Forget "Sexyback," I'm Bringing "Screw-Back."

I have a confession to make, I HATE clip-on earrings! Not only do they pinch your ears but they are outdated and such a fashion faux pas. I am sure at one point clip-on earrings were fashionable and were a viable alternative for someone with non-pierced ears. I have always wondered why earring designers make them so ugly. Wearing them is like trying out custom jewelry from the set of "Mama's Family" (and I liked that show).

I love earrings but unfortunately my ears are no-longer pierced. I have pierced my ears three times and each time the hole closes up. I don't understand. One time I even left my earrings in for a total of six months- only taking them out to clean them. Well, one day I decided to not wear them for two weeks and the holes closed up! After that, I said forget it- I refuse to have keloids growing on my earlobes.

The History of Screw-Backs

At the beginning of the 20th century it was a common belief that pierced ears were seen as barbaric and uncivilized. Women of this era loved earrings, but wanted to still look "civilized" and refined. Around the 1930s, clip-ons and screw- backs were invented. There is some debate which one was invented first, the clip-on or screw-back, but nevertheless they both were created around the same time. Wearing non-pierced earrings gave women the option to still look and feel beautiful without compromising their beliefs. For over 40 years these two types of earrings were very fashion forward and in vogue. However, as society changed in the 1970s so did the attitudes about pierced ears. Women (and later men) with pierced ears were no longer seen as uncivilized and uncouth. And it is with these changes that pierced earrings have been the type or earring of choice for over 30 years. However, don't totally count out non-pierced earrings. While most clip-ons are seen as outdated and ugly, screw-backs offer an attractive alternative.

Since I have finally accepted the fact that I will probably never wear pierced earrings again, I wanted to see what other options are out there. As you see I hate clip-ons, so this was a definite no for me. Most screw-backs that are around today are vintage (pre-1960s). A majority of them are made of different colored rhinestones or some other type of gemstone. For some reason it's much more difficult to find newly designed screw-backs, but don't let that stop you. Fashions of the 1930s and 40s is generally seen as classy and sophisticated- not ugly or outdated at all.

Where to Buy

Luckily, there is a sizable re-sale market out there for vintage screw-backs. I mostly buy from local vintage stores around town such as a boutique or thrift stores. But, if you like to shop online check out vendors like ebay.com or some other similar bidding site. One of my favorite sites is Tias.com. If you perform a search for "screw-back earrings," you will find over 800 pairs, all different colors, styles, shapes and designs. Tias.com also seems to be reasonably priced as well. At the time of this writing there was one pair of diamante, gold-tone earrings for $1.75! Any they actually look pretty nice. If you are the crafty and experimental type you can even make your own. No, I've never made my own (never seems to be enough time) but with a little bit of patience and some elbow grease you can get to work.
Since newly designed screw-backs are so hard to find, designing your own will allow you create the look and style you want without compromising the rest of your look. At www.feliciasoriginals.com you can buy pierced and non-pierced earrings pieces in bulk. Some general tools to make your own earrings are a needle nose pliers, jewelry wire, and flat pliers. If this sounds just too time consuming you can always contract someone to make them for you. It may cost a little more but custom-made jewelry is usually a good investment that is sure to last for several years.

If you still aren't sold on non-pierced earrings you can always accessorize yourself with other jewelry such as bracelets or bangles, toe rings, ankle bracelets, necklaces and waist beads. Regardless of your fashion choices just remember to pick styles that reflect you and your personality... something that never goes out of style.