Photographs inspired by earrings

I’ve always loved earrings. I feel like I’ve forgotten something if I go out without earrings, as if I’m not fully dressed, so tend to wear some form of ear embellishment every day even if it is just tiny studs. I was only allowed to pierce my ears when I was well into my teens and had to make do with clip-on earrings before then. Although I’m not a slave to fashion and only wear what I like (or ideally love) I do keep up with what’s going on. This season’s information according to  British Vogue is that XXL i.e. extra extra large statement earrings are in, and extra long so they are shoulder sweeping.  The Guardian has been championing statement earrings for the past year but have now relegated those with tassels as too last season, which I am so far ignoring. For me the ultimate statement earring is about style and originality – as well as its relationship to the person wearing the earring.

Earlier this month I was in New Orleans for three days prior to my visit to San Francisco. I went to a great open air music festival at Armstrong Park called the Congo Square Rhythm Festival. Here are a couple of people in the audience that caught my eye, precisely because of their earrings:

This man with a pink and gold skull earring:

Next is a woman with a large, colourful decorative ear cuff in addition to a turquoise stud:

Here are some earrings by night, in club situations. Dancer Luanda Pau from the back at a recent Afro Cuban Night:

Another glinting earring; belonging to musician Sara McGuiness  – back in March 2013:

In the past I have also documented many lost objects or objets trouvés that I have found on the street – including lots of lone earrings. Here is one I particularly like, as it gives the illusion of being a fallen leaf:

Another documenting project features members of The London Lucumi Choir. Some of these images were inspired by members of the choir wearing interesting earrings – first of all Melissa Blanco Borelli displaying her Madonna del Cobre earrings in 2011:

I love Davinia Baño’s creativity evident in her home-made earrings – here are a couple of examples. the first uses a bottle cap:

Here Davinia sports a green crocodile earring:

This reminded me of a self-portrait of mine from the early 90’s – complete with several earrings on one ear including a clip-on crocodile:

I still have a penchant for a dangly earring – here’s a selfie from last year’s summer holiday in Puglia wearing big earrings and bikini – a look that many mature Italian women rocked by the poolside and which I decided to embrace:

 

 

 

 

 

 

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