subject: Your Earrings, Your Culture, And You [print this page] Everybody, and this means everybody, seems to be wearing earrings these days. Babies, wear them, as do their fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters. For some reason, what once used to be a rather feminized and singular expression has become common for everyone from all walks of life.
This is indeed a fascinating cultural development, and there may be many reasons as to why. The one overriding belief is that they are simply attention gathering devices. The flash in those lobes is sending messages, usually to potential partners, of your presence and availability. Birds have plumage and bees have a buzz. People like to dress themselves up a bit.
Of course, sometimes you want to draw attention to yourself, we all do. But other times you may want to be more in the background of things going on around you. Understanding that what you wear, and where, influences the way others see you is a good start to always presenting yourself well.
Think about these implications at work. The workplace is probably not the best place to express your availability and a penchant for partying all night long. Here you may want to go with the subtle look of simple studs and smaller hoops. While some businesses may require you to look and act boldly, most do not, and so quiet is the key on the job.
Of course, when you are going out on the town that is a whole different story. Then you may well be competing for attention, in a big way. Here is the time to wear all of the flash and cash you own. But be careful, as some areas have different cultural signifiers than others. Learn what the locals do before you try and dazzle then with your own sense of style.
Then, as far as status goes, there will always be diamonds and pearls. High class acts wear high class jewelry, and this seems to be common to all people all over. And you never have to be so bold when wearing items of true value. A simple set of diamond studs will overshadow a string of zirconium every time. The same is true with good gold. A little goes a long way in impressing others.
Of course there are a million more ways to express yourself with the earrings that you choose. The point is to be aware of the cultural signs you are sending out to others. You will want to try to send the appropriate ones. Jewelry has a long history for a very good reason, so make history count with yours.
