There are more types of earrings than most people realise, and the names get used loosely. This guide sets out the main styles, what actually separates one from another, and which of them are realistic to make yourself at home.
Studs
The simplest of all earring types. A stud sits flat against the earlobe on a short post, held in place with a butterfly or screw back. Because there is no movement and no dangling weight, studs are comfortable enough to sleep in, and they are usually the first earring someone owns after a piercing.
Studs are also the easiest style to make. A small flat shape, a post added at the back, and you have a finished pair.
Hoops
A hoop is a continuous ring that passes through the ear. Sizes run from tiny sleepers to large statement hoops, and the wire can be round, square or twisted. Larger hoops swing and catch the light, which is why they read as bolder than a stud made from the same metal.
Huggies
Huggies are very small hoops that sit close to the lobe rather than hanging from it, usually on a hinged clasp. They have become one of the most worn earring styles because they stack well along a second or third piercing. There is more detail in our guide to huggie earrings.
Drops and dangles
A drop earring hangs below the earlobe from a fixed fitting. A chandelier is a drop with several tiers, and a threader is a fine chain that slips straight through the piercing and hangs on both sides. All of these put weight below the ear, so keep the metal light if you are making them yourself.
Ear cuffs and climbers
Not every earring needs a piercing. An ear cuff clips onto the cartilage along the outer edge of the ear, and a climber runs up the lobe rather than hanging down from it. Both give the impression of several piercings without any. Our post on ear cuffs covers how they sit and stay put.
Clip-ons and screw backs
Clip-ons hold the lobe between two pieces of metal, and screw backs tighten with a small threaded post. Both exist for unpierced ears, and both have a reputation for pinching, which is mostly down to how much pressure the fitting applies rather than the design itself.
Which types of earrings can you make at home?
Studs, small hoops, drops and charms are all within reach with silver clay. You shape the clay by hand, let it dry, then fire it with a torch. It comes out as 99.9% fine silver, having shrunk by roughly 8 to 10% along the way. That shrinkage matters far more for rings than for earrings, which is one reason earrings make a sensible first project.
Findings such as posts, hooks and hinges are added after firing, so you are really only making the decorative part yourself. If you have not worked with the material before, start with how to use silver clay, then have a look at the silver clay starter kit, which includes the clay, a torch, the tools, cubic zirconia and instructions.
Choosing between them
Pick by how the earring will be worn rather than by how it looks flat on a table. Studs and huggies for every day and for stacking, hoops for something visible without much weight, drops for occasions, cuffs when there is no piercing to work with. Most people end up with a small set covering two or three of these rather than one pair meant to do everything.
