Earrings Dos and Don’ts for Formal Occasions and Office Wear

Earrings are the most common accessory worn by almost every woman today. They can be worn to formal occasions, informal ones, and at all times. There is also a myriad of styles and types of earrings made for every occasion, style, and even culture. How do you know which earrings to wear to the office or formal settings and which to avoid?

It’s Not an Exact Science, But There Are Rules

Avoid Statement Pieces

There is no real rulebook out there to disqualify any earring for any occasion. Sometimes, it all comes to one’s taste, type of attire they are wearing or matching with their accessories, etc. However, as a rule of thumb, certain earrings, such as statement pieces or those with large diamond pendants may be deemed inappropriate for formal settings.

Avoid large statement earrings if you are keen on pulling that elegant official look. Large statement pieces tend to attract a lot of attention as that’s what they are made to do in the first place. For instance, you might find that those large, shiny gold or diamond pendants attract a lot of comments from your colleagues, which might act as a distraction and probably become a bit annoying with time.

At the same time, a work environment requires more functional accessories that don’t interfere with what you are doing. Wearing stunning and bold earrings isn’t precisely ideal for these conditions. Instead, its’ best to go for more neutral, subdued, or small earrings that look good on you but are easily forgettable as you go about your business during the day.

Go with Silver Over Gold or Precious Stones

There is something about silver that makes it quite easy to wear for formal occasions. Long silver earrings tend to go well with women’s formal attire, such as long-sleeved tops or suits. At the same time, silver can be paired with any attire that has a neutral, subdued, or vibrant color. 

The same cannot be said about other precious metals such as gold, diamond, gemstones, and others. These other earrings need a bit of work to pull for formal settings unless you want to look like a snob or lavish. That said, your position, style, and type of occasion might also call for these more elegant earrings to paired with attire of the same stature in terms of quality and elegance.

Small Hoops Complement Your Official Attire

One thing with a formal setting is the need to appear professional and not to distract your colleagues. It’s for this reason that you might find small hoops that complement your attire easier to wear than large dangling pendants and other ornamental earrings.  Studs also work well as they can almost be forgettable but still appear to give style to your face when matched with your official attire.

It’s easier to go with bolder hoops or studs as opposed to larger earrings when it comes to formal wear. For instance, diamond hoops or studs aren’t as distracting or inappropriate as dangling diamond earrings in a formal setting. 

Of course, this all depends on the kind of formality in your place of work or the preferred style where you work. For instance, if you are in the fashion industry, then all the rules described here do not apply in any way.

 Careful with Drop Earrings!

Drop earrings can be harder to pull off in a formal setting as compared to studs and hoops. The trick is to go for simple drops as opposed to long, complicated ones that could probably become a distraction or appear too informal. 

However, there are great drop earrings out there that can still go well with formal attire. To be on the safe side, you are better off going for silver drop earring with simple shapes as opposed to other more “in your face” metals and decorative materials.

All in all, earrings are and will always be every woman’s best friend. How you wear them and the kind of style you are going for will significantly influence your facial appearance and sense of style. Choose wisely!