An ode to big hoops

How many things that you wore aged 15 can you still, hand-on-heart, wear with joy now? Fishtail skirts - no. Stiff striped shirts with vests over the top - no. They were merely (and thankfully) fleeting fashion crushes compared to my enduring, togetha 4eva love for giant hoop earrings.

I can’t remember exactly when I discovered their power, but it was more than likely influenced by my favourite music. 00s hiphop and RnB is another teenage obsession I’ll never grow out of — Ashanti, Destiny’s Child, JLo…Before there was Pinterest, their CD covers and magazine posters gave me all the fashion inspo I needed.

They were soon joined by the likes of Carrie Bradshaw and Rihanna — two more style icons partial to a statement hoop.

By my final year at school, I was wearing my own pair every day — silver, because that was my preference for jewellery at the time. I treated them like a trademark (as if no one had ever worn hoop earrings before…), feeling they somehow helped my curly hair and strong nose fall into sync with one another.

For entertainment purposes, here are some of my truly woeful big hoops moments. You can date these images via the French Martini and MySpace fringe.

Since then, they’ve remained. From giant thin ones to chunky smaller ones. From silver to my now preferred gold. For holidays, nights out, early retail jobs and serious office jobs. Forget ‘putting on your big girl pants’ — putting on my big girl hoops makes me feel armed and ready. Got a scary meeting with an arsehole manager coming up? Get 'em out. Pregnancy cankles cramping your style? Throw on your biggest pair.

Sometimes when I worked in a city centre office, I’d realise my ears were naked ahead of a particularly challenging day and hot foot it to Primark to buy a £3 multipack. The remaining pairs would then be stored in my drawer for future emergencies.

In fact, one thing my big hoops have always had in common is that they’re dirt cheap. I don’t think I’ve ever spent more than a fiver on them. Most tarnish or break after a few wears, which didn’t really bother me when I knew I could easily replace them. But now we live in an age where this kind of disposability leaves me with a lingering guilt I could do without…It’s time I invested in something a bit more sustainable.

One day I’ll treat myself to some solid gold ones, but in the meantime, I’m still singing the praises of waterproof jewellery brand D. Louise. These ones are £35

I’ll conclude with this absolute banger dedicated to my favourite accessory of all time…