Huggie earrings are the cute little sister of the classic big hoop and can be dressed up or down depending on your vibe of choice. While hoop earrings hang from your ear, huggie earrings are designed to—wait for it—"hug" the earlobe instead. They click shut for a secure fit and they look great both worn alone or stacked as part of an ensemble of earrings.
As they sit close to your ear, they're a great alternative to hoops if you want a comfortable accessory with none of the risk of getting caught in your hair or painfully pulled. And there are so many different designs on offer, from silver huggie earrings to Kate Middleton-approved chunky gold hoops.
The other great thing about huggie earrings is that, depending on where you're browsing, there is often a choice of sizes so you can decide how snug you'd like the earring to be. There is also a range of shapes to decide on, from classy rounded hoops to flatter styles that often have space for some sparkle.
Meet the expert on huggie earrings
- Helen Dimmick is a leading gemmologist and stylist with more than 20 years of experience in the jewelry industry. Here she has advised My Imperfect Life readers on how to choose and style the best huggie earrings as part of an outfit.
What's the best way to style huggie earrings?
As gemmologist and stylist Helen Dimmick explains: "for the most effective look, I would mainly choose fine, slender styles and forms but always in multiple pieces… and you can always add a gem for a touch of color! They don’t need to match, an eclectic combination chosen well can [also] be striking."
Although Dimmick notes that "huggies go beautifully with everything," she advises bearing in mind that "high necklines ensure that the focus is on the face, and therefore ears," when choosing an outfit from your capsule wardrobe.
How we tested the best huggie earrings
Today, the jewelry market is absolutely heaving with pretty pairs of huggie earrings, so narrowing them down to a curated edit of the best styles was no mean feat. To ensure we had the very best styles, our in-house testers took the following factors into account when making their final selection.
- Price
- Design
- Quality of materials used
- The brand's credentials
The best huggie earrings, chosen by our shopping experts
Best gold huggie earrings
Your choice of metal will come down to personal preference, but yellow gold jewelry is super on trend at the moment. At My Imperfect Life we believe that you should wear whatever makes you feel most comfortable and best expresses your sense of style. However, if you do want to choose jewelry based on your skin's undertone, gold is thought to best suit those with warmer or neutral tones.
RRP: $58
The earring answer to the brand's classic ring design, these croissant hoops really play into the 90s fashion trends that are huge RN. We love chunky statement jewelry and this pair is bang on with a ridged design that resembles one of our all time fave pastries.
RRP: $70
These colorful huggies sit firmly in place on your ear with a delicate scalloped edge that catches the light for a rosy sparkle. The circular shape doesn’t bend with wear and neither does their click-post fastening, making them a hard-wearing pair that will survive all of your adventures and won't need much fuss to care for. Size-wise, these earrings are on the daintier side. They do work well in the lower and main lobes as well as cartilage, but may be too tight to click shut in a larger lobe or higher set piercings.
RRP: $78
With a celebrity fan base that reads like the invite to a swanky red carpet event, Missoma is generally our go-to for all jewelry needs, being one of the best sustainable jewelry brands around. And, when it comes to huggies, there's no exception. We love that they come in a few different metals too (18ct Gold Vermeil, Sterling Silver, 18ct Gold Vermeil Pavé, Sterling Silver Pavé, 18ct Gold Vermeil Black Pavé) which means there really is an option to suit everyone (and every budget).
RRP: $79
Add a bit of sparkle to your ear candy with this gorgeous gold Mystic Crystal huggie by Astrid and Miyu. While the simple look can be chic, we all love a bit of shimmer every now and again, especially if the rest of your outfit is pretty minimalist. Jazz things up by wearing this huggie, scattered with an array of white cubic zirconias, with some basic hoops that compliment it. The huggie is made from sterling silver and is plated with 18-karat gold.
RRP: $95
We love the molten effect of these simple gold huggies which, due to their slightly larger hoop, can actually fit a variety of piercing placements. As well as 18-karat gold vermeil, they also come in sterling silver and 18-karat rose gold vermeil finishes, too.
RRP: $184
Everything about these stunning gold and pink huggie earrings feels luxurious; with responsibly sourced Pink Opal stones that are cut from natural crystals and stones making each piece unique, and 18k gold plating on 100% recycled silver, they're sure to become your go-to accessory. Complimentary gift packaging only adds to that luxurious experience.
Best silver huggie earrings
Silver huggies can also add a nice eye-catching something to your ears, and come with the added bonus that they are often cheaper than their gold counterparts. Taking a color analysis approach, just as gold jewelry suits warmer-toned skin, silver jewelry suits cool and neutral-toned skin particularly well.
