How to Open Huggie Earrings

Shop the hinged segment ring huggie styles featured above here!

Shopping for new jewelry and realizing that you aren't totally sure how to open Huggie Earrings? Oh no! With such an extensive selection available, it's understandable to feel a little overwhelmed with the general functionality of it all! Unlike your typical, straightforward butterfly-back studs, there are many different ways to open and secure huggie hoop earrings. Exploring these options to find what works and feels comfortable for you should be fun! Knowing how to navigate these various styles to change your vibe makes curating a new look easy and stress-free.

Let us help make it easy for you with our How-To's on opening and securing Huggie Hoop Earrings!

Featured above: Wisp Crystal Pavé Titanium Hinged Segment Ring Huggies, and Solitaire Round Titanium Flat Back Sleeper Earrings

First things first—start with clean hands! Washing your hands before changing out your jewelry reduces the chance of irritation. Make sure the huggies you are putting in are cleanly prepped as well!

Here are the styles we work with and most commonly see in the jewelry world:

Secure Click-Locking Sleeper Huggie Hoop Earrings

Pictured above: Ascend CZ Titanium Locking Sleeper Huggie Earrings

Just like it sounds, this style of huggie earring has a secure little 'pocket' or notch that the curved prong-post actually clicks into. To open, simply grasp the earring on either side of the hinge (most likely located at the bottom of the hoop, sometimes located more towards the back-facing part of the hoop) and pull apart. The prong-post should pop out of the click-lock on one side, and now you are able to put it through your piercing. Once it's all the way through, squeeze both sides back together until you hear a little 'click', then you'll know it's secure and you're good to go!

Next up in line appears slightly trickier, but is just as easy to wear. 

Seamless Hinged Segment Clicker Huggie Hoop Ring

Pictured above: Mariko Droplet Titanium Hinged Segment Ring Huggie

A bit of a mouthful for such a little mechanism! These huggies get their name because just a small segment of the ring is hinged. With this style having more of a seamless look, they work especially well in different parts of your body, not just your ears! However, when on ears, we find that they especially shine in various cartilage piercings. These hoops almost always come in a slightly larger gauge sizing than the standard (20gauge), so be aware you may need to gently 'size-up' your piercing if styling in a lobe. To open these, you may have to look for a moment to find the hinge (some can be much more seamlessly hidden for comfort - but it's there)! Once you locate the hinge, find the open 'clicker' end, then simply grasp between the hinge and closed clicker end and gently pull upwards, away from the bottom of the hoop. It should pop up and open. Put whichever end is most comfortable through your piercing, swing the hinge back, 'click' it closed, and you're all set!

These tiny hoops (that are a totally different style from the more commonly click-locking huggies) have a brilliant little trick up their sleeve!

Tiny Twist Double Huggie Earring

From left to right: 14k Solid Yellow Gold Hammered Disk Flat Back Sleeper Earrings by Buddha Jewelry, 14k Solid Yellow Gold Tiny Twist Double Huggie Earrings (also available in 14k Gold-Fill and Sterling Silver), and 14k Solid Yellow Gold Infinity Curved Flat Back Sleeper Earrings by Buddha Jewelry

Behold, the look of two in one single piercing!! This style actually doesn't need any opening or closing - no adjusting at all! To wear, simply thread it like a tiny spring through your piercing and situate it so you have one prong end flush against the front and back side of your ear (or wherever you're styling it). Check out the video in this slideshow to see this huggie in action and more styling photos. We make right and left-sided pieces, but you can play around with placement and find what suits you best! 

The last style of huggie earrings is less common, more difficult to work with, and best left for those certain situations that require them.

Hollow or Continuous Tube Huggie Hoop Earring

These continuous tube hoops have a hidden closure that is very comfortable once in, but can be a little more fiddly to get into. To open, you'll first find which end is the 'open' or 'back' side. This might be obvious, as it is a tube-style hoop, so it will actually have a hollow open end. It can be quite tiny, though! You can grab it on either side of the tube hoop, with the thinner prong earwire part at the top, and very gently twist in opposite directions, away from each other, until the little prong pops out of the tube ending. Carefully twist to thread the curved prong through your piercing and guide back into the hollow tube end in the back. We find these to be a great solution to offer when working with a 20-gauge piercing that will not comfortably tolerate a larger size. However, they sometimes require some assistance getting on and off!

Some of our huggie hoops feature removable charms, giving you even more options on how you'd like to wear them. Just be mindful of those pieces when opening and putting in. Though we love an asymmetrical look, we generally prefer when it's intentional!

Huggies left to right: Ava Removable Heart Padlock, Lora Beaded Heart and Viv Heart Locking Sleeper Huggie Earrings. Both studs: Cece Puffed Heart Titanium Flat Back Sleeper Earrings

And as always, it's best to wipe off or clean your worn earrings so they stay fresh and shining while stored away and are ready to put back in the moment you are!

Thanks for reading! We're always here to help with any jewelry-related tips and tricks - please contact us if you've come across a different style of huggie earring that you need assistance with.

Need some more styling inspo? Check out our tips and tricks for mixing other earring styles with your favorite Huggie Hoops (as well as some of our most drool-worthy ear curations) here!