Golden Lobes
Earrings take center stage at pandemic-era awards shows
In this age of Facetime and Zoom events, stars are focusing on bedazzling their earlobes. “Your ear game needs to be amazing because that’s what people are seeing,” says L.a.-based fine jewelry designer Shain Leyton, whose eponymous line retails in stores throughout California, New York and Japan. Here, Leyton breaks down the ways celebrities have gotten creative with earrings — and how jewelry lovers can do the same.
Whole Lot of Holes
Multiple piercings are a trademark of artsy stars including Cynthia Erivo — who at the Globes, wore Wempe diamond spotlight earrings alongside her own pieces. But more traditional dressers are also adding extra holes to their conch and cartilage. “Piercings used to be something punk rock, and now, it’s so mainstream and feminine and dainty,” Leyton says. She recommends “the less symmetry, the better” and mixing colors and textures. “I wouldn’t stick with one specific gold color. I would pull a diamond piece, an emerald piece, and layer all the different elements to create a really interesting story.”
Doubling Up
At the Critics’ Choice Awards, Andra Day wore two sets of different Chopard earrings, diamond and emerald. Regina King married Forevermark’s long drop and diamond cluster earrings at the Globes. Doubling up on the same earring is also popular: Kate Hudson completed her Globes look with two pairs of Bulgari’s white and diamond Serpenti earrings in each ear. “It’s a really beautiful way to showcase one specific style,” says Leyton, who likes to pair diamond huggies. “It creates a super clean look.”
Long Linear
“The Queen’s Gambit” star Anya Taylor-joy’s earring game rivaled her chess one when she chose rubellite, tanzanite and diamond Bulgari earrings for the Critics’ Choice Awards. Elle Fanning added glamour to her Globes
Gucci look with Fred Leighton’s platinum diamond tassel earrings. Also at the Globes, Jane Fonda elevated her recycled suit with responsibly sourced brown diamond and rubellite Pomellato drop earrings. Says Leyton, “You’re definitely going to see a lot of linear.”
Oversized
“The ’ s are back in a huge way,” Leyton says. “In the s, everything was dainty and delicate and little, and now, we’re seeing gold, thick earrings and heavy, chunky jewelry.” At the Critics’ Choice Awards, “The Crown” star Emma Corrin donned a Schiaparelli Couture look complete with mammoth earrings worn as a headpiece. Viola Davis chose the same large brass Lorraine West Abstract Palette earrings as seen on Beyoncé in her “Black Is King” video. And Queen B made Grammy history wearing black and gold Schiaparelli heavyweights.
Ear Crawlers and Cu s
“I’m hoping to see diamond ear crawlers at the Oscars,” says Leyton. “An ear crawler is a stud on your earlobe that goes up your ear.” Ear cuffs, which slide onto the ear, are also trendy. At the Globes, Day topped her jazzy Chanel dress with Chanel’s Brins de Diamants leaf-themed earrings, and Carey Mulligan rocked a Reflection de Cartier diamond cuff. “For the person that doesn’t necessarily want to pierce her ears, ear cuffs are the perfect way for your ear to look really sparkly and fun and cool.”