10.20.00
Trend Test by Cynthia Nellis
Hoop earrings
After seasons of wrists (power beads,
cuffs) and necks (lariat necklaces, pearls), fashion is finally paying attention to
earlobes again with gutsy hoops.
If you haven't worn big hoops before, then you are missing one of the few thrills in fashion that you can get without baring any skin: hoops make you feel powerful and feminine with just enough hoochie mama thrown in to make it interesting.
Back in the '80s they were new wave glam (worn, of course with a black miniskirt and a sliding-off-the-shoulder sweater). Today, they're about modern glamour and fashion's continuing lovefest with all things retro.
But above all, shoulder-grazing hoop earrings are all about attitude. Put some on and you morph into a diva like Diana Ross or Jennifer Lopez (both hoop lovers).
What to wear them
with
I think how you wear this trend depends on my golden rule of dressing your age: If you
remember doing the trend the first time around, beware.
That said, if this is your first fling with big hoops, then go all out. Short of wearing head-to-toe gold, you can't go too wrong in this season of exaggeration.
If you've done hoops before, it's easy to make them look modern because hoops, like most statement accessories, look great when played against opposites.
This means instead of going disco with a glitter tube top and short shorts, wear hoops with apparel in sleek urban silhouettes like solid-color turtlenecks, denim and leather jackets. Dark denim, animal print or leather jackets are also good with hoops.
For the office, choose smaller, discreet hoops to jazz up boring suits.
The sexiest hair look with hoops is bangs and long, tousled layers (catch Gwyneth Paltrow's look with them on the cover of November's Elle magazine -- it's perfect)
Because they bring lots of attention to your face, remember to go easy on the lipcolor and the rest of your makeup. With big eyelashes and red, glossy lips you'll look a little too hoochie to be modern.
Specifics
Supersized hoops may be hot, but I can't break my own golden rule (see above), so I
went for a happy medium with the pair I bought (left) in gold. The are thin and flat on
the sides, as opposed to being a tube, and are still pretty big considering I've been
dabbling in minimalist jewelry (just diamond studs) for the past decade.
I paid about $14 at Bloomingdales, but these are available at prices as a low as a few dollars to a few hundred dollars in 14K. They look best in gold (hottest metal of the season), but diamonds set in white gold (fakes are fine) add extra sparkle for evening.
Last look
Big earrings tend to be uncomfortable, even though this time around the
trend is showing up in thin hoops. Make sure the pair you buy is ultra-lightweight,
preferably hollow in the middle.
If big gold hoops are just a little too '80s for you, just wait until Spring 2001 when the trend hits big!
More resources:
1 3/4" diameter gold colored hoops, $16 at Bloomingdales
14K gold hoops at Service
Merchandise, about $50-$60
Me & Ro gypsy hoops -
$230-$300
Trend Test September - Oversized Flowers
Trend Test August - Big bags
Hundreds of free fashion photos --
find the latest trends
More about the '80s
About "Trend Test"
Cynthia Nellis actually buys and tests the items in these regular reports -- just like any
consumer would, so you can find out ahead of time what to expect from certain trends, and
what to look for in a comparable product.
All photos copyright Cynthia Nellis.
