The sighting: Dancer, singer and reality TV star Jojo Siwa is known for her oversized hairbows and dedication to bright colors, but the 18-year-old influencer chose a more streamlined look for the 2021 AMAs red carpet. She accentuated her black gown with a sprinkling of delicate diamond jewelry, including dainty rings, two nameplate-style necklaces, and what appeared to be a shining array of stud earrings.

The jewels: I intended to write this article about Siwa’s two necklaces. The nameplate trend has been hot for a minute, but it’s interesting that these two necklaces aren’t names, traits, or terms of endearment – instead, they’re basically the wearable version of hashtags. One says “DWTS30,” a reference to Siwa’s recent stint on Dancing with the Stars, and the other says “JNATION,” a shout out to her fanbase.

Here’s why I decided to talk about the earrings instead: They’re not earrings. Siwa revealed in a red carpet interview that she wanted a blingy look, but she only has one set of ear piercings, so she made up the difference by simply attaching a line of sparkling stones to her ears … with glue.

The trends: Ear parties aren’t new, although they have declined in prominence since face masks also became a part of daily life. From afar, the line of what appears to be diamond studs reads as a sophisticated but youthful take on the curated ear in a style I associate with Maria Tash’s branding or Cynthia Erivo’s stunning red carpet looks.

But let’s talk about the fact that the bling is glued on. It’s wild, creative, insouciant … less luxurious than an earful of actual diamond studs would be, but if the end result is the same, does it matter? The cleverness and accessibility of the workaround fits perfectly with the charming, “heehee, they don’t know I know this hack!” vibe that plays so well with TikTok audiences.

Siwa enjoyed the look so much that she repeated the sparkly glued-on ear style at the 2021 People’s Choice Awards. The more times she does it, the more likely her fans are to try it, too.
What do we think?

I would be sad if celebrities started gluing rhinestones to themselves instead of wearing actual jewels, but the impish cheek of admitting you’ve glued sparklies to your own head fits so well with Siwa’s brand (and the fact that she’s an 18-year-old shifting to more grown-up styles for the first time) makes it impossible not to smile. And the effect is undeniably beautiful, especially from a distance.

Judgement: 9/10! The final look is great, but actual jewelry would more fun than adhesives.