An ear stack is simply several earrings worn together on one ear, arranged so they look like a single, considered look. It's one of the easiest ways to make jewellery feel personal: no two stacks are the same, and you can change yours every day with pieces you already own.
Here's how to build one that looks curated rather than crowded.
Start with your piercings
Most stacks are built on the earlobe, where many people already have one, two or three piercings. Some people add piercings higher up the ear as well. If you're thinking about new piercings, see a professional piercer, and wait until any new piercing has fully healed before changing earrings.
Only have one piercing? You can still create the look. Skip to the end for our one-hole tip.
The five rules of a good ear stack
1. Go from big to small
Put your largest or boldest earring in the first lobe hole, then get smaller as you move up the ear. This creates a natural, tapering line and keeps heavier pieces where the lobe can support them best.
2. Pick one hero
Choose one statement piece, such as a hoop, a drop or a colourful stud, and let the rest play a supporting role. Two statement pieces side by side tend to compete.
3. Mix shapes
A stack of identical studs can look flat. Combine a hoop with a stud, or a charm with a simple shape, for rhythm and movement.
4. Decide on your metals
Keeping one metal throughout looks clean and polished. Mixing gold and silver looks relaxed and modern. Both work; just make it look deliberate. Our guide on mixing gold and silver jewellery explains how.
5. Embrace asymmetry
Your ears don't need to match. Many people wear a full stack on one side and a single stud on the other, or two different earrings from the same pair.
Four ear stacks to try
The minimal stack
First hole: Pearl Knot Studs, a freshwater pearl beneath two crossing pavé curves.
Second hole: a Zircon Letter Stud in your initial.
Quiet, polished and easy to wear every day, with a personal detail only you might notice.
The everyday sparkle stack
First hole: Honeycomb Prism Hoop Earrings in the compact 16 mm size.
Second hole: Lumi Butterfly Stud Earrings, with wing-like cubic zirconia sparkle.
Third hole: a single Zircon Letter Stud.
A small hoop, a shaped stud and a tiny detail: the classic three-piece stack.
The colour pop stack
First hole: Celeste Blue Crystal Earrings, faceted blue crystals in a sculptural gold-tone frame.
Second hole: a gold-tone initial from the Zircon Letter Studs.
Colour is one of the strongest jewellery trends this summer. Let one bright piece lead and keep the rest simple. For a warmer mix of colour, try the Aurelia Bead Hoop Earrings, gold-tone hoops with red, blue, green and amber crystal accents.
The one-piercing stack
No extra piercings? The Aurelia Triple Hoop Earrings create the illusion of layered piercings with three finely textured hoops on a single fastening. It's the full stacked look, with no new holes required.
Make it personal
Initial studs are the easiest way to add meaning to a stack. Wear your own initial, a partner's or a child's, or mix two different letters as a mismatched pair. The Zircon Letter Stud Earrings are available from A to Z with S925 silver posts. For more ideas, see our guide to personalised jewellery gifts.
Shop the guide
Build your stack
Zircon Letter Stud EarringsA$59Shop now
Honeycomb Prism Hoop EarringsFrom A$45Shop now
Lumi Butterfly Stud EarringsA$69Shop now
Aurelia Triple Hoop EarringsFrom A$59Shop now
Free shipping and a complimentary Travel Jewellery Roll on orders over A$75.
Comfort tips
- Keep the heaviest earring in your first lobe hole and choose lighter pieces higher up. Our Earring Weight Guide helps you compare.
- If your ears are sensitive, check the post material before you buy. See our 925 sterling silver earrings guide.
- Take your stack off before sleeping, swimming or exercising to protect both your ears and your jewellery.
Start small, then build
You don't need a full set to begin. Start with two pieces you love, wear them for a week, and add a third when you know what's missing. Browse all stud earrings and hoop earrings to build your stack.