Before heading out, I pick up these earrings while thinking about my mood and what I am wearing that day. With my fingertips, I adjust the size, position, and angle of the waves before putting them on.
After I began wearing them, I realized that wearing an accessory does not have to mean choosing a finished form. I can also take part in shaping it from one day to the next.
The surface feels slightly rough. In the light, the shine is muted and gentle; to me, it also has a certain warmth. Because the earrings are large, I feel their weight and presence.
Every time I wear them, I feel excited, as though my spirits lift.
When I want a little playfulness, or something both distinctive and chic, these are the earrings I choose. With my hair up, their large shape stands out. With my hair down and tucked behind an ear, they still add an accent to what I am wearing.
Since I began wearing them, I have also started paying more attention to tin itself.
I found these earrings while visiting Kanayamachi in Takaoka, Toyama Prefecture. Kanayamachi developed as a neighborhood of metal casters. Along its stone-paved street, lattice-fronted townhouses still stand.
On that street, I found Otera Kohachiro Shoten, with its impressive latticed entrance. Founded in 1860, the shop has long been involved in Takaoka copperware. Today, alongside its own cast-metal pieces, it carries everyday objects by local artists and younger designers.
Among the pieces on display, I chose a pair of large earrings whose form reminded me of waves. They are from kohachiro, Otera Kohachiro Shoten’s original accessory brand, launched by designer Katsura Otera in 2018.
The bodies of the Wave Tin Earrings are made of pure tin. The soft metal is bent to create their undulating form. Simple in outline, they still have a noticeable presence.
Because tin is soft, I make small changes to the position and angle of the waves with my fingertips before putting the earrings on. The shape I found in the Kanayamachi shop has become something I take part in, adjusting it to suit how I feel that day.
Perhaps dressing is not only about choosing a finished form. When my own fingertips become part of the process, the distance between me and what I wear can change. That is what these earrings have led me to consider.
Try on one accessory you already own, and notice both how it looks and how it sits against your clothes.
The next time I wear these earrings, I will again let that day’s mood guide where I place the waves and how I angle them.