Earrings are the only jewellery worn right next to the face, so their shape acts like a frame around a portrait and genuinely affects how your features read. The good news is that you do not need a new face or an expensive stylist, just one rule and a few concrete tips for each shape. Below we show how to recognise your own oval, which form and type of earring to match to it, and how gold colour and the way you wear them change the effect.
How do you recognise your face shape?
Tie your hair back, look in the mirror and compare three widths: the forehead, the cheekbones and the jaw, then judge whether the face is long or close to a circle. An oval face is a little longer than it is wide, with a gently tapering jaw, and is considered the most versatile. A round face is close to equal in length and width with soft contours and no sharp angles. A square face has a wide, defined jaw and straight sides, while a heart shaped face pairs a wider forehead with a narrower, tapering chin. It is five minutes at the mirror that sets up the whole choice.
What is the principle of contrast?
There is one rule: an earring should balance the shape of the face, not repeat it. For soft, round features choose forms with a clearer line or a vertical direction, and for sharp, angular features choose rounded forms that soften them. If you paired large hoops with a round face, you would emphasise the roundness instead of balancing it, and the reverse is true, a sharp earring by an angular jaw reinforces the angles. This single relationship explains every tip that follows, so if you remember only it, you will still choose well. The rest is fine tuning to your particular oval.
Which earrings suit an oval face?
An oval face takes almost any form, so you can wear small studs and long drop earrings alike without upsetting the proportions. It is the best shape for experimenting with length and size, from small hoops to ornamental drops. The one thing to watch is scale: very large, heavy forms can overwhelm delicate features, so match the size of the earring to the size of the face. If you like minimalism, a stud or a small hoop is enough, if you prefer boldness, reach for a longer form. An oval face gives the most freedom, so here you really can follow your own taste.
Which earrings suit a round face?
A round face is elongated by drop earrings and forms with a clear vertical direction, so these are the first choice. Elongated drops, studs with a falling element or simple vertical lines lead the eye down and add length to the face. Be careful with large, full hoops, because they repeat the roundness of the contour and can emphasise it. If you like hoops, choose smaller and slightly oval ones rather than large, perfectly round ones. The aim is to introduce a little vertical line and structure that balance the soft features.
Which earrings suit a square face?
The strong, angular jaw of a square face is softened by rounded forms, so hoops and soft, oval earrings work best. Rounded drops and drop earrings with a flowing line also work, because their curve counters the straight angles of the face. Avoid very geometric, angular forms, such as sharp squares or triangles, because they repeat and reinforce the jawline. If you like studs, choose round ones rather than square. The key word here is curve, because it breaks up the strong structure of the face.
Which earrings suit a heart shaped face?
A heart shaped face, with a wider forehead and a narrower chin, is balanced by forms that widen towards the bottom, such as drops and drop earrings with a heavier accent at the end. This shape adds volume to the lower face and visually evens the proportions between forehead and chin. Soft, rounded earrings that soften the wider top also look good. Be careful with forms that are wide at the top, such as large studs at the earlobe, because they can emphasise the wider forehead. The aim is to move a little attention down the face.
How does the type of earring, stud, hoop or drop, change proportions?
Not only the shape but also the type of earring changes how the face is perceived, so it is worth knowing how each works. Studs are discreet and bring order to the whole, they work every day and with any oval, because they impose no direction. Hoops bring softness and movement, so they balance angular features well, though on a round face smaller ones are better. Drop earrings elongate and draw the eye down, which flatters a round face and a heart shape. Knowing these three types, you choose the effect deliberately instead of leaving it to chance.
Which gold colour will flatter your complexion?
Match the colour of gold to your skin tone, because it decides whether the face lights up or dulls. Yellow gold warms and looks best on warm, olive or tanned skin, to which it brings a glow. White gold brightens and suits a cool, fair complexion and those who wear silver accessories. Rose is the most versatile, because its warm yet gentle tone suits almost every skin and refreshes the complexion. We make our earrings in white, yellow and rose gold, so you choose the colour to suit you, not whatever happens to be in stock.
How do you match earrings to the rest of your jewellery and care for them?
Match earrings to your necklace and rings, most simply by keeping one gold colour across the set. If you wear a bold necklace, choose smaller earrings so one element is the focal point rather than two competing. Our earrings are made by hand in our own atelier in Warsaw, and every pair can include free engraving, for instance on the back of a stud. In care it is enough to wipe them with a soft cloth and take them off before sleep, and now and then use our free refreshing and polishing service. This keeps the gold bright and the fastenings secure for years.
Explore the BELLER gold earrings collection and choose the form for your face. Want to try a few shapes against your own face? Visit our boutique in Krakow or in Warsaw.