Ear jacket earrings are two-part earrings. A simple stud passes through the piercing as usual, but before the back is put on, a second decorative piece - the jacket - is threaded onto the post so that it sits behind the earlobe, fanning out below or around the stud at the front. The effect is a stud that appears to float in front of a halo, fan or row of drops.
A Mix-and-Match Design
The jacket idea turns one stud into several earrings. The same pearl or diamond stud can be worn alone, with a small jacket for a subtle frame, or with a large dramatic jacket for evening. Jackets are usually curved to follow the bottom edge of the lobe, with two or three holes along the post slot so the jacket can hang at different lengths to suit different lobe sizes.
Common jacket shapes include scalloped fans, arcs of small stones, spiky sunburst rays and simple curved bars with drops. Because the decorative part sits behind the lobe, the design looks different from every angle - a plain stud from the front at first glance, then the fan reveals itself below the ear.
- Fan jackets - a scalloped fan spreading below the lobe.
- Stone arc jackets - a curved row of stones framing the stud.
- Drop jackets - short drops or chains hanging from behind the lobe.
Fitting an Ear Jacket
Thread the stud through the piercing, add the jacket onto the post behind the lobe using the hole that gives the drop length you want, then secure the back firmly - the extra piece makes a secure back essential. Jackets work with almost any stud whose post is long enough. If a jacket swings or twists, choose a different hole on its slot or a back with a larger support disc.
Mixing Studs and Jackets
The smart way to buy ear jackets is as a system. Start with one good jacket shape that suits your lobe, and two or three studs - a pearl, a plain ball and a stone, for example - and you have a week's worth of visibly different earrings. Check the jacket's slot or holes against your stud posts before buying more parts, because post thickness and length vary between brands. When trying a new combination, wear it for an hour before an event: some jackets swing charmingly and some twist to one side, and it is far better to discover which at home than in photographs afterwards.
FAQs
- How do ear jacket earrings work?
- A stud goes through the piercing, a decorative jacket is threaded onto the post behind the earlobe, and the back secures both. The jacket fans out below the stud.
- Can I wear the stud without the jacket?
- Yes. The stud is an ordinary stud and can be worn alone, and most jackets can be paired with different studs, which is the point of the design.
- Do ear jackets fit all studs?
- Most do, provided the stud post is long enough to hold the jacket and the back. Very short posts may not leave room for both.