Huggie

A huggie stays under half an inch, so under about 13 millimeters. It does what the name says: the ring hugs the lobe with almost no gap. Nearly all use a hinged snap closure, because at this diameter there is too little curve to thread an endless post through comfortably. Each earring usually weighs one to two grams.

The number that matters is the inside, not the outside. A 10 millimeter huggie built from 3 millimeter tube leaves a 4 millimeter opening. A thick or recently healed lobe will not pass through it. Measure the lobe front to back if you have any doubt, or choose a huggie with thinner tube, where the same outer size buys more usable room.

With no swing and no protruding shape, a huggie is the closest a hoop gets to a stud in daily life. It stays clear of scarves, headphones and pillows. The huggie also sits comfortably in a second or third hole where a full sized hoop would knock against the one below. It also disappears. From more than a few feet away a huggie reads as a small bright dot, adding finish rather than presence.

Where a stud sits on top of the lobe, a huggie wraps around it, so a slightly stretched or off center hole disappears inside the ring. Hinges are what fail. Open and close one a few times before buying. The click should be positive, and the two ends should meet flush with no step you can catch with a fingernail. A loosened hinge lets the post drift out of its seat. Sleeping in a pair wears that hinge faster than a year of opening it once a day.