The one-great-earring strategy brides should steal from the red carpet

Red carpets love a lot of things: sequins, cute couple moments, and jewellery that could be described as “the GDP of a small country.” The traditional formula goes like this: chandelier earrings, a diamond rivière, a cuff or two, several rings, and maybe a brooch if the stylist is feeling adventurous. But our favourite thing about awards season and the many red carpets is all the style cues we’re adding to our bridal moodboards. 

If you’ve been paying attention to the red carpet this awards season, you may have noticed that celebrities seemed to agree on a new styling rule: skip the necklace and let your massive earrings do all the headline grabbing. And we’re taking this straight to the wedding cocktail, reception and for the bold, the pheras.

At the Oscars, some of the best dressed celebrities chose to forgo the necklace. Best Actress nominees Renate Reinsve and Emma Stone both had bare necks—the former wore only a simple cuff, while the latter let her diamond earring stack have the limelight. Sinners actor Li Jun Li wore a fiery red sculptural Gaurav Gupta dress, while K-pop singer Rei Ami shone in a custom Rahul Mishra ensemble—both styled without necklaces. Other attendees including Nicole Kidman, Mia Goth, Zendaya, and Rachel McAdams (who wore Sabyasachi earrings) too seemingly got the memo. The pattern continued later that evening at the Vanity Fair Oscar party, where Best Actress winner Jessie Buckley, Simone Ashley, Kendall Jenner, Mindy Kaling, Kaia Gerber, and Cara Delevigne were spotted sans necklaces.

Last month at the BAFTAs, Kylie Jenner stepped out in only pear-shaped diamond drop earrings. Catherine, Princess of Wales wore the Greville chandelier earrings created by Cartier—the archival jewel anchoring an entire look. Emma Stone kept things pared back with diamond studs and a bracelet. Singer, songwriter and Chanel ambassador Gracie Abrams opted for delicate diamond drops, while Rose Byrne wore sweeping feather earrings from Boucheron that curved along the ear like it was specifically designed for a close-up. The necklace, once the main event, was nowhere in sight signalling that it had effectively been demoted.

At the Actors Awards too, The White Lotus’s Michelle Monaghan chose drop earrings by Sabyasachi. Love Story: JFK Jr & Carolyn Bessette star Sarah Pidgeon wore classic diamond studs. Mindy Kaling finished her look with chandelier earrings from Bucherer. Britt Lower chose simple Mikimoto pearl drop earrings to complement her all-black look, while Gwyneth Paltrow opted for unique turquoise and black enamel drop earrings. Again, all this styled just with earrings, maybe a ring or bracelet, and very little else.

And it wasn’t just the film crowd. At the Grammy Awards earlier this year, several of the night’s coolest attendees opted for the same pared-back formula. Addison Rae, Sabrina Carpenter, Olivia Dean, and Doechii all leaned into simple drop earrings or dangling styles—proof that even pop’s most stylish stars are embracing the one-great-earring strategy and eliminating the need for anything else.

Without necklaces competing for attention, earrings have quietly become the jewellery category doing the most work. Diamond drops remain the red carpet default—elongated strands of diamonds or unique coloured gemstones that frame the face without overwhelming it. Then there are sculptural statement earrings: feather motifs or abstract arrangements that feel more architectural. Rose Byrne’s Boucheron feathers fall squarely into this category. Perhaps the most surprising appearance this season has been the diamond stud (see Pidgeon and Stone).

Like most red carpet trends, this one has less to do with restraint and more to do with strategy. As necklines have gotten busier with high collars, halter necks, draped bodices, and sculptural gowns—they leave little room for necklaces to sit comfortably. Red carpet styling has always had a way of filtering into bridal wardrobes, and this one feels particularly suited to modern wedding dressing. As brides experiment with halter blouses, sculptural corset gowns, and off-shoulder silhouettes, necklaces can sometimes compete with the neckline. A striking pair of earrings often feels cleaner and more contemporary. Need more to be convinced? Just see Zendaya in a strapless Vivienne Westwood wedding dress and a pair of stunning Chopard danglers at the LA premiere of The Drama. Or take cues from Priyanka Chopra, Ananya Panday, and Khushi Kapoor on how to pair it with Indianwear.

Below, earrings to invest in when you want the necklace to take the night off: