Creating Illusions with Earrings
 

Not many of us have the perfect body; we all have areas we would prefer not drawing attention to and we all have features to highlight. Change your look by just changing your jewelry.
 

Earrings may be the most important jewelry item to flatter your face. The color, the movement of dangle earrings or the sparkle of gems will draw immediate attention to your face and will either enhance or minimize your features. When choosing earrings, you want contrast and balance with your specific body frame and the shape and coloring of your face.

• Small earrings can get lost under long hair, especially under dark hair.

• Over large earrings with short hair can look unbalanced.

• Chandelier or drop earrings will emphasize a short neck.

• Hair worn piled up on the head will add height and lengthens the neck.

• Short dangle earrings will add width to a narrow face.

• Earrings that move up the ear or have wings that sweep up will minimize a too thin face or a long nose.

• If earrings are too long they can make you look shorter.

• Angular or elongated shapes will lengthen a full face.

• Drop earrings can elongate your neck and face to make you look taller.

• Repetition of a shape will just emphasize it.

• Shorten a long neck by shortening your earrings.

• If you are petite, larger earrings will make you look even smaller.

• If you are a larger woman and wear tiny earrings, they will make you look larger.

Earrings and your facial shape

The oval face is considered to be the perfect shape. The face is slightly narrower at the jaw line than at the temples, with a gently rounded hairline. The proportions at the forehead are not too wide, and the line from the forehead flows into high cheekbones, then narrows slightly to a rounded chin. Just about any shape will flatter but angular shapes will add a contrast. Buttons, studs, hoops or medium length triangular and dangle earrings will frame an oval face and draw the viewer's attention down instead of around. Avoid-long dangling earrings, as they tend to pull the face shape downward, lengthening it further.

The round face is a circle; the width is equal to the length, with no discernible angles at the cheek or chin. Earrings with length to elongate the face for a balanced look will flatter the round face. A combination of straight and curved shapes that are slightly longer than wide, rectangles, oblongs, and square dangle earrings will draw attention down instead of around. Avoid-anything chunky that sits on the ear lobe, round shapes, very small or stud earrings, as they will intensify the "roundness" of your face.

The heart shaped face is wide at the forehead and cheeks, then narrows sharply to a point at the chin like a triangle. Earrings should have more width than length and balance at the cheekbone to add width to the chin and draw the eye away from the point. Designs with curves or that fan out at the bottom, teardrops and triangular shapes with wide bottoms will soften the angles of a pointed chin. Avoid- Earrings that have the smallest point at the bottom.

The oblong/rectangular shaped face has more length than width, with distinguishable angles and usually a high forehead. The width of the face at the forehead is the same as the chin. Circular, triangular, thick chunky and square shaped earrings with curve and width at the bottom will make the middle of your face appear wider. Hoops and round posts will soften the angles and wider styles will shorten the length of your face. Avoid-long straight, dangling earrings.

The square shaped face is as wide as it is long with a strong, square jaw line and hairline. Bold round studs, curves, ovals and hoops will soften the angles. Long straight and drop earrings will add length to your face and soften your strong jaw. Avoid-square shaped earrings.