How to Layer Earrings

Jewelry is a way to express yourself, and for some, that means being able to wear more than one pair of earrings. Getting double ear piercings opens up twice as many possibilities when it comes to the jewelry you can select. If you’re wondering what second piercings (or third, fourth, and fifth) entail when it comes to layering and care, keep reading.

Second piercing earrings

When you’re considering piercing your second holes, you’ll probably be thinking about whether you have the right types of earrings. Most people generally prefer to wear either little studs or small hoops in their second piercings. Initially, wearing small earrings helps your body to heal after piercing. After that, you create an attractive illusion with more oversized statement earrings you wear in your first hole.

Here are some great, size-appropriate options that you can consider for your second holes.

Second hole stud earrings

Gemstone stud earrings

Add a pop of color with 2mm gemstone studs. Choose your favorite colors or a meaningful birthstone. You can layer different gemstone studs in second and third holes or mix and match your ears. Additional piercings give you an added way to accessorize, and you should take full advantage of it.

Shape earrings

Don’t forget that second piercing are supposed to show off your personality. You can put an earring that matches everything — like hoops or a larger diamond stud — in your first hole, but the second one should say something about you. Add a bit of pizzazz to your outfit with your favorite shape. These rainbow earring studs are a fun small addition to your jewelry collection. These cute diamond stars tell everyone to look beyond your carefully cultivated look.

Tiny diamond earrings for second hole

You can’t go wrong with diamond studs - no matter the shape or setting! We love a tiny baguette or teardrop diamond to add in a different form. Diamonds go with not only every outfit but also every other earring. They’re the kind of earrings that you can dress up or down. Put them in your ears and forget they’re there for days at a time!

Gold hoops for second piercing

Huggie earrings for second hole

Just because it’s your second piercing doesn’t mean you can’t have an earring that dangles. If you go with a drop earring, we recommend doing a hoop or other dangling earring for your first hole. These pearl huggie earrings are a stellar option for a more upscale look. We also LOVE a mini huggie earring in any gemstone. You could also use these for your first hole and choose small pearl studs for your second hole — you have many options available!

Plain hoops for second piercing

Our life motto is, when in doubt, go with hoops. This goes for every single hole. Hoops are appropriate for just about every occasion. They play nice with other earrings and shine together. We love a hoop ear stack. Start with your largest hoop earrings and layer in your smaller ones. A girl can never have enough hoops.

Trending earring styles

Ear crawlers

Ear crawlers have a wow factor. They can instantly add a dynamic element to your ears. We love pairing a subtle first hole with a sparkling ear crawler.

Double chain earrings

Chain earrings are super in fashion. Incorporate the chain look by using a chain earring as your base layer or purchasing two studs connected by a chain for your first and second holes. The chain ties the entire look together.

Earring jackets

Ear jackets are the latest and greatest for a good reason; they let you create a new look for your existing earrings. We encourage using ear jackets as base layer jewelry.

How to wear multiple earrings

A popular approach to second-piercing earrings is creating an earring stack. An earring stack is wearing multiple earrings together and “stacking” them along the lobe. There are numerous ways this can be done. Sometimes it ends up looking eclectic and chaotic, and other times it’s funky and playful.

When you’re creating an earring stack, you can use a variety of earring types. People use huggies, studs, bars, and hoops to create this look. You can also mix metals if desired. To make this look, you don’t have to stick with yellow gold, white gold, rose gold, or sterling silver. However, you can if you prefer. Remember, earring stacks are meant to communicate your style and personality.

Here are some tips you can use when creating an earring stack. Although, always remember that they’ll never be an exact science.

1. Mix sizes and shapes 

Don’t be afraid to dig into your jewelry box! When you create an earring stack, you mix and match the best of what’s in your jewelry collection. You can pair huggie earrings with studs or hoops. Below are examples of what stacks with two holes can look like.

2. Go big to small

Typical earring stacks will have the largest and longest earrings in the first lobe piercing. This creates an attractive illusion because this is also where your ear is the longest/biggest. Put the biggest earring in your first hole and the smaller earrings in the hole farthest away from your face.

