Huggie Earrings: What They Are, Sizes and How to Stack Them

Huggies are the earrings I recommend most often to people who say they never wear earrings. They are small, they stay put, and they look finished on their own. In this guide I cover what a huggie is, how to size one, which stones to choose and how to build an ear stack, using the 90 huggies by Suzanne Kalan in our huggie earrings edit. A good place to start is the Bold Single Diamond Huggies in 18K Yellow Gold, around $2,600 at Coveti.

So what are huggie earrings? A huggie is a small, thick hoop that sits close against the earlobe, so it appears to hug it. Most measure under 15 mm across and close with a clicking hinge. They sit between a stud and a hoop: as easy to wear as the first, with the shape of the second.

That combination is why huggies have become the default second earring for so many people. Here is how to buy them well.

Huggies against hoops: the real difference

The difference is how the earring sits. A hoop hangs, and gravity does the styling. A huggie wraps the lobe, so there is very little gap between the gold and your skin. That makes huggies quieter, more comfortable for long days and less likely to catch on a jumper.

Thickness matters as much as diameter. A huggie tends to be chunkier than a fine hoop of the same size, which is what gives it that solid, sculptural look. If you want something that reads as a hoop from across a room, our gold hoop earrings guide covers the larger sizes in millimetres.

How to choose the right huggie size

Huggies are small, so even a single millimetre makes a visible difference. Here is a rough guide to how the sizes behave.

The inside diameter is the number to watch, because it decides how much room the gold has around your lobe. If your piercing sits low, a small huggie can pinch at the edge. If it sits high, a larger huggie will drift away from the skin and lose the hugging effect. Measure the distance from your piercing to the edge of your lobe, then choose a huggie with a slightly larger inside radius.

Each Suzanne Kalan huggie at Coveti is listed as One Size, so check the stated dimensions on the product page before you order, and hold a ruler up to your ear in the mirror. It takes a minute and it is the single best way to get the fit right.

Closures and comfort

Most huggies fasten with a hinged section that swings open and clicks into a notch on the other side. It is quick, and when it is well made you will feel a definite snap as it closes. Test that snap each time. A hinge that closes softly is the most common reason a huggie goes missing.

Weight is the other thing to think about. A chunky huggie in solid gold has real heft for its size, and that is part of the appeal. But if your lobes are sensitive, start with a slimmer design and build up. Thin Mix is the lightest-looking option in the Suzanne Kalan range, and it is designed to sit alongside other pieces without crowding them.

Finally, think about what else touches your ears. Phone calls, headphones, scarves and hats all rub against a huggie. A huggie that sits close to the lobe gives all of them very little to catch on, which is a large part of why people forget they are wearing one.

Diamond huggies

Diamond huggies are the most versatile pair you can own. They work with a T-shirt, and they work with a gown.

Suzanne Kalan’s Bold huggies use larger-scale baguettes, and the Single and Triple versions show how carat weight changes the look. The Bold Single Diamond carries 0.10 carats of baguette diamonds. The Bold Triple Diamond Huggies in 18K White Gold carry 0.30 carats for around $3,630 at Coveti. Go further and the Bold Diamond Huggies in 18K Yellow Gold hold 0.50 carats of baguettes for around $4,960.

Thin Mix is the slimmer option, made for stacking. The Thin Mix Diamond Huggies in 18K Yellow Gold combine baguette and round diamonds, 0.30 carats in all, for around $3,630 at Coveti. Princess sets offset princess-cut stones, and the Princess Diamond Mix Huggies in 18K Yellow Gold have 0.30 carats of princess-cut and round diamonds for around $3,930.

Frenzy sits at the top of the range. Its baguettes are set at deliberately uneven angles, so the surface looks almost shattered with light. The Frenzy Diamond Huggies in 18K Yellow Gold hold 0.70 carats of baguette and round diamonds and are around $6,280 at Coveti, the highest price in our huggie edit. If you like that scattered effect, look at the Fireworks setting, the house signature of baguettes at offset angles, which we explain in our profile who is Suzanne Kalan.

Gemstone huggies

Because huggies are small, they are the lowest-risk way to try colour. A flash of sapphire at the lobe is subtle, and it is easy to wear with anything.

The most accessible pairs in our edit are the Bold Single gemstone huggies at around $2,160. The Bold Single Ruby Huggies in 18K Rose Gold set 0.16 carats of ruby baguettes, and the Bold Single Dark Blue Sapphire Huggies in 18K White Gold do the same in deep blue. Pale skin tones and white gold suit the blue particularly well.

