Q&A with Karissa Sparke
We caught up with Karissa Sparke, our go to girl for ears. Let her inspire you with her styling tips and words of encouragement to take the plunge and get that second or third piercing!
Q. How do you go about creating a layered earring look? Let us in on some of your secrets!
A. For me it’s all about playing with different sizes, lengths and textures. It’s always different how I approach an ear stack basically based on how I’m feeling or whatever happens to catch my eye from my jewellery collection. I love playing around with a mix of studs and hoops to kind of space things out.
Shop the look: Pearl Drop Hoop, Teardrop Hoop, Star Coin Hoop, Three Dot Stud, Crystal Four Dot Stud
Q. What are some of your favourite Kirstin Ash earrings you use to layer?
A. My forever fave style of earrings to layer is tiny little detailed hoops. So I’m always playing with the Detail Hoops and Droplet Hoops. Right now I’m all about anything ocean-inspired so obsessed with my friend Olive Cooke’s collaboration pieces Seashell Earrings and Fossil Shell Hoops.
From the new earring arrivals I love the Guiding Star Hoops, Star Coin Hoops and Teardrop Hoops layered with the Three Dot Stud.
Q. Do you have any words of encouragement for those looking to take the plunge and get more than one piercing?
A. Just get it done! I think the short-lived pain is worth the endless fun you’ll have mixing and matching up your fave earrings (and being able to wear more of your faves at once).
But I do suggest you learn from my mistake, and perhaps only pierce one ear at a time if you are going to get a few. I think the most I’ve ever done in one go is 5 spread across both my ears. And it wasn’t too bad, but in hindsight being able to sleep comfortably on at least one side would have been nice haha!
Number one thing is find also to good piecer - I know everyone has a different relationship to needles, but a good needle piercer is pretty painless or at least not long lasting at all. Also a good piercer will help you make the best decisions for your ears because we all have differently shape ears, so work with what will work best for you.
Shop the Look: Tidal Hoops Medium, Tidal Hoops Small, Three Dot Stud, Crystal Four Dot Stud
Q. Tell us about the evolution of your ear piercing, did you get a few in one go or just one at a time?
A. Ironically I didn’t get my ears pierced until I was 19. I stuck with that for a bit before adding a second hole. But then in the last couple of years my obsession grew so I just went for it and got the remaining 10 practically in the one go.
Q. You’ve been known for your earring layers for quite some time now, did you ever expect you’d become the go to girl for ears?!
A. I still find it a bit hilarious to be “known” for my ears and to now have both friends and strangers alike be able to pick my ears out of a line up even if I’m not tagged in the image. It’s definitely nothing I ever expected, but happy to embrace it - I think jewellery is such a nice thing to inspire people on, because it’s so much more universal than clothing style.
Q. We love your effortless look. What inspires you day to day style?
A. The older I get, the more my style has become influenced by comfort. I’ve always had a somewhat androgynous style, probably from having 4 older brothers and living in hand-me-downs during my childhood. I love mixing more feminine and masculine pieces together and having grown up in the Byron Bay area, so I think that coastal vibe always plays into my style.
Shop the look: (left) Guiding Star Hoop, Star Coin Hoop, Teardrop Hoop & Three Dot Stud, Crystal Four Dot Stud. (Right) Spike Detail Hoop, Spike Chain Earrings, Teardrop Hoop, Three Dot Stud, Crystal Four Dot Stud.
Q. You’ve been travelling a lot recently, where’s your recent favourite place and why?
A. I’m honestly still dreaming about Italy. It was the place we spent the most amount of time during our European van adventures. But I would still go back in a heartbeat. I loved the food and the philosophy around food there (simple, quality ingredients) and the people. So much variety throughout the country which I think we were fortunate to be able to experience more of because we were in a van.
Q. What does self-care mean to you? What do you do regularly to keep balanced and how do you adapt this when you’re travelling and out of routine?
A. Self-care for me is all about taking care of myself both physically, mentally and emotionally. Yoga, meditation and a daily journaling (which is mostly gratitude and intention setting) are kind of my daily non-negotiables. Surfing is also a big part of my self-care, and just getting out in nature. A good high-intensity sweat session at least a few times a week also helps me manage stress and feel good. I also love listening to podcasts whenever I'm driving too. I think it's nice to step out of your own mind and learn new things and explore concepts.
To be honest, I’m still figure out how to adapt it when travelling. A loss of routine definitely throws me off, which is difficult when my self-care routine also helps me manage my anxiety. I try my best to keep meditating when travelling, but I’m certainly not perfect. Enjoying nature as much as possible and trying to do some form of exercise whenever I get the chance is what I’ve found helps. But if there is anything travel has taught me, is that I thrive in routine and travel can really challenge me at times.
Shop the look: Tidal Hoops Medium, Tidal Hoops Small, Guiding Star Hoop, Detail Hoops
Q. We’d love to hear a bit about your surfing and how this contributes to a balanced lifestyle.
A. Surfing was a bit of a self-serving hobby my husband taught me. I always wanted to (like most people), but he obviously wanted me to learn so he could selfishly surf more haha. But now I am obsessed and definitely don’t feel like myself if I haven’t been out in the water in awhile. It’s been the most frustrating sport to learn, but is possibly the most rewarding. I think being completely immersed in nature and moving with the ocean is just so refreshing and calming. Plus it’s such a special thing for my husband and I to share in. It’s one of our favourite ways to spend time together - out in the ocean laughing and playing and party-waving together.
