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Eager to Experiment? Add an Earring

An extra accessory never hurts (except at first).

mens earringsCourtesy

By Evan Malachosky

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Earrings are surely the accessory men are most afraid of. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t wearing them. Take a look around, scroll through your social media channels. You’ll see plenty of men sporting hoop, stud, hook or dangly earrings, for sure, but the barrier to entry, in my opinion, is far higher for this type of accessory. It’s because wearing one requires a piercing, preferably one done by a professional (but we all know someone who’s done it themselves).

Why Wear an Earring?

Earrings are not permanent, but putting one (or two) in feels much more involved than slipping on a bracelet, sliding your finger into a few rings or knighting yourself with a necklace. Honestly, those feel a lot more like wearing a watch, but you can feel confident wearing any of these accessories, I promise — earrings included. It just takes repetition. You know, Michael Jordan’s been both championed and chastised for his hoop earring a million times over throughout his life, but he keeps on wearing it — and with such impressive consistency it’s become as iconic as he is.

If you’re still feeling skittish, or you’re seasoned expert searching for a new set, look to a number of other famous men for inspiration: Lewis Hamilton, Marc Jacobs, Justin Bieber, Colin Farrell, Morgan Freeman, or hell, even Harris Ford — a mix of young and old, athlete and actor, that proves there are no real rules to wearing earrings. The only prerequisite is that you own a pair (and got your ears pierced). Find a few options below — oh, and find a tattoo shop to help you with the latter.

The Best Earrings for Men

Despite the name, yes, this is a complete earring. But, you only get one of these 18ct gold-plated earrings.

With a diameter of 1 cm, First Arrow’s vintage-tinged SVFA Mark Catch Earring comes in a set of two.

This thick hoop wraps tightly around the lobe. It certainly isn’t uncomfortable, but there isn’t big open hole like you’d find with other hoops. Also, it’s made from sterling silver.

These are called Thumbtack Studs, because, well, they look like thumbtacks. Smaller than your usual diamond studs, these are subtle yet still plenty visible.

You can never go wrong with a simple silver hoop — especially one plated with corrosion-resistant rhodium.

Pearls have been on a hell of a run. In necklaces primarily, but they’re perfect for earrings. M. Cohen mixes a single pearl into its hoop earrings, creating a two-for-one scenario where you can remove the dangly part.

These earrings by Gucci have an Art Deco air about them, and the Gucci logo goes largely unnoticed, because it’s hidden on the backplate.

Southern charm. (Get it?) Studs’ dangly boot is made from silver-plated brass and proves OK for sensitive skin.

These earrings by AllSaints look like they were forged by hand in a small metalsmithing studio. And for just $26 dollars, you get the look at a fraction of the cost.

Many men love diamond studs. Plenty of celebs and singers included. Nice ones are expensive, though. As such, start with something like this set from Saint. Choose your desired size and order a set (which means two).

This silver-tone brass earring features an otherworldly graphic engraved into its face. It’s fun, plenty appropriate size wise and fairly affordable.

What the hell is a huggie? It’s a hoop that wraps tighter than, well, a hoop, if that makes sense. They hug your lobe, leaving little room for something to snag it.

We’ve arrived at another set of pearl earrings. These are studs, though, and they are not oversized. Truthfully, they look pretty natural on all types of ears.

Mushi! Lighthearted upstart Eliou makes a number of unisex pieces with dangly beads. This one’s shaped like a mushroom — and it comes in three colors, green, red and brown.

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