Earrings have been annexed by fashion. They take the limelight on the catwalk, and they dominate accessory floorspace in fashion retail. So while other jewelry fights with your wardrobe, earrings are on the same page. Dressing in a swan-like polo neck, as seen at Marc Jacobs’ spring runway? Outsize brightly colored danglers are the perfect accompaniment. Going for a messy bun and a tweed coat, as at Chanel’s most recent show? You’ll want a bold mismatched pair of different-sized hoops. All the cornerstones of the modern earrings – the white shirt for day, the kaftan dress for summer evenings, even the one-piece swimsuit for days by the pool – are improved by the addition of a good earring.
The affordable earring game has never been better
Not long ago, high-street earring racks were a sea of diamante tat. Not any longer. Earring aficionados know to make a beeline for Mango: a complementary mismatch of one hammered gold disc with a string of ceramic and resin gold discs has a very this-season Kettle’s Yard aesthetic for a very Oxford Street £17.99. Also, when you next go to Marks & Spencer for its excellent shoes (please tell me you know about its currently excellent shoes) make a stop at the earring counter, where you can get a Matisse-slash-J W Anderson to look for £17.50. The warehouse does a strong Céline homage with half-moon resin earrings for £10, while & Other Stories currently has a tubular gold pair featuring one crimson resin bar and one green, for £23.
And should you have money to invest, your earring box is a good bet. At the recent fashion shows, a pair of brass, gold, and white enamel Céline earrings were de rigueur on the front row, a kind of black-armband for the Phoebe Philo years... If you want into Donatella Versace’s world (who doesn’t?) but can’t afford the £4,900 leopard-and-chain print evening gown then take a look at the Greek key embossed Versace hoops for £170 on matchesfashion.com.
