What is this type of earring called?

March 29, 2011 11:13 AM

What is the correct terminology for a hinged endless hoop earring?

I'm trying to replace my cartilage piercing with a gold hoop. I hate the hoops that involve a tiny wire that you have to wiggle into the hollow end of the hoop. My current one is sterling silver and has what I would call a "breaking" hinge-- it's not visible when the earring is clasped, but the earring hinges into two halves and snaps together, leaving a completely smooth exterior except for the hairline area where the one end has a snap-together clasp and the other has the hinge.

I'm sure there's a term for this kind of piece but I do not know it, and I haven't been able to find it based on searching for "endless" hoops, "hinged" hoops, or anything related.

posted by RedReplicant to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (6 answers total)

Best answer: from your description, i think you want to search for "seamless" or "continuous" hoops.
posted by nadawi at 11:19 AM on March 29, 2011

There is a style sold as huggy or huggie hoops.
posted by oneear at 11:40 AM on March 29, 2011

We always called them sleeper earrings or just 'sleepers'. Because there's no butterfly at the back to dig into your neck while you're sleeping.
posted by shelleycat at 12:24 PM on March 29, 2011

Caution on the 'sleepers'. The way I'm familiar with this term would have included the wire into the tube type as 'sleepers'.
posted by kch at 12:27 PM on March 29, 2011 [1 favorite]

Leverbacks seems to be a term that is used.
posted by kch at 12:30 PM on March 29, 2011

These are my favorite and I can recommend them. Been wearing them for nearly ten years (yes, straight). Sally Beauty calls them "hinged hoop" earrings.
posted by theraflu at 1:12 PM on March 29, 2011 [2 favorites]