How to Choose the Best Earrings For Your Face Shape and More!

Dear Deborah,

I’ve found that earrings are a great way to add some life to my wardrobe, but there are so many out there, that I have no idea what kind to buy. Can you give me some tips on what’s out there,  what’s in style, and the best earrings for your face shape? Anne — Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Hi Anne,

You’re right! Earrings are a wonderful way to perk up your face and make you look classy and fabulous after 40. But be careful you don’t make the mistake of wearing earrings that are “in style” but don’t really suit you. There are many things to consider when choosing the right pair.  Here are five tips for getting it right.

1. Match Your Earrings to Your Face Shape

Earrings can make your face look wide, thin, long, or fat depending on your face shape.

Choose your face shape here and then check what shape earrings are best for you.

Inverted Triangle Shaped Face

If your forehead is the widest part of your face, tapering down to a narrower, pointy chin, you have an inverted triangle face shape. This shape is similar to a heart-shaped face, but the difference is that the heart shape is shorter and there is usually a widow’s peak.

To balance the inverted triangle-shaped face shape, choose earrings that de-emphasize the wide forehead, and create the illusion of width at the jawline. Chandelier or teardrop earrings work well. 

Oval Face

Is your face oval like an egg? You can wear almost any shape, but triangular earrings or simple studs will show off your lovely cheekbones best!

Round Face

If your face is circular, meaning widest at the cheekbones with no taper to the chin, then you have a round face.

Drop or dangle earrings will elongate your face and make it look slimmer. Avoid large circular earrings, hoops, and button studs that only emphasize the roundness. Also, stay away from drop earrings with a dangling round disc. The roundness will only make your face look rounder

Heart-Shaped Face

If your forehead is wider than your cheeks and the lower half of your face narrows like a heart then you have a heart-shaped face.

In this case, you need to counterbalance your sharp chin with chandelier or teardrop earrings. Earrings that are wider at the bottom than the top help fill in the lower portion of your face, so your face is more balanced.

Long and Narrow Face

If you have a long, thin face choose earrings that emphasize the width of your face.

Studs, clustered earrings, short dangles, hoops in a medium to large size. Any time of round earrings will widen your face, and make it look fuller.

Square Face

Gals with wide square jaws ( forehead and jawline are similar widths) need to soften the hard edges of their face.

To do this, go for earrings that are medium to long with rounded edges. Oval shapes soften things up, and circular earrings and hoop earrings work well too. Stay away from square studs or an earring with a square as it only reinforces the squareness.

Other things to remember when choosing earrings……….

2. Match Your Bone Structure to Your Earrings

The bone structure will determine the size and weight of the earrings you will look best in.

Small, fine bone structure: (Meryl Streep/Sharon Stone/Jodi Foster ) Choose earrings that are thin, fine, flat, and delicate. Imagine someone with a fine bone structure like Sharon Stone in chunky wooden hoops. They would overpower her gentle beauty.

Medium Bone Structure: ( Teri Hatcher, Madonna, Liz Hurley) Opt for medium weight and size earrings.

Large Bone Structure:(Oprah, Donatella Versace) You can carry off medium to large, heavy, chunky earrings. Other things to consider when buying earrings…

3. Wear Earrings that Suit Your Lifestyle

Where will you be wearing the earrings?
Work or Office: The more conservative the office, the more conservative the earring.  Choose classic styles in gold for the most authority. Executive dressing means no dangly or hoop earrings.  Avoid large earrings if you are in very traditional, conservative fields like finance and law.

After Work: Now’s the time to loosen up and show your personality. You can forget the simple studs and have some fun.

4. Select Earrings in Tune with Your Style Personality 

What’s your Style of Personality?

Are you the romantic type who enjoys pretty feminine clothes? Choose earrings with rounded and curvy details.

Dramatic, or city chic types, choose earrings with straight edges, and square, rectangular, and triangular shapes. If you are the a

If you are the Artsy/creative type, some dangle suits you, and you can wear color well.

Classic types – simple, timeless styles such as small hoops, button earrings in gold and silver, and diamond studs work.

Natural types – wear small and simple, so you barely notice them. Nothing too shiny or detailed.

5. Match Earrings To Your  Coloring 

What season are you?

If you have warm undertones in your skin (yellow or peach), that means you are a spring or autumn and look best wearing gold and copper metals.

If you have pink or blue undertones in your skin, then you are winter or summer. Silver and pewter make you look fabulous.

Here are some earrings that are new and chic- many on sale.