RRP: $39.65
Teeny tiny huggies featuring a 2.5mm solitaire cubic zirconia stone that will delicately decorate your ear. Due to their extra small size, they fit higher lobe piercings, and although fiddly to put in, they do click into place securely. They lie flat enough to sleep in without any discomfort; we wore ours for three months straight and they haven’t tarnished at all. They also stand up to the task of long-term wear while effortlessly layered with other huggies, too.
RRP: $59
A classic design from the Lucy Williams x Missoma collection, these tiny hoops feature orb detailing for a chic, understated look. They'll pair well with a fully curated ear, but also work well when worn alone—and they're available to buy in both sterling silver and the brand's signature 18ct gold plated vermeil finishes.
RRP: $80
With a simple, slightly curved design made from rhodium-plated sterling silver, these Astrid & Miyu huggies are a nice little twist on a completely plain pair of huggies. They're elegant enough to be worn alone, or would make a great part of a curated ear with other studs and hoops.
RRP: $84
Not all of us can stretch to a pair of actual diamond huggies, and so cubic zirconia is often the way to go for a sparkly pair that won't break the bank. Missoma's pave huggies are super pretty, reasonably priced, and are a great piece for stacking.
RRP: $101
Part of a collaboration between Estée Lalonde and Daisy Jewellery, these chunky and eye-catching silver hoops are the perfect finishing touch to just about any outfit, in our opinion. For those gold jewelry fans, they're also available in 18ct gold plate.
RRP: $125
With a molten metal finish in either silver or gold, these statement huggies from go-to name Edge of Ember are actually studs, so they secure well with butterfly backs.
Best diamond huggie earrings
They have a long-held reputation for being a girl's best friend, but diamonds will add a considerable amount to your basket total than a plainer pair of gold or silver hoops. That aside, this investment piece will make a classy and timeless addition to any jewelry collection.
RRP: $185
These huggies are the perfect way to update your earring collection. These sparkling Monica Vinader huggie earrings are studded with no less than 14 diamonds (seven on each earring), for a carat value of 0.037cts. The diamonds are also ethically sourced, and with a snap lock closure, they'll stay put through your classy evenings out.
RRP: $298
Mejuri is a go-to brand among the fashion crowd, but it's not just the croissant ring that deserves your attention—they also make some of the best gold huggie earrings on the market, including options set with diamonds. Available in both yellow and white gold, these elegant skinny 22 diamond-studded hoops provide the perfect amount of sparkle.
RRP: $355
Featuring a single 0.03ct diamond on an ultra-fine hoop—in either gold, rose gold, or silver—this minimalist piece by one of fashion's go-to piercers Maria Tash would work either in a single lobe piercing, or elsewhere on the ear as a single sparkling statement.
RRP: $382
One of Missoma's pricier pairs of earrings, these clasp huggies feature three larger diamonds as opposed to a string of smaller stones, for a more obvious hit of both gold and sparkles. They're also made using recycled materials.
RRP: from $500
If you have a bit more budget to play with and really want to treat someone you love (or yourself, obvs), this pretty pair from Aurate in 14k gold is a beautiful choice. The $500 price tag is for the 10mm option, but the hoops can be made-to-order in bigger sizes and/or an 18k finish.
RRP: $1,275
Also available on traditional gold, these pretty, pink-hued huggies by LA fine jewelry company Anita Ko are seriously eye-catching, as they're adorned with 0.18 carats' worth of diamonds. One for those who truly want to spoil themselves or a loved one.
How to choose the best huggie earrings for you
Just like all jewelry, selecting the right huggies partly comes down to your own style. Before checking out potential picks, think about whether you want to wear multiple huggies in each ear, go for single pairs, or combine with other earring types (or check out our guide on how to pick an ear piercing). Some ear piercings work better with different-sized huggies, and that also depends on how high up or into the lobe a hole is set.
Explore inner diameter sizings to get the best idea about how snugly the huggies will fit. As a general guide, huggies with an inner diameter of 6 or 7mm neatly hug the lobe. A 5mm inner diameter is likely to fit best on an upper lobe piercing, where there’s less space between the hole and edge of your ear. Those of an 8mm inner diameter or more are a looser fit, if you like a little room between huggie and ear, all hail the traditional hoop vibe. Similarly, outer diameter measurements will steer you towards how chunky huggies are.
Think about material and gemstones, the colors you gravitate towards most, what you fancy spending and whether any metals typically irritate your skin. The same goes for how you feel about lightweight versus chunkier earrings.
Can you sleep in huggie earrings?
Due to their smaller size, huggie earrings tend to be more comfortable than normal earrings and therefore are comfortable and safe to sleep in. If they cause you discomfort while sleeping however, make sure you take them off before you go to sleep.
Are huggie earrings for pierced ears?
Yes—you'll need to have your ears pierced if you want to start wearing huggie earrings!
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