There are a few times in life when size does matter: trying to figure out just how “cozy” that “cozy studio apartment” on Craigslist is IRL, deciding between the small and the large at your favorite pizza place, sneaking that extra tote bag on a flight with your carry-on. Also on the list: shopping for hoop earrings.
Even when you have a perfectly clear idea in your head of what size you want to buy, figuring out what that translates to online can lead to a lot of open tabs (“23mm to inches is?”) and a good degree of guesswork. Not every site offers on-model shots, and a “small hoop” for one brand might be an “extra-large hoop” for someone else—go figure.
MORE: The Everything Guide to Black Chokers
Along with black chokers and ’90s-style double buns, hoop earrings are on the fast track to Instagram ubiquity in 2016. That said, the oversized styles, a particular favorite of the Kylie crowd, aren’t a new phenomenon: They have a long history of use in black and Latina communities and in turn, too often being sidelined as “ratchet” or overly sexualized—a fact that should be acknowledged as we all add them to our selfie accessory repertoire.
Whether you’re looking for shoulder-grazers or lobe-huggers, shop hoop earrings of every size in the gallery ahead—handily categorized by diameter from tiny to XXL so you don’t get a rude surprise when you open the package.
