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Mirror Magazine

Hanging for the mom ent
The ’80s look with those dangly earrings is back in fashion.
By Ishani Ranasinghe
Dig into your family jewellery collection and pull out those long, dangling earrings ’cos they are taking the fashion scene by storm. Be it teenagers, young adults or even older people, this is the in thing with stud earrings making an exit.

This time round the earrings are bigger and flashier. 2003 is all about great style and fantastic colour waiting for you to choose from. When it comes to earrings, it is a bold, whimsical combination of shapes and sizes. And there is no end to the choices, from chunky to dainty, from squares, rectangles to chandelier types – an array which will dazzle you. Currently, silver is sizzling.

The latest trends in jewellery reflect the personality of the wearer — they can be as exciting and unique as you are. So what do the who’s who in fashion think of long earrings?

Long earrings have certainly made a comeback, agrees Otara Chandiram, Managing Director of Odel. “The ethnic ones and other types of earrings at different lengths are in fashion.” Given the range of earrings available from hoops to hanging, chunky ones or those with intricate designs, she says your hair-length and features will matter somewhat on what type will suit you. “In general, most earrings suit most people.”

“If you have short hair and wear a pair of long earrings, it may not look that good,” says Otara, adding that earrings definitely enhance the outfit, making even old attire look new.

“Earrings can be worn anytime of the day,” she says but cautions that they must suit the time of day. If the earrings are glittering with stones they will be best worn in the night, she advises.

Sonali White of the Haddai label feels that the type of earrings you wear should depend on the outfit and the time of day. “You can dress up an outfit with a pair of earrings but you have to be careful about the type.” The outfit, time, place, occasion and your face shape will matter when selecting earrings, she says.

“If you have an oval or round shaped face, it’s best if you wear long, diagonal earrings to give the illusion of length. If your face is more square or angular you can get away with wearing hoop earrings.”

Hanging earrings are definitely ‘in’ this season, says Purnima Abeyratne of Inspiration, explaining, “It’s more the antique ones that seem to be very popular with the present wearers.”

Among the long earrings that are in fashion at the moment, feathers, antique and really long earrings are widely worn. “It is also important that the clothes we wear match the earrings, such as a pair of long beaded earrings with a suit.”

Now that the designers’ verdict is in that dangling earrings are must-haves this year and perfect to make any outfit special, we asked around to find out what teenagers think about this latest trend.

Sham (21) feels that dangly earrings are a good way of enhancingher outfits. “When you go out you could wear just a normal pair of jeans and dress it up by wearing hoops. Earlier, people wore only hoops but now there is an array to choose from.”

“I think earrings are playing a prominent role among accessories,” says Sonali (19). “It’s great and you needn’t spend that much money on them. They are also freely available.”
For Ayesha, 19, long earrings are the easy way out when she wants to look dressy. “I like them,” she says.

“It’s something I really like, and you don’t necessarily have to wear them in the night. You can wear them with casual clothing as well,” adds Maheshi, (24). Shevanthi, 24, feels that it is good to finally focus on earrings. “Fashion has seldom highlighted earrings, but now it’s a wonderful opportunity to go all the way.”

Yes, dangly earrings are a hit in Sri Lanka, be it ethnic, Indian or just plain daring. The wheel has turned and maybe next time you feel like discarding your accessories think again… for you may need those in five or 10 years. For now the trend is to go crazy with those long, glitzy, dangling earrings.

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