For a softer palette, the Thin Mix Light Blue Sapphire Huggies in 18K Yellow Gold pair 0.32 carats of light blue sapphire baguettes with a few round diamonds for around $2,600 at Coveti. If you like more colour, the Frenzy Rainbow Sapphire Huggies in 18K Yellow Gold set 0.85 carats of rainbow sapphires, meaning sapphires in many natural colours set side by side, for around $4,220.

A word on emeralds. They are beautiful in a huggie, but emerald is 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs scale and more brittle than sapphire (9) and diamond (10). Huggies are often worn for days at a time, so if you choose emerald, take them off for sport and sleep, and keep them out of ultrasonic cleaners.

Huggie drops

A huggie drop hangs a small set drop below the hoop. It is a clever halfway house: the huggie keeps it secure, the drop adds movement. The Bold Diamond Huggie Drops in 18K Yellow Gold carry 0.20 carats of diamond baguettes and 0.14 carats of round diamonds for around $5,690 at Coveti. They are a good choice if you want one pair that looks dressed for dinner without any fuss.

How to stack huggies

The ear stack is where huggies earn their keep. A few simple rules make it look considered.

Graduate the scale. Put the largest piece in the first lobe piercing and go smaller as you climb. A mini hoop at the bottom, a huggie above it and a stud at the top is the classic line, and our diamond stud earrings guide covers the top of that stack.

Repeat one element. Keep the same gold colour, the same stone, the same cut. Baguettes everywhere, for instance, ties a mixed stack together even when the shapes differ.

Leave some space. Two huggies side by side in neighbouring piercings can clash at the edges. One hole of breathing room usually solves it.

Mix colour sparingly. One coloured huggie in an otherwise white diamond stack looks like a choice. Three different colours can start to look like a sample tray. And if you are mixing designers, our guide to brands like Suzanne Kalan is a useful place to find pieces with a related look.

What huggie earrings cost

The 90 Suzanne Kalan huggies at Coveti run from around $2,160 to around $6,280, with a middle of about $3,630. That is a narrow range compared to hoops, because the pieces are small and the carat weights stay below one carat.

Roughly speaking, $2,160 to $2,600 buys a Bold Single in diamond, sapphire and ruby, the Bold Triple gemstone pairs and the Thin Mix light blue sapphires. Around $3,630 to $4,960 covers Bold Triple Diamond, Thin Mix Diamond, Princess and the larger Bold designs. The Frenzy diamonds and emeralds and the huggie drops sit above $5,000.

Every piece is solid 18 carat gold in yellow, rose and white, handcrafted and made in America. You can see the whole range on the Suzanne Kalan brand page.

Frequently asked questions

What are huggie earrings?

Huggie earrings are small, thick hoops that sit close against the earlobe, so they look as if they hug it. Most are under 15 mm across and fasten with a hinge that clicks shut. They are easier to wear than larger hoops and have more shape than a stud, which is why many people wear them daily.

What size huggie earrings should I get?

Most people suit a huggie with an inside diameter of around 8 to 10 mm in the first lobe piercing. Go smaller, about 6 to 8 mm, for upper lobe and cartilage piercings, and larger if your piercing sits low. Measure from your piercing to the edge of the lobe and choose a huggie a little larger than that.

Can you sleep in huggie earrings?

Many people do sleep in solid gold huggies, because they sit close and have no long drop to catch. It is still kinder to your jewellery to take them off, since pressure on the hinge can loosen it over time. Always remove emerald huggies at night, as emerald is more brittle than diamond and sapphire.

Are huggies the same as hoops?

Huggies are a type of hoop, but they are smaller and sit tight against the lobe instead of hanging below it. A huggie is usually under 15 mm across and chunkier for its size. Hoops start where huggies stop and go up to 50 mm and beyond, so they make a bigger statement.

How much do diamond huggie earrings cost?

Suzanne Kalan diamond huggies at Coveti cost from around $2,600 to around $6,280. The Bold Single Diamond Huggies, with 0.10 carats of baguettes, sit at the entry point. The Frenzy Diamond Huggies, with 0.70 carats of baguette and round diamonds, are the most expensive. All are solid 18 carat gold.

Which gold colour is best for huggies?

Yellow gold is the most popular choice for huggies, because it reads warm and suits most skin tones. White gold makes diamonds look icier and pairs well with blue sapphires. Rose gold flatters pink sapphires and rubies. Suzanne Kalan makes most huggie designs in all three, so you can match the rest of your jewellery.