for extended listening where I will not bother anyone nearby, I prefer "over the ear - open". The are extremely comfortable for long period wearing and usually light weight and "airy" feeling.
In the office, I prefer "over the ear - closed" so I will not interupt my co-workers. Again, the "over the ear" style is much more comfortable and wearable for long listening sessions, transferring the pressure of the headphones to the skull bone instead of compressing and pushing directly on the ear.