Nap earrings quick picks
Statement nap earrings: Maison Miru Colette Nap Earrings
Classic nap earrings: Gorjana 14-Karat-Gold Newport Flat-Back Studs
Nap earrings starter set: Maison Miru Everyday Nap Earrings Trio
For the last five or so years, I’ve been adding more nap earrings into my growing ear stack. Warning: Once you start getting poked, it’s hard to stop wanting more! These days, there are more jewelry options than ever to deck out every inch of your ear, and nap earrings are the most comfortable and effortless way to do it.
What are nap earrings?
AAPI-owned jewelry brand Maison Miru was one of the first brands to fuel the nap earrings trend. Maison Miru founder Trisha Okubo says they launched this earring style in 2021. “They used to be kind of a secret, ‘if you know, you know’ thing,” she says. “But lately, word seems to be getting out, in no small part thanks to our wonderful customer community.” If you’re not familiar, these snooze-worthy (in a good way!) earrings are exactly what their name suggests: the flat-back earrings are comfortable enough to sleep in without poking or pinching you.
New York City-based editor and fashion stylist Audree Kate López — who has a casual 22 piercings (11 in each ear with a mix of helix, rook, tragus, conch and lobe) — has been wearing Maison Miru for 10 years. She’s been a long-time fan of the practical earring but is excited to see major improvements in them. “For years, flat back earrings were only used as piercing earrings, but they’re not really wearable long term because you are pierced with a larger gauge (12 or 14 gauge), and once your ear is healed, most earrings are a smaller gauge, between 16 and 20 gauge,” she says. FYI: An earring’s gauge is the thickness of its post. The bigger the gauge number, the thinner the post.
Now you can shop these comfortable, poke-free styles in a larger range of sizes for each type of piercing you have. You can shop them at modern piercing studios like Studs that offer affordable jewelry styles, or there are higher-end retailers like Brooklyn-born Catbird (which is also known for starting the “forever” bracelet trend).
To get the scoop on the coolest nap earrings styles to shop, we asked fashion experts about their favorite options and rounded them up below, along with some of my favorites.
Best nap earrings
López is one of Maison Miru's OG fans and says, "They offer so many options and are great quality!" She loves this dangly pair of nap earrings made of the brand's medical-grade titanium, making them durable against daily elements. "[Titanium is] super durable and doesn’t tarnish, which is probably why it’s traditionally used in things like spaceships and submarines," Okubo says. "Titanium is durable enough to survive the open ocean, so it’s not surprising that our titanium earrings are waterproof, sweatproof and generally pretty life-proof."
López also vouches for these 2-in-1 reversible earrings from Studs. You can buy a single stud or a pair, and they come in gold- and silver-plated colors. Note that the materials in these earrings are not waterproof, so you'll want to remove them before showering, swimming or sweating. On that note, Studs just launched 14-karat-gold styles that you truly never have to take off.
Mejuri, an editor-favorite jewelry brand, also offers piercing-ready nap earrings. New York City-based fashion stylist Liz Teich is a fan. "I’m coveting these Mejuri nap earrings that are an insanely good price for fine jewelry that’s also sustainable," she says. "The diamond flower design is a fun twist on a classic diamond stud that you’ll want to wear daily." These ones are made with 14-karat gold and titanium, which are extremely durable and will last a lifetime when properly cared for. Note that Mejuri's flat-back piercing earrings are only available in-store during piercing appointments.
Gorjana is another affordable jewelry retailer to shop nap earrings. These classic, solid 14-karat-gold ones get López's approval and are designed for 24/7 wear so you never have to worry about taking them out to shower or swim.
I just added these dainty nap earrings into my personal rotation. They're made in a 20-gauge size so they're perfect for lobe piercings, though Maison Miru also offers them in other sizes. Like the brand's other nap earrings, they're made with medical-grade titanium, so they're hypoallergenic and nickel-free. The gold version is 18-karat-gold plated, though Maison Miru now offers a solid 14-karat-gold nap earring collection if that's your preference.
Teich recommends these 14-karat gold studs as another piercing-friendly option. "If you like a simple design or have more than one hole, Monica Vinader has so many beautiful and quality nap earring designs that will make you want to get more piercings," she says. "I’m very into this pebble cluster design that feels classic yet unique." Plus, you can trace the entire production of the item on the product page for full transparency, and the brand offers a five-year warranty.
Allison Berlin, stylist and founder of Style Made Simple, is another fan of Maison Miru. This trio of nap-friendly earrings is the perfect option if you're overwhelmed with all the options out there. "If you're someone with multiple piercings or you just hate the act of changing earrings daily, then this is a one-and-done solution," she says.
Yeehaw! Get in on the cowgirl trend with these delicate cowboy boot nap earrings, which will add the perfect dose of Southern charm to your earscape.
I've worn two flat-back studs from Kendra Scott nonstop for at least the last five years (my exact styles are sadly not available anymore). The Austin, Texas-based jewelry store has so many chic options to choose from, like this gorgeous half moon. I worked there in college and can also stand by its other fun jewelry styles.
Studs also offers a trio of nap earrings to get the ear party started. These are not waterproof so you'll want to take them out before showering or swimming.
If you're on a tighter budget, Berlin recommends these pretty opal earrings under $100 (under $50 on sale!). These 18-gauge nap earrings are made with sterling silver and 18-karat-gold plating and are designed to stay tarnish-free.
You'll be a star in these earrings from Catbird, which are made with love in the brand's Brooklyn studio. "At Catbird, we craft our pieces with recycled, solid 14-karat gold, which is generally safe for sensitive skin," says Leigh Plessner, Catbird’s chief creative officer. "When choosing ‘nap’ earrings, we’d also recommend something that is lightweight with a secure fit to avoid snagging."
Teich is yet another fan of Maison Miru's nap earrings. "These Maison Miru flat-back earrings are such a great price for the look of real diamond studs and would be a comfortable pick for any ears," she says. They're also available in silver.
Get the appearance of more than one hole with this bar-shaped stud, which you can align horizontally or vertically on your ear.
I've long been a fan of Maison Miru's lightning bolt earrings, but I previously had them in the traditional earring-post style, which poked me in the middle of the night.