Drop Earrings or Dangle Earrings? The First Rule is No Naked Ears
For women, earrings are the essential accessory that are non-negotiable. Since your face is where you meet the world, and your ears are closest by, you want to adorn yourself with an earring that complements your entire visage. Select from earring styles that enhance your features and your overall look. Going about without a pair of flattering earrings is like missing an opportunity to show up as your best self. It’s the basic jewelry accessory that is part of making a first impression. And first impressions are all about presentation.
What is the Difference Between Drop Earrings and Dangle Earrings?
Drop earrings are a style of earring where the main characteristic is that they don’t venture very far – not much below the earlobe. This is in contrast to dangle earrings that are longer in length. Since drop earrings are short in length, they don’t have a lot of movement, unless they are designed to move together with the body. The top of the earring is often a post or French wire, and may also feature a stone, but the larger stone is found on the bottom. Drop earrings are a more static, conservative choice of earring.
Dangle earrings, on the other hand, are longer in length and feature stones that swing freely below the earlobe, even past the jawline. They move and sparkle along with you for a more glamorous look.
To be clear, dangle earrings can also be drop earrings, but but a drop earring cannot also be a dangle earring. There are short dangle earrings that sit just below the earlobe and have a lot of movement – in other words they dangle, but they are also short in length.
Is it Better to Drop or to Dangle?
Dangle earrings can reach all the way to the shoulders and since they are longer in length, tend to be heavier than drop earrings. Some women prefer a lighter earring for every day and gravitate toward drop earrings or even a stud while leaving dangle earrings for special occasions, like weddings. If they don’t mind the weight, or are willing to be uncomfortable for the sake of beauty, they will wear a dangle earrings on a daily basis.
A good strategy is to meet comfort and fashion somewhere in the middle by selecting a lighter dangle earring that will shine, shimmer, and move along with you while not making you feel like you want to take them off.
Drop and Dangle Earrings and Hairstyle
For women with short hair, or who prefer to wear their hair up or back and out of their face, dangle earrings are a fashionable choice because they will add more drama and flair to your look. They don’t have your hair close by to compete with. Their fashion job is to take the quiet, empty space surrounding your visage and fill it with dangling glamour.
On the other hand, for those with longer hair, especially that tend to wear it down, a drop earring is a more understated accent that will allow both your hair and your jewelry to show up and work for you. With the rise of quiet luxury in fashion, there is a current trend towards a more minimalist earring, but then a trend should never define your personal style for you. Always wear what makes you feel beautiful when you put it on no matter what the current trends are. It’s the first and most foremost rule of authentic fashion – real style is personal, not commercial.
Prioritize Your Personal Style
No matter what you choose, remember that earrings are the accessory that define your entire look. They decorate your face and neck and are what people first notice after your eyes. Nowadays we are encouraged to always do what feels right to us, to listen to our intuition when faced with decisions. So when it comes to your personal style, take the best from both worlds and wear earrings that sparkle and move, but that don’t cause you discomfort. There is no need to compromise. You have the right to feel fabulous and comfortable all at once. Your personal style is just too important.
