Faces, tassels, shells and chandeliers … the phrase “go big or go home” could have been made for earrings in the past few years. But the latest shift in the world of earrings is back to something more familiar. The hoop – an earring classic worn by everyone from Sade and Clara Bow to Victoria Beckham and Georges Bizet’s Carmen – is back, with Cardi B, Hailey Baldwin and Jennifer Lopez all wearing them. They vary in drop – earring speak for the distance between the bottom of your lobe and the end of the earring - from discreet mini hoops to gigantic shoulder-grazers. But before embracing the trend, take a breath. Like a red lipstick or a pair of jeans, hoop choice is a personal thing: it takes time and patience. Here’s our handy guide to finding the hoop for you.

The sleeper

Average drop: less than 5mm

This is the hoop for newbies to the trend – so tiny that these are practically not hoops at all. Wear if you want something discreet but you’re bored of studs. For an auricle-based update, have two or three different ones in each ear, possibly combined with an ear cuff. Tiny but mighty, in terms of fashion statements.

Find at: Etsy, Asos

The midi hoop

Average drop: 40mm

This is a classic or playing it safe, depending on your point of view. Personally, I love a midi hoop as an everyday choice and I have Sade on my side. Hers are chunky and gold – making an easy graphic statement that upgrades basics such as a chambray shirt or a white T-shirt. Skinnier ones work, too - and they will lighten the load for your lobes.

Find at: Wolf & Gypsy Vintage, Argos

The Coke can

Average drop: 65mm

The Coke can … worn by Hailey Baldwin. Photograph: Rex/Shutterstock

Jennifer Fisher’s Lilly earring – worn by Michelle Obama and Jennifer Lopez – has the same circumference as a Coke can. Although Fisher’s are £445 and regularly sell out on her website, the Coke-can earring is also found on market stalls (I like the ones at Ridley Road in Hackney, London) and high-street stores. Big but not huge, these look great with Obama-approved shift dresses. Think impact without effort.

Find at: Amazon, Etsy

The shoulder-grazer

Average drop: 120mm

Big fan of Kendall Jenner, Rihanna and Victoria Beckham circa 2003? Your hoops should reach your shoulders. Some call these oversized, but they’re clearly not thinking big enough. These look great with a hoody and a high ponytail. Be warned, though. However you wear them, these are the kind of earrings that start conversations.

Find at: Missguided, River Island

The outlier

Average drop: variable

So far, all the hoops here have varied in size but have their circular shape and gold or silver finish in common. Enter hoops that aren’t really hoops at all – a curvy square, a spiky oval, even a hoop bent into the shape of a unicorn. This is the choice for those who don’t like to be defined. That means these can be worn with anything, obvs.

Find at: Topshop, Urban Outfitters