What is the difference between small hoop earrings and Huggie earrings?
Huggies, hoops, small hoops? They are all the same, right? Yes and no is the answer, but it’s not at all complicated. The difference between huggies and small hoop earrings is minute, but we are often asked what the difference is. So, today we will highlight the differences and why you might choose one option over another.
The Difference between Huggies and Small Hoops
There is, of course, many different types of earrings, and huggies and small hoop earrings are both styles within the hoop earring branch. As a basic overview, all huggies are small hoop earrings, but not all small hoop earrings are huggies. But, first, let’s discover a bit more about what huggies and small hoops are.
What are Huggies?
We’ve written extensively about huggie earrings, including the article, [What are huggies?](https://prya.co.uk/blogs/prya-blog/what-are-huggie-earrings?) In a nutshell, huggies are a type of small earring that ‘hugs’ the ear lobe. Hence the name. The material of the hoop, usually metal, rests flush against the skin of the ear. At times, there may be a slight gap depending on the shape of your ear. However, in general, the huggie will hug the edge of your lobe.
We’ve also written a Huggie earring Frequently Asked Questions guide and an article on the rise of the Huggie Earring Trend. As well as our latest Silver Huggie Earring Trends for 2022.
What are Small Hoop Earrings?
Hoop earrings are, of course, a staple of the jewellery world throughout history. Hoop earrings could be as large as 120mm. Basically, any size down to the shoulder of the wearer. Small hoop earrings are exactly what they sound like, small. They range from 50mm to 26mm but some include huggies in this bracket of hoop earrings. They are even smaller at less than 25mm. Small hoop earrings can be any style of design. Currently, small hoop earrings with charms are trendy, extending the earring’s size with the drop design.
The Similarities and Differences
The difference between huggies and small hoop earrings is simply the size of the earring. But note that every jewellery and retailer will size their hoops slightly differently.
A huggie earring is the smallest of hoop earrings. Typically, a huggie has a 5mm to 25mm hoop that will fit snugly on a cartilage spot, including the forward helix, tragus and rook piercings. On the other hand, a small hoop earring can be between 26mm-50mm. These sizes above give a good indicator of the difference between simply a small hoop and a huggie.
So, in short, a huggie and small hoop can be differentiated by the specific size. But, some jewellers would include huggies in the small hoop earring range. Anything larger than 50mm is definitely in the medium, large or extra-large hoop earring range. Small hoop earrings and huggies can also have very similar designs. They can be simple, with just a textured band or a few gems surrounding the loop. At the same time, a huggie with a charm and a small hoop earring with charms can look almost identical. It’s just likely the small hoop will have a gap between loop and lobe.
Small Hoop & Huggie Earrings
Both these styles of earrings are an excellent option for everyday wear. They are the most comfortable earring styles because they are small and are unlikely to rub or tangle. Huggies and small hoops are good options for work, the gym and going out. Plus, if you must wear earrings to bed, though we don’t recommend it, they will likely be the safest and most comfortable.
We offer a wide variety of huggies and small hoop earrings, as well as a great range of large and medium hoops. We also have a beautiful selection of drop earrings, ear cuffs and studs. Check out our entire earring collection here.
If you’d like to learn more about huggies, small hoops and anything else about earrings, head to our blog. We write how-to articles, FAQ guides, trend spotting and lookbooks. Here are some more earring related blogs you might like.