Hoop earrings are a rite of passage, an important piece of jewelry mothers gift their daughters as they journey into a womanhood. I’d argue that for many, wearing hoop earrings for the first time is up there on the list of pivotal moments in a young woman’s life next to buying your first bra, wearing a thong, and getting your period. But I skipped the whole hoop earring phase.
My mother begged and pleaded with me to wear her favorite medium-sized twisted gold hoop earrings from the moment I stepped foot in middle school but to me, wearing hoops always felt weird; I felt like I looked “too grown” and was afraid of potentially stretching my earlobes. Plus, I wasn’t convinced hoops would fit my face as perfectly as they did my mom’s or friends’. So I stocked up on stud earrings from Forever 21, buying small ones for everyday wear and larger, fancy designs for special occasions. The intrigue was still there, though, and I knew sooner than later, I’d be converted to a hoop lover.
That moment happened when the “demi-fine” jewelry brand Missoma landed on my radar. A UK-based company founded by Marisa Hordern, the brand pulls inspiration from traveling experiences. I’m a sucker for radiant, rich-looking gold jewelry so I immediately gravitated to Gold Infiniti Hoop Earrings. The earrings came beautifully packaged in a blue pouch inside of a mini blue box. “Who am I?” I said to myself as I hurried to snap them on my ear.
These Missoma gems ticked off a lot of my boxes: comfortable, high quality, versatile, and durable. The earrings felt lightweight but not flimsy, gave my very casual concert outfit a touch of grace and femininity, and were sturdy enough to last through my constant jumping and singing at NYC’s Governor’s Ball Festival. I found myself wearing them again, and again, pairing them with everything from frilly frocks to comfy tracksuits.
Thanks to this pair of earrings, I’m a changed, “grown” woman, clicking through pages of different hoop styles in the hopes of finding a new obsession. Shop more of my favorites below.
