Earrings and fashion

03 July 2014 | Esther Ligthart | Trends & Inspiration

Earrings are loved by both men and women. Did you know that piercing the ear lobe is the oldest form of body modification? Nowadays the market is much bigger for women, but that wasn’t always the case. Earrings can do a lot for somebody’s face and the sparkle may add radiance to your appearance! Come and check out some fabulous earrings!

Fei Liu made these delicate earrings in enamel and platinum

The oldest form of body modification.

It appears that piercing the ear lobe is the oldest form of body modification. Even Tutankhamen’s ears are found pierced but without earrings. Suggestion is that it was something for children in those days.

Chad Allison golden earrings with diamonds

English Renaissance

In the 1590’s earrings were most fashionable for courtiers and gentlemen. It was the start of the English Renaissance and poets and others alike loved to wear earrings. Although we think maybe differently today, earrings have been very popular throughout history for men. We now think it is a thing of the hip-hop culture or maybe even that the famous little ring through the ear lobe of George Michael started the movement, but no.

Lika Behar earrings in silver and 24kt gold, with diamonds and white Australian opal doublets

Sailors and punk

Many sailors wore earrings too. They were worn by those who crossed the equator but most we were worn to pay for a decent (Christian) funeral if their bodies would wash ashore somewhere. My own grandfather lived in Egmond aan Zee, a small community 40 km above Amsterdam. They were fishermen and sailors there, and all wore tattoos and earrings. He already explained me as a child that they served to pay his funeral. Punk culture showed us excessive tattoos and piercings which set off the fashion we embraced today widely all over the globe: we embellish our bodies with tattoos and this is a normal thing. As are piercings in various parts of our bodies.

Beautiful pair of earrings by Stephan Haffner, white gold and sapphire

Ear piercing parties

In the 1950’s and 60’s young adults held sometimes ear piercing parties. They would use needle and cork and pierce each other’s ear lobes! Yaikssss…

Masriera Earrings, enamel and gold and diamonds

My own ears

My own ears were pierced when I was 12 years old. I was so proud of my pierced ears, but that feeling soon vanished. My ears struggled with infections for more than a year. Still today I can only wear gold and rhodium silver in my ears.

Rebecca is a fashion brand from Italy using inexpensive materials like bronze and metals to create lovely pieces

Doctors piercing ears?

In the 1960’s there were some physicians that offered ear piercing! Incredible today, but it was by then that the first jewelry stores started to offer the service too by qualified people.

Precious little bell flowers by Green G

Gay and hippie

In the 1960’s wearing earrings was a big thing amongst hippies and gays and it was a decade later only that the market for women broadened. There would be parties held at the department stores where a nurse would pierce ears

Happy pink earrings by Goldesign

Music, fashion and…..earrings!

The market for male earrings is significant but nothing compared to the market for women’s earrings. Most of the women with pierced ears possess at least 10 pairs of earrings and although hoops and small buds are always fashionable, there is a strong relation between fashion, music and earrings. Think Madonna, think George Michael, think the rappers and hip-hop scene, Justin Bieber and so on.