Earscaping: How To Curate The Perfect Stack Of Earrings

You may have noticed a trend of clustered ear piercings in recent months, quite reminiscent of some of the '90s jewelry ensembles we all loved. A veer from the more minimalist earring placements, this busy, yet dainty and delicate look is known as earscaping — a holistic embodiment of personalized piercing placements on the ears. The term was coined by Studs who states the official definition as, "The art and science of personalized ear piercings and earring stacking, resulting in a form of unique self-expression."

Whether you're looking to get your first piercing beyond the lobe or you want a whole new look inspired by the unique anatomy of your ear, earscaping is a modern, intentional method of expression and adorning oneself with a multitude of possibilities. It's truly a great channel for that creative energy to land and the instant boost it gives is just an added perk. Let's take a closer look at how to curate the perfect stack of earrings.

Just as we are each unique beings, the shape and contours of our ears also vary. So, even though you may love the look of a certain piercing placement or pairing, it might not work as well on your ear. Some of us may simply have more lobe space than others for multiple piercings or maybe you wear glasses and a forward helix piercing may cause irritation. This is where the professionals come in. Your piercer should be able to give you the right advice for your earscaping. There's a bit more to consider than you may initially realize — it's just a piercing, right?

"Some piercings just might not work on your anatomy, and it's crucial to consider your lifestyle factors, too," Vanessa Chilton, co-founder of piercing brand Robinson Pelham, told Porter. "Ask yourself a few questions: do you wear headphones? If you have a daith, tragus, or anti-tragus piercing, will you still be able to get earbuds in your ear? If you have an orbital, transverse lobe, or helix piercing, will these be uncomfortable with over-ear headphones? Do you have long hair, and do you wear it up or down?"

We can quickly get caught up in a piercing plan after viewing multiple cute arrangements that we simply must have now. But too many too quickly could seriously backfire. Studs recommends no more than two piercings at a time to allow for optimal healing. So, if your plan is to get ten new piercings, understand that it will be a process, and integrating each piercing into your life will take patience and care.

Pain tolerance also matters. Some can get a cartilage piercing and will barely notice that it's there a few days later while others may have a red, inflamed ear for months to come. And you don't really know which category you fall into until you're already in the thick of healing. So, go slowly and always be sure to care for your new piercings properly, following the care instructions given to you by your piercer.

Once you've taken into account your unique ear shape, lifestyle, and healing time, the trajectory of your earscape should come into clearer view. Some of the recent fads in earscaping are hard to resist. The 'snake bite' is a double piercing featuring two side-by-side studs and could not be cuter. 'Constellation' piercings are another trend we are truly here for. Essentially, you see a design of dainty, small studs spread across the ear. Some opt to add multiple piercings to one ear, also known as a 'party ear,' leaving the other ear fairly open. The various routes to your ideal earscape are virtually endless — get creative and enjoy the ride.

In terms of what we can expect to see on the ears of influencers next, experts agree that crystals and stones are a rock-solid option. "I think we will see larger clusters of stones, different diamond cuts, and shapes in unusual combinations, hidden in the ear," Maria Tash, luxury piercing and fine-jewelry brand founder, told Porter.

You may already know whether you're a gold or a silver girl – and if not, consider doing a seasonal color analysis to see which metal best suits your skin tone. Either way, you'll have quite a few choices to make during the progression of your earscape. With choices like dainty hoops, simple metal studs, huggies (a small hoop that hugs the ear), clusters, crystals, and gems, there's a lot to consider. Plus, you want to think about how it all flows together, which is essentially what earscaping is all about.

Studs even offers to do all the thinking, planning, and designing for you, selling earscape sets on their website which are perfectly curated earring collections in different aesthetics, from flower child to western. And if you don't fall into the Gen Z category you may be most often seeing these piercing arrangements on — worry not. The wonderful world of earscaping is for beauties of all ages.