Fashion Forecasting

By the early 1970s, ear piercings were common among women, which created a broader market for the procedure. Department stores throughout the country would hold ear piercing events. At these events, a nurse or other trained person would perform the procedure, either pushing a sharpened and sterilized starter earring through the earlobe by hand, or using an ear-piercing instrument modified from the design used by physicians. Today, earrings are designed in all colors and shapes, and are made out of many materials. Today’s trendy earrings include long, heavy earrings set with diamonds for special events, while smaller, gold stud earrings set with diamonds are more appropriate for everyday wear. Earrings have become a popular form of personal expression, and how and when they are worn, along with their function within an ensemble, became largely a matter of personal choice.