Ribbon Earrings

Earrings measure 5/8" wide x 3/4" tall.

Ribbons were originally known as "ribbands", narrow strips of cloth that were used as borders on garments in 11th century France. Woven by hand on looms, these ribbons were made of silk and were reserved only for wealthy nobles. In the 16th century ribbon-manufacturing improvements made it possible to produce more than one at a time.

By the 17th century, ribbons became fashionable in polite society and were used on clothing including hats, dresses, vests, shoes, and as decorative borders on kerchiefs, banners and flags. As time progressed, ribbons developed additional uses such as badges of distinction and as awareness ribbons that promote a particular cause. The decorative border on a copper-engraved kerchief commissioned after the death of Alexander Hamilton inspired the design for these earrings.