In the school yard of your jewellery box, hoop earrings rule the grounds. They’re the confident girls intimidating the goody two-shoes drop-pearls. Basic studs offer to do their homework, alternative helix bars feel boring in comparison and loud clip-ons silly for showing off.
Like cool girls at school, the characteristics that define them as popular will change, but with every new generation the gang is inevitable and guaranteed to make things more interesting (even if that thing is just black jeans, a white tee and a high, three-day-old ponytail.)
Season after season, hoop earrings come back for fashion week. SS16 was no exception, and Versace, Céline, Rag & Bone and Givenchy all featured the metal loops in the form of embellished, enormous, teeny tiny and abstract. On the other side of the story, Topshop, Primark and the pocket-money teen’s favourite jewellery haunt – we're looking at you Argos – are fail safe places to stock up on this year’s hoop collection.
Whether you’re strictly stud only or a low-lobed aficionado, we’ve got all the hoop inspo you need right now. Let’s pay homage to the timeless earring.
The tiny ones...
It takes guts (and the ability to forget split-lobe horror stories) to wear big hoops. Beginner? Go baby-sized or sleepers – pretty elegant in spite of the earring’s bolshy reputation. As the name suggests, the latter are perfect if you think removing jewellery every night is a faff. Even better if you’ve got loads of piercings to fill à la Jemima Kirke and Mossy. Go silver, go gold, go black like those at & Other Stories (£7) or do the double hoop with Urban Outfitters twinning drop style (£8). Anyone still not convinced should try the half-hoops by Melissa Joy Manning (£105) – they’re barely even there.
Photo: Getty
The diamanté ones...
As far as fashion pairings go, hoops and bling are a force to be reckoned with. The combo is capable of so many looks; glamorous when diamond encrusted on the Cannes red carpet; kooky when small, chic and dotted with rainbow gems; retro JLo when big and lined with diamantés. Go small with Orelia (£15), gold disco with River Island (£8) and encrusted in black with Zara’s glitzy offering (£12.99). Now is not the time to fear flashy, people.
Photo: Getty
The thin ones...
The thin ones unite all hoop heroes – boho, '70s, '80s, '90s, mums, teens, every tribe that considers the earring a jewellery box staple has got a pair on standby. Killer references here are Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman and Penelope Cruz in Volver. Warning: buying these guys in real gold means you’ll definitely lose one of them within a week. Don’t bother. Topshop have got the classics (£5) and Monki’s twin packs come in gold and silver (£6). Fancy a twist? That’s what Whistles have gone and done, literally, with their Rag & Bone inspired half wire hoop shape (£15).
Photo: Getty
The fat ones…
On to the heavy duty stuff. Think '80s Sade and Madonna, SS16 Céline and Mugler. These hoops properly embody the style’s sass – they’re chunky and fighting your face for attention. H&M’s flat and fat gold discs are perfect (£3.99), as are their wide silver offerings (£3.99). Zara are encasing wooden loops in gold (£12.99) and Mango’s thick and twisted style is bolshy (£9.99) – wearing them is the sartorial equivalent of a caffeine shot for your outfit. If all else fails, try ASOS Marketplace for some old-school bamboo hoops; they're absolute corkers (£5.99).
Photo: Getty
The bohemian ones…
You’re at Woodstock ‘69 wearing tight-at-the-bum flares, long, knotted hair and painted-on flowers in lieu of a bra. Your hoops are embellished, engraved with flowers and studded with rose-quartz. Some are adorned with dangly bits so people can hear you coming. Twisted hoops and mixed metals are also within this remit, or you could stick to the Grecian style classics (ASOS £13) and embossed gold (River Island £8). Theodora Warre’s krishna eye hoops are subtle and brilliant (£40), and i+i have got your dangly bits covered (£50).
Photo: Getty
The non-hoop ones…
There’s a party back at the jewellery box and these earrings have dressed up for the occasion. The non-hoop hoops maintain the most important responsibility of the traditional style, constantly swinging, so that every movement your body makes is amplified but they aren’t circular, they’re abstract. Ganni use the classic as a carrier for dangling pendants (£135) and Stephanie Bates’ look like geometric diamonds (£240). Argos (£14.99) have got them heart shaped, Urban Outfitters do triangles (£10) and tear drops (£65) and H&M have interrupted golden hoops with shiny metal tassels (£7.99).
Photo: Vanessa Mooney
The truly enormous ones…
Finally, we’ve come to the huge hoops. You’re overwhelmed with amazing references here. From Lana Del Rey in a white swimsuit and thick gold rings practically bruising her shoulders, giant flat discs at Givenchy, Neneh Cherry, Rihanna, every one of the Kardashians. You need both balls and lobes of steel for these. Get them classic and thin (River Island £6, Weekday £9) or give up the charade and strap in some proper show-stoppers – the purple tassel discs from Ricardo Rodriguez are sensational (£60), and the pink hula earrings at ASOS are a (cheaper) force to be reckoned with (£8). Be cautioned, long hair may get tangled. Go top knot.
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