Hoop Earrings for Men: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

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At first glance, hoop earrings for men may seem like a radical fashion statement, but the trend has been catching on steadily in the past few years with an increasing number of males sporting this jewelry craze. Just as with women’s selections, there is a wide variety of styles and sizes to choose from which are suitable for every male ear lobe.

Hoop earrings come in a variety of styles such as gold, silver, brass, and copper hoops all encrusted with gemstones. And although it has been fashionable for years to wear them as a cluster on one ear alone and not on both, that is rapidly changing with men sporting them on both ears.

Some male celebrities who are known to wear hoop earrings include Andy Roddick, Dave Grohl, David Beckham, Chris Brown and Russell Brand. And although there still remain people that question the masculinity behind wearing a pair of hoop earrings, many males have come out saying they feel more like themselves when sporting their new look.

Increased popularity in the hoop earring trend and especially among men, has lead many jewelry makers to offer hoop styles with other masculine enhancements as well such as skulls, crosses and dragons. With so much choice available it is surprising that more males have not taken up this fashion craze yet, but follow the celebrity examples mentioned above for wearing them

Can guys really wear hoop earrings?

Diamond hoop earrings for men are very hot right now. As long as the guy wearing them has an earring hole, he can wear hoops.

Hoop Earring - Stainless Steel Earrings for Men
Geo Hoop Earring – Stainless Steel Earrings for Men – Modern Out

Most guys get their ears pierced in high school or college, but if they don’t, there is usually a local piercing place that will do it for a small fee.

Comparing hoop earrings with other styles

Hoop earrings are a great way to make your outfit complete or dress up an otherwise drab look. They also come in a variety of sizes and colors, so they can go with just about anything you’re wearing.

men hoop earings
ASOS DESIGN 9mm hoop earrings in 14k gold plate
black hoop earrings
Jstyle Stainless Steel Mens Hoop Earrings Huggie Ear Piercings
mens thin hoop earrings
Huggie Hoops in Sterling Silver, Plain Oxidized Huggies, Minimalist Earrings for Men

If you want to wear something that stands out more, go for some larger hoops. If you’re trying to get the casual look, go for some smaller ones.

Hoops are also a good size for people who have larger ears and are usually more comfortable than studs, although you may want to buy some clip-on ones if your lobes are sensitive or smaller.

What is a good size for mens hoop earrings?

The most popular size of hoop earrings for men is 14mm. They’re big enough to be noticed but not so big they become uncomfortable, and small enough that you still have all your other holes available if you want to pierce a new one.

mens hoop earring sizes
Hipster Black Hoop Earrings-Stainless Steel Hoops

A good starting point for mens hoop earrings is 8mm earrings. That’s the same thickness as most women’s stud earrings, and you can get them almost anywhere.

Types Masculine Mens Hoop Earrings

Knot designs are often used in hoop earring designs for men because of their simple lines, but they’re not just for that market. The beauty comes from the knot-tying art. The thickness of the wire is manipulated so that there’s empty space, or knot-space, between the wires on either side of the earring.

masculine mens hoop earrings
Huggie hoop earrings sterling silver
skull hoop earrings
Chunky skull earrings, 925 sterling silver hoop
mens big hoop earrings with crosses
Cross Earrings in Black, Silver and Gold Colors

awesome hoop earrings

The ends of a hoop earring can be rounded off with pliers to help you put them in and take them out. You can also leave them alone if you’re the kind of guy who doesn’t take your earrings out for anything.

guy hoop earrings
Mens white hoop earrings

Earrings that consist solely of one round loop are called “half hoops” and look great with men’s jewelry. They dangle a little bit, but not enough to be annoying — just enough so they catch the light every once in awhile behind your hair.

guys wearing hoop earrings
WFTW drop hoop earring with t-bar in silver
men hoop earrings with spikes
WFTW spike hoop earrings in gunmetal
male hoop earrings
DesignB exclusive chain huggie hoop earrings in silver
single spike hoop earring
ASOS DESIGN sterling silver hoop earring with spike in silver
braided rope hoop earring
Icon Brand hoop earrings in silver with rope design
mens half hoop earrings
Designb London chunky hoop earrings in silver exclusive to ASOS
knot hoop earring
925 STERLING SILVER CELTIC KNOT HOOP HUGGIE EARRINGS FOR MEN

What type of hoop earring would look good on a man with thick hair?

When choosing jewelry for men, it’s important to remember that thick hair can sometimes make jewelry harder to see. So you may want a larger hoop earring or stud so people can notice your new earrings.

Small, modern, minimalist huggie silver hoops
Small, modern, minimalist huggie silver hoops

If the man in question has a fairly thin face and head of hair, a big hoop might be too bulky for his overall look, and a smaller hoop might fit his style better.

What do hoop earrings symbolize?

Hoop earrings have been around for a long time. They were invented by ancient Egyptians and they became very popular in the late 1700s and early 1800s in America. A lot of men started wearing hoop earrings then (because women did), but we’ve kind of lost the tradition since then. Now, women wear hoop earrings and men usually don’t… until now.

guy silver hoop earrings
Thomas Sabo Minimalist Silver Hoop Earrings

Men wearing hoop earrings today is a bit of a statement. It’s rare to see this type of jewelry on men because there are other more popular styles that are deemed masculine enough for them. However, the fashion world has made a trend of modernized versions of old styles and it looks like men’s hoop earrings will become more popular again.

Should men wear hoop earrings?

The debate on whether or not men should wear hoop earrings is still up in the air. Some say it’s inappropriate for a man to be perceived as feminine, while others argue that if he likes his big hoops and has an earring hole, then any other guy can rock them too!

guy gold hoop earrings

If you decide you want to wear hoops, just be sure to keep the hoop earrings for men simple and stylish. They should look like high quality jewelry that will help you achieve your look, not cheap accessories that will make other people think you are trying too hard.

Overall, wear whatever feels comfortable and looks best on you! If a lot of men in your circles are wearing hoops, then go for it, and if not, consider other types of earrings or fashion accessories.

Where to buy hoop earrings for men online?

If your goal is to look like a cool rocker with awesome new hoops, the first place you should go is an e-store. There are tons of great stores out there that will offer you all sorts of styles, colors and sizes in men’s hoop earrings.

Another benefit to buying online is that most sites allow you to see what the jewelry looks like on you before buying. It may seem silly, but nothing beats seeing how those hoops will look against your hair or skin tone when making a selection.

All of this comes down to personal preference, so pick a hoop earring that you like and wear it with confidence.

Here are some examples of stores where you can buy hoop earrings for men online:

Carl A. Jones, GIA GG

Carl A. Jones is a GIA Graduate Gemologist with over 20 years of experience in the diamond industry. He is an independent jewelry appraiser. He specializes in determining the value of diamonds and advising consumers on how to buy quality diamond jewelry.

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