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Gauge Earrings

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hook earrings

There are some many different styles of earrings to choose from it is so interesting to see the styles and how they have changed over the years. I remember when we have very few to chose from. Now a days there are some really great earrings here you will find a lot of great examples of different styles. Clip on, Gauge, Fake Gauge, French wire -Hook, Hoop, Plug, Fake Plug, Post- Stud, and Thread.

I can recall people getting their ears pierced with a needle and thread. The way your ear would be numbed before the dastardly deed would be with a cube of ice not very conventional but popular at the time none the less. Then the needle would be pulled painfully through the ear much to the poor victims shock and dismay the cube of ice anesthetic wore off all the soon. Once the needle was pulled completely through the now pulsating blood red mangled ear the thread was left behind and tied in a knot. The professional instructions from the ear expert was to then pull the thread back and forth as many times as possible to keep the newly butchered hole open for the future beautiful new earring once the expert said the ear was ready. In most cases the ear expert would not declare the ear ready for an earring until the drainage slowed nearly to none at all, better known as the crusty gunk on the string. Now once you were lucky enough to be declared crusty gunk free you could then remove the string. Once your string was now gone, in most cases two weeks later you could have a beautiful new pair of earrings.

Now I know to some of you this is going to be a disgusting idea but to the other half of you yep you know who you are you are laughing right now. The half of you that are cracking up rolling on the floor, you know just what I am talking about don't you?

Hoop and Hook

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Plug & Gauges

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Different Sized Gauges

Types of Earrings

Clip on earrings were for those people to chicken to brave the needle treatment.

Thread  earrings are not the kind of thread I told you about above thankfully this one is a lot more attractive. This is metal not thread and looks a lot better then the previously mentioned thread. 

Post or Stud is a straight metal post with a stone, pearl or fake jewl to decorate the end that is visable in front.

French wire  or Hook earrings are designed without a back that closes basically they just as they are called hook into your ear.

Hoop is called a hoop because it has a cirle circle or hoop look. The hoop has a closure to secure the earring in your ear.

Gauge is a thick earring that makes the hole bigger then the typical pierced ear size. The Gauge earrings can be very small or very large depending on what size of Gauge you chose to put in your ear.

Fake Gauges come in handy when you realize that the one main thing about using a Gauge is that once you make the hole bigger the hole will stay bigger. There is no way to make the hole smaller this is where a Fake Gauge comes in handy. The hole is not bigger but you get the same look as if it was.

Plug is another type of earring that like the Gauge makes the hole bigger. The difference between the Gauge and the Plug is that the Gauge has a tail the Plug as it sounds is a small plug so to speak.

Fake Plug. As you may have guessed there are Fake Plugs as well. The Fake Plug serves the same purpose as the Fake Gauge so the hole is not made larger because as you know the hole can not be made smaller only larger. 


What are Your Favorite Kinds of Earrings?

What Earrings are your Favorite?

  • Hook
  • Hoop
  • Thread
  • Plug
  • Fake Plug
  • Gauge
  • Fake Gauge
  • Clip ons
  • Post / Stud
See results without voting

Gauge Earrings

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Gauge Earring Guide

Feel free to leave me a comment

mega1 2 years ago

If you remember that string method you must be around my age or have an auntie who you love to swap stories with. This is good for me to know about the plugs - so if someone asks if I'm ready to go get my "plugs" I won't think they're talking about tired old horses! Thanks

Envoy 2 years ago

yep I guess I am aging myself here lol Yea times have sure changed haven't they? Thanks for the comment. Have a great day!

michelle.dragon99 2 years ago

Hi Envoy...nice hub and nice earring...especially that dragonfly earrings:)

Envoy 2 years ago

Thanks so much.

I love earrings & dragonflies are my all time favorite! :)

Have a great day!

Caity 2 years ago

There is a large difference between plugs & 'gauges'. 'Gauges' are actually called tapers. They are NOT earrings. They are used to stretch your ear so you can put plugs in, which are earrings.

Envoy 2 years ago

Thanks for your input it is appreciated :)

Have a great day & thanks for stopping by.

Matt 17 months ago

there is actually no such things as guages

a guage is the size of measurement for body jewelery, the things that stretch your ears are taper (they taper in diameter) and a plug is jewelery you wear after the stretch

KoffeeKlatch Gals 13 months ago

Envy, I can remember have my ears pierced by the thread method you described. My aunt did it and by the time my ear started throbbing I decided I would never have another hole put in my body. However, I am glad I have the pieced ears and can wear my hoops.

Envoy 13 months ago

KoffeeKlatch Gal ~yep that was me too Good times hah hah :)

Hope you have a great day.

adriatk 4 months ago

I love the look of gauges but I'm too afraid of making a permanent hole in my ear, so I wear fake ones! Everyone thinks they're real, so there really isn't any point in actually gauging your ears.

Envoy 3 months ago

Great point. Have a great day!

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