5 ways to take mismatched earrings off the runway and into your closet

One of the oldest rule in the fashion book is that elements of your outfit should match each other—the colour of your top should complement its bottom counterpart, your belt and shoes should never be in different colours, and matching your shoes with your bag can give your look an instant fashion-approved polish too. So when the mismatched earring trend came around, people who went by the rulebook did a double take. But despite its unconventionality, the trend slowly gained attention when designers like Chanel, Dior, Louis Vuitton and more showcased it on the runway. Closer home, we saw designers like Pankaj and Nidhi, Ritu Kumar and Dhruv Kapoor, among others, incorporate the look at their recent fashion week showcases. What’s more, celebrities like Sonam K Ahuja, Meghan Markle, and more recently, Amber Heard—who wore a pair of mismatched fringed earrings in gold by Delhi-based designer Hanut Singh at the 76th Golden Globes Awards—have given it their stamp of approval.

Interesting and quirky in equal measure, mismatched earrings prove to an easy way to add a talking point to your outfit—if done right, of course. Ahead, we’ve put together an easy-to-follow guide on how to ace the trend.

Play with lengths

A smart and noticeable way of highlighting your mismatched earrings is to wear a long earring (hoops, danglers, shoulder dusters—take your pick) on one ear, and a shorter one (like a simple diamond stud) on the other. Look no further than Amber Heard, who is nailing the trend with her latest red carpet showcase.

Mix up geometrical shapes

Keep things interesting by pairing earrings in different shapes—hoop earrings with rectangular-shaped ones, square-shaped earrings with triangular ones, round stud earrings with star-shaped numbers… you get the gist.

Opt for contrasting colours

You can also try styling two earrings of the same length in contrasting colours. Think embellished earrings in different metal tones like gold and silver or rose gold and bronze, or even the timeless combination of black and white.

Experiment with different sizes

Give your outfit an unexpected twist by wearing earrings of different sizes. Take inspiration from Sonam K Ahuja, who paired a mini hoop earring with a large-sized hoop earring, both in gold.

Wear a single statement earring

Prefer simplicity? Follow the easiest way of nailing the trend by wearing a singular statement earring in one ear. Let designers Payal Pratap, Anupama Dayal and Louis Vuitton show you how to style this.

Scroll ahead to take a look at all the times mismatched earrings featured on national as well as global runways.

And now, add the trend to your wardrobe by shopping for options via our edit below.