Earrings in World Cultures
The first person who put an earring into an ear was a man. This happened no later than 7000 years ago in Asia. In Ancient Egypt, only a wealthy person could wear an earring but in Rome, things were the other way around – earrings were for slaves.
Gypsies have always deemed an earring as a talisman. Parents gave it to their only son or to all sons if the eldest son died.
Pirates were rewarded with an earring after a successful battle. They often used a coin as an earring. Notorious for rum addiction, corsairs spent all their money on booze. But at the expense of a coin earring, they could be buried with dignity.
The dark medieval times introduced a ban on earrings. The Catholic Church believed that God had created all people perfect; therefore it was a sin to modify the actions of the Almighty by piercing ears and putting on earrings.
While devoted Catholics obeyed these rules, the underworld kept flaunting earrings as a sign of protest. Thieves, for example, put on an earring to manifest a total denial of social foundations.
The Renaissance brought wig fashion that marked the oblivion of ear ornaments. Fake locks covered the ears so it made no sense to embellish them. While the nobility kept their earlobes intact, serves were obligated to piece them. Just like in ancient Rome, an earring was a sign that a person had an owner.
In the 20th century, men went back to their roots and rediscovered the captivation of earrings. The liberalization of society and the emergence of all kinds of subcultures spurred the rapid development of the jewelry industry and provided more fashion options for men.
Earrings and Your Look
Although you are free to adorn your ears in any way you want, the best way is to consider harmony, and this harmony is in balance.
In particular, this means that you should take your facial features into account and pick ear accessories accordingly. In a nutshell, a well-chosen pair of earrings ought to delicately stretch out round silhouettes and round off elongated ones. This is how it works in practice:
- If you have a round or oval face, your best bet is studs. You’ll benefit from models featuring clear geometric shapes such as a triangle or square.
- You are able to harmonize angular facial features with hoop earrings.
- If you have an elongated earlobe, take a closer look at cross earrings or trendy plugs.
- Men with small earlobes can make them visually larger with hoops and dangles.
When it comes to the complexion, ruby skull hoop men’s earrings look great with a pale skin tone. Gold pieces go well with olive, tanned, and dark skin. Black items are versatile whether they feature inlays of different colors or not.
Earrings and Lifestyle
When choosing jewelry for your ears, make sure to follow a simple principle: it shouldn’t stick out like a sore thumb. What it should do is to match other elements of your personal style. If you’re going to wear earrings at work, it’s great if their size and shape fit in with the environment instead of contradicting it.
For example, office clerks, athletes, and men leading an active lifestyle will benefit from discreet studs. If you are a young rebel, go for flesh tunnels. If you deem yourself creative, you won’t go wrong with hoops or dangly earrings.
Even with a pierced earlobe, men tend to remain pretty conservative. Their conservatism is manifested in picking everlasting classics of earpieces – studs or hoops. Small steel-colored pieces (made of silver, white gold, or platinum) or studs embellished with either clear or black stones are simultaneously versatile and beautiful.
They look appropriate in any situation and occasion. However, it’s hard to call this style creative. Unlike rockers, Goths, and bikers, who gravitate towards more audacious looks, studs and hoops for everyday wear stick to time-tested design elements. There are, of course, exceptions, and you can find plenty of fancy studs but they are a prerogative of Bohemian lifestyles.
We have already mentioned the rules of harmony and the environment, here is the final one: according to the rule of compatibility, your earrings should seamlessly blend with other pieces of jewelry you wear. At a minimum, they ought to feature the same color and finish. Firstly, it helps create an elegant and cohesive look. And second, it is your chance to demonstrate your flawless taste.
Summing up, your earrings should complement and complete your look. If they perfectly blend with your fashion style, emphasize your individuality, and don’t contradict your lifestyle, they will draw the interest to your persona in the right way.
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