A brief history of the vintage clip-on earring: Why are there so many clip-on earrings from the 1900s?

I’ve had pierced ears since my wee baby days, when my aunt marched into my parents’ apartment armed with a piercing gun. It wasn’t until fourth grade when I came across a pair of highlighter orange flower clip-on earrings from Claire’s, which, in its heyday, was a purplish utopia of fun, affordable costume earrings for tweens and teens. (Mostly for tweens, probably, but I was a teen on a shoestring budget, and those red-sticker clearance sales were too good to pass.)

Throughout the last three decades of my life, I’ve mostly stuck with post earrings since I’m not used to the tension from clip ons and screw backs. But since selling vintage costume jewelry, I’ve found myself donning clip-on earrings every so often just because the designs are so spectacular. In fact, if you see more clippies on my Etsy shop, it’s because I’ve been a little too bid happy with vintage earrings, despite the fact that brooches are my main squeeze. 

But anyway, there are a TON of vintage clip-on earrings out there. Which might be strange for us pierced baddies in the 21st century, since for the most part, today’s earrings are typically dangles, hoops, or post backs. So why are there so many clip ons from the 1900s? Being the proper vintage costume jewelry seller that I am, I wanted to investigate the history of the clip on.

What are some of the pros and cons of clip ons? 

From a pragmatic standpoint, clip ons make a lot of sense, and I’m saying this as someone with holes in her ears. They work for everybody, whether you have pierced or unpierced ears. And since they attach to the ear lobe, they’re usually fun and flashy so that you don’t notice the clip part as much. As someone who is not a dainty girlie, I appreciate the generally funky clip-on earrings aesthetic. 

One major con is that you don’t really have dainty clip-on earrings. If you do, the clip is very obvious, which might not float everybody’s boat. The pressure from the clip can also cause discomfort and irritation. If you have sensitive ears, non-hypoallergenic metals pressing against your ears will probably be no good. (Thankfully, sterling and gold clip ons exist!)

The history of pierced ears and post-back earrings

People have had pierced ears for literally thousands of years, with the oldest example being the gauge piercings on Ötzi the Iceman, a mummy who hailed from at least 5,000 years ago. Pierced ears existed throughout different cultures, including the ancient Egyptians and Romans. Some cultures even believed that earrings protected people from evil spirits.

Over time, pierced ears—and earrings in general—fell out of fashion due to the rise of hair coverings and religious restrictions. With head gear that obscured the ears, it didn’t make much sense to wear earrings. And in the 13th century, the Catholic Church denounced all forms of body modification, so only pirates and those from lower classes would have pierced ears. 

Why Victorians wore clip-on earrings

Pierced ears fell into favor again during the Elizabethan era, when the wealthy showcased their status by donning extravagant jewelry. Many of Western society’s tastemakers adorned their ears with lovely, dangling jewels. But the bonnets and ribbons of the 18th century covered ears, so earrings, once again, dwindled in popular culture until these hair accessories came off in the mid-19th century. However, pierced ears were considered somewhat uncouth during the later part of the Victorian era, so clip ons and screw backs were the less scandalous options for the fashion forward. (Queen Victoria, ironically, had pierced ears.) Some surmise that the repulsion towards piercings may be due to xenophobia and racism against immigrants with pierced ears.

Clip ons were just as much a product of the call for liberation as they were one of moral panic. Some in the suffragette movement even considered ear piercing a gendered and barbaric practice. (See the aforementioned paragraph to account for the language around “barbarism.”) Clip ons gained popularity around the 1920s, when they were commonly worn by flappers looking to complement short, boyish haircuts. During this period, the opulent diamante Deco style eclipsed the more refined Victorian chandelier design. 

The desire for costume jewelry blossomed during the Great Depression, when people sought affordable alternatives to fine jewelry. Costume jewelry manufacturers multiplied in the United States, and they often partnered with actresses from the Golden Age of Hollywood to promote lavish pieces. Costume jewelry especially boomed during America’s postwar economic expansion during the 1950s, with brands like Coro and Trifari becoming household names.

Two clip-on earring styles that were especially popular included the AB and faux pearl cluster designs. (Personally, I have a small army of these from Whatnot…)

How pierced ears made a comeback

1960s and 1970s counterculture brought back the pierced ear. For teens, pierced ears were one of the ultimate forms of rebellion. In 1964, Time even dubbed ear piercings “the college girl trend.”  Pierced ears were also a form of self-expression for those in the hippie and queer communities. While there were still plenty of clip-on earrings produced in the ’80s and ’90s, it’s abundantly clear that posted styles reign the earring market today. 

Even as a pierced-ear girlie, I’ve developed a fondness for the bold, eye-catching clip ons of yore. If I’m going to decorate my ears, you better be able to see my earrings from outer space. If you’re also into a funky, retro ear look, check out my Etsy vintage jewelry shop for some nostalgic statement clip-on (and pierced) pieces!