3. Tailor to your ears 

Everyone has different ears. If you have smaller ears, you may only be able to accommodate thinner/smaller styles. If your ears are a bit more generous, you may have more space to play!

4. Don’t be afraid of color

Regardless of whether you decide to stick with a single metal, don’t be afraid to go for color. Adding different gems to your allow you to incorporate gorgeous pops of color into your look.

5. Pick a metal

This is up to you. Many people prefer to choose a single metal to ensure their stack looks clean and put together despite the various sizes and textures of the earrings. However, if you love mixing metals, you don’t have to go this route.

 6. Get creative with your piercings

You may feel like two piercings aren’t enough to create a sufficient earring stack. That isn’t the case! Even if you have just two sets of piercings, you can always employ earrings that help create a more layered look. A good example of this is climber earrings. They’ll give you the illusion of multiple lobe piercings while just adhering to one of your lobe piercings.

Additionally, ear cuffs give the effect of cartilage piercings that don’t exist. No piercing is necessary!

The Golden Rule of Earring Stacks

That said, there’s one golden rule that you should always follow when creating an earring stack. Build your earring look around one pair of earrings and add additional sets. Gold hoops and diamond studs are the most popular base for an earring stack. However, choose your favorite earrings and build around them!

Sample Earring Stacks

Here are a few sample earring sets that we love.

Main Pair: Chain earrings

Second Piercing Earrings: Diamond Trio earrings

Main Pair: Diamond Hoops

Second Pair Earrings: Diamond drop hoop earrings

Main Pair: Paperclip earrings

Second Pair Earrings: Initial earrings

If you have a third (or more) piercing, you can add additional earrings to your stack with complimentary studs or small (huggie) hoops.

Second hole ear piercing

A double ear piercing is two consecutive piercings placed adjacent to one another on the lower part of the ear. While some people know they want double piercings from the start, people usually start with just a single ear piercing. Then, they have their doubles done much later.

Fortunately, a double ear piercing works the same way that a single ear piercing works. If you’re familiar with that process and didn’t mind it, it’ll be smooth sailing through your double ear piercing. Here’s a step-by-step of what to expect.

• The front and back of the area are cleaned
• The lobe is marked where the earrings will be placed
• The cartilage is pulled taut
• This may be done with either a clamp or by hand (depending on what is most comfortable for the piercer)
• The needle is pushed through the ear to create a hole that is sealed by pushing the jewelry through and into place

Like other ear piercings, you’ll need to care properly for your doubles. Otherwise, you can see signs of infection such as inflammation, infection, throbbing, burning, itching, redness, or headaches.

Ear Piercing 101

Once you’ve cared for your first ear piercings, you can easily care for your double ear piercings. There’s no special science to it. Here’s what you need to know to avoid infections and prevent your piercings from shrinking or closing.

1. Leave your earrings in 24/7 for 6+ weeks. If you remove your earrings too early, then they can start to close.
2. Wash your hands before touching newly pierced ears. This can prevent bacteria from entering the healing cartilage and to avoid infection.
3. Only wear 14k yellow gold earrings for the first year of a new piercing. Make sure that the gold is nickel free. It is also essential to make sure the entire earring is 100% pure gold, including the ear nut and post.
4. Treat your piercings with mild, fragrance-free soap and water. You should do this at least once a day to prevent infection.
5. Rinse your piercings after washing them. You don’t want to leave soap on your ears or piercings, which could irritate. However, avoid getting water in your ear while you’re doing this.
6. Apply petroleum jelly around the opening of each piercing. You should only use petroleum jelly that comes in a squeeze tube — not a tub — as this will prevent the transfer of germs. Petroleum jelly keeps piercings moist and helps wounds to heal faster.
7. Watch your ears. If you notice any changes in how your ears heal or if they get sore, red, puffy, or ooze a yellowish liquid, you may have an infection. Don’t hesitate to head to the doctor’s if none of these symptoms go ahead within a few days.

Final Thoughts

Are you interested in getting a second piercing? Many different second-piercing earrings allow you to use your jewelry creatively and build an earring stack.

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