My DD has lobe and cartilidge piercings (the cartilidge ones stay in so YY to titanium for those)
She uses mainly sterling silver ( its purer than low carat gold and less ££ too)
Fir a fairly new piercing , make sure the post is thick enough , long enough and the butterfly is big enough ( you don't want to risk pushing a small butterfly too tight on a short post)
I have some Diamonique huggies from QVC (that DD now wears) they are tiny , size of a 5p, nice 'click' when they close .
I have some screw-backs , bit of a faff to get on, but then they're secure . I don't change mine often though.
Places I'd avoid (through personal experience) :
Claires - I bought some that had a rough bit on the post , made my ear bleed 
and I'd had mine pierced 38 years . I had a nightmare getting a refund (You've worn them, pierced earrings are except from exchange etc) . I just stood in the (very busy ) shop saying they were not fit for purpose so I was legally entitled to a refund , until they accepted .
Accessorize - ok, not the most £ but so flimsy , lose stones even on the display card 