Earrings for men used to be a symbol of specific social classes or sexuality. The specific meanings of these different earrings varied throughout the years, but they are still important symbols of class and sociality. While earrings at one point symbolized homosexual tendencies, now they denote a man with style and class.
There are a lot of earrings that a man can wear. Most of them are very similar to women’s earrings. There are even those earrings that are billed at women’s earrings that can also be worn by men. Most of these earrings are simple studs but there are some that very complex in design. There are even hoops that have a solidly masculine appearance. These earrings draw attention to the man’s strength and class, providing him with a more finished image.
Then there are the earrings that are clearly women’s earrings that do not translate into men’s earrings. These are the large hoops, the feminine designs and the pearl earring. These earrings only look good on women, no matter what other designs, colors or styles are used on the earrings. These should NOT be worn by men.
The large hoops and feminine designs are obvious in their reasons for not being appropriate for men. However, the pearl earring is a little less obvious in the reason’s for not being male appropriate. These reasons range from the pearl itself, the symbolic meanings of the pearl and the designs that pearl can be made into.
Pearl is a NOT a stone. A pearl is actually a series of layers of protective skins that encase a small pebble or grain in the mouth of a clam. The pearl is very soft and can easily be damaged, making it very difficult for most people to keep in good condition. Because the pearl is not a stone, it cannot be polished to a bright shine, but rather often has soft glow to it. Because the pearl is completely biological, it cannot be exposed to water or it will dissolve.
The pearl is symbolic with womanhood. This is due to the soft nature, the glow of the pearl and the shape of the pearl. Pearls are generally round in shape. There are those pearls that are long and thin, but a high quality pearl is perfectly round. Since the pearl is various layers of protective coatings, the stone cannot be shaped into other designs. These details together make for a precious “stone” that is distinctly feminine. Men, go head and wear women’s studs, just not the pearl ones.