After a few seasons of statement necklaces and armfuls of clackety bangles (I was once accused of disturbing the peace in a newsroom of my former employ thanks to my penchant for piling on accessories), it’s time to try out another outsize accessory–shoulder sweeping earrings.

Today The New York Times’ Styles section declares that earrings are about to get bigger and better than they’ve been in years. I’m a bit skeptical–I have a tendency to stay loyal to a tiny pair of diamond studs that my mother passed down to me–but it seems like being a big celebrity can justify wearing big, big earrings. A few of my favorites who have dabbled in the enormous earlobe ornamentation game:

Beyonce brings the bling in every possible way, and I love her for it. Those earrings are big enough for me to have my salad off of–or at the very least, an amuse bouche.

Hilary Duff may be teeny tiny but her earrings are literally the length of her face. I really hope they’re made of something lightweight because her poor lobes are taking a terrible beating if not.

The original queen of larger-than-life accessories, Jennifer Lopez, trades in her Bronx-born-and-bred hoops for a pair of chic gold hanging earrings. I saw a recent photo of her training for a triathalon in a pair of those hoops–the girl is not messing around when it comes to her jewelry!

What do you guys think of oversize earrings? A cool trend or a tacky fashion statement? Will you try it?

Tags: vogue, fashion, clothes