Perfect Details: Couture Jewelry & Accessories

Bridal Earrings. How to Buy Earrings On-Line.

After the dress, after the shoes, what’s up next? Jewels! And what’s the most important piece of jewelry (other than your ring of course) EARRINGS! Nothing lights up your face more than some sparkling ear candy, and your bridal earrings will show in every picture from the big day.

Unfortunately, most stores have a very limited selection of bridal earrings, so you will most likely need to turn to on-line shopping. But how do you know what the earrings will look like in person? And how do you know which style earring will look best on you?  Being the go to stylist at Perfect Details for 18 years, I have worked with countless brides helping them accessorize their gowns and finding that all important pair of bridal earrings.  I also monitor what we sell and what come comes back and why.  Below you will find my most helpful tips and advise in shopping for your bridal earrings or any earrings online.

A variety of bridal earrings offered at Perfect Details.

There are 3 main reasons we get returns on earrings:

  1. Did’t match or look good with the gown
  2. Didn’t look good on me
  3. Size not as expected.  Larger than thought.  Smaller than thought.

Numbers 1 and 2 we can try to help with through our Ask Rachel feature, but, number 3 we can definitely help brides or any on-line shopper make a more informative decision when purchasing earrings.

Most websites will include the length of the earring and the width at the widest point in their description of the item, as well as the approximate length the earrings will hang at.  At Perfect Details we painstakingly measure each earring and include the dimensions in the description underneath the picture and in bullet points on the right-hand side.  It is critical to locate this information on any website.  Once you know the dimensions of the earrings you are considering you can start the decision making process.

  1. Select earrings from your jewelry box of different lengths. Choose earrings that are similar in length to what you want in a bridal earring or any earring you are shopping for.
  2. Measure the length and width of the earrings.
  3. LIne up the earrings by length so that you can reference the lengths while shopping.
  4. Now when you read the description you’ll have a physical earring next to you to reference for size.  This process should help eliminate surprises when you receive your package, at least in regards to how small or large the earrings actually are.   Hopefully it will also save you a trip to UPS or the post office.

Suggestion #4 does beg for an answer to the question, why aren’t all the earrings shown at actual size?  Many special occasion earrings have an incredible amount of detail, hence, the more expensive price.  It is necessary to enlarge the image so that one can see the details and intricate work as well as color detail.  After all, it is these details that make the earrings unique and determine how they will work in completing your wedding day look.

Other earring criteria to consider:

Back findings:  Post, hook or lever-back.

Various earring backs. From left to right: post with drop, French hook with drop, lever-back clasp with drop
Various earring backs. From left to right: post with drop, French hook with drop, lever-back clasp with drop
  1. Posts hosting a drop or chandelier will hang the straightest and be the most comfortable to wear if the earring is a little bit heavy.  Using a “cushy” back or larger back adds comfort to heavier earrings.
  2. Hooks are great from a comfort perspective for light weight earrings.  Heavier earrings that have a hook will require a plastic holder to prevent the earrings from falling forward.
  3. Lever-back clasps are personally my favorite from a comfort perspective.  Generally these are only used for light weight earrings, as if the earring is heavy, they will tend to fall forward in your ear.

Of course how earrings hang does depend on the shape of your ear lobe, and where your ear is pierced.  And of course, everyone is different.

We always tell brides or anyone looking for special earrings for an event to wear a style and size earring you generally wear.  However, if you want something special and beyond glamorous for your wedding or event, as most of us do, we suggest wearing them around the house and getting used to them.  Just like shoes, you break them in a little bit first.  Same goes for earrings if they are different from what you are used to.

What about clip-on earrings?

Variety of styles of clip-on bridal earrings available at Perfect Details.

We always try to find beautiful clip-on earrings for those without pierced ears. However, we also find, that if you are going for a Beyonce style dangler, a clip-on can actually be more comfortable, as the clip offers more support at the post.

Hope you have found these tips useful.  Let us know what you think or if you have any suggestions in helping on-line shoppers getting their earring purchase right the first time.

Everyone has their go to piece of jewelry.  For me, it’s always earrings.  I won’t leave the house without my sunglasses and a bauble dangling from my ears.  So of course, I have to share my favorite earrings that I wear all the time from Perfect Details.

favorite fashion earrings
Some of my favorite everyday earrings from La Vie Parisienne , Patricia Locke and Rook & Crow.

I guess I’m a lever-back fan.  These earrings are all light weight and very comfortable.  I like a little daily sparkle and color, but every girl needs her pearls and sometimes they are the “no brainer” go-to earrings 😉