These Shoulder Dusters Are The Feel-Good Earrings Everyone Needs

By Brittany Siminitz | January 18, 2023

Not terribly long ago—but before I had young children who see jewelry as a pull toy—I would, on occasion, wear long earrings.

And not just any long earrings. The shoulder-dusting, swinging, sparkling kind—the kind that would threaten the existence of my earlobe if worn today.

I’ve since traded in the dangling duds for my trusty curated collection of studs (no less precious and cool, in my opinion), but thoughts of wearing those earrings come like warm, welcome memories. The way they felt when I’d swing my head just slightly, tickling the tops of my shoulders, kissing the sides of my face. It wouldn’t matter if my hair was a mess, or my outfit didn’t feel right. With those earrings, I felt beautiful. There truly is no better pick-me-up than a pair of great, dangling earrings.

Thank goodness they’re coming back. Not that it would ever be wrong, mind you, to don a pair of shoulder dusters, but their recent red carpet resurgence signals the impending arrival of more varieties, both in fashion and fine jewelry, and if 2023 proves to be the year we’re meant to feel good in what we wear, then this is a welcome emergence indeed.

I came across my old danglers in my jewelry box the other day, tokens of a time when my wardrobe wasn’t solely based on practicality. Earlobes be damned, maybe now is the time to start wearing them again—in addition to collecting a few new pairs too.

A compelling roundup of the latest, below.