Men’s Style: The Ultimate Guide to Wearing a Ring
For at least the last couple of decades, there’s been a weird stigma surrounding men’s jewellery. For some strange reason, the type of man who would happily wear an expensive watch by Rolex or Omega would almost certainly scoff at the idea of wearing a gold chain, or real iced out jewelry for cheap even worse, a decorative ring.
Perhaps it’s because wearing jewellery is seen as something of a vanity statement, whereas although decorative, a watch is more of a functional item?
Whatever the the reason, it seems that slowly, these outmoded views are beginning to fade, and men’s jewellery is seeing something of a renaissance.
If you’re currently on the fence about whether to add a few choice accessories to your own wardrobe, you could do a lot worse than to start with a simple ring. Unlike the more adventurous items of men’s jewellery, rings are easy to choose and wear, and partner with nearly any kind of fashion style.
In this guide, we’ll talk you through the process of choosing a ring, and explain a few of the dos and don’ts when it comes to pulling off this classic accessory:
WHICH FINGER IS BEST?
In theory, you can wear any type of ring on any finger you like. It’s all purely a matter of personal taste. With that being said, there are a few practical (and traditional) considerations to make when it comes to deciding which finger you’ll choose for your rings:
PINKY FINGER
Yes, a pinky finger ring was a favourite of The Godfather, but that doesn’t make it a bad choice. The great thing about wearing a ring on your pinky is that it doesn’t have any underlying traditional meaning. It’s also a good choice for “beginners” to the world of men’s jewellery, as it should feel less conspicuous and won’t get in the way when you’re using your hands.
RING FINGER
In Western Europe and the USA, wedding rings are typically worn on the left hand. In Eastern Europe and Russia, Orthodox Christians wear their wedding bands on the right ring finger.
Should you wear a decorative ring on either of these fingers? Well, that’s entirely up to you. Just be aware of the tradition behind this choice of finger.
MIDDLE FINGER
Middle fingers tend not to be used for rings. There’s no underlying tradition here, it’s simply a matter of practicality: Being next to the ring finger, middle finger rings can often feel awkward if they sit next to a wedding band. It can also be hard to find a style of ring that suits the middle finger due to the fact that its size can leave all but the chunkiest of bands looking a little dainty.
INDEX FINGER
Historically speaking, the index finger was the place to wear large, signet or sovereign rings. Today, the index finger is still the most popular choice for statement rings, and is the best finger choose if you’re looking for a big piece of jewellery that really stands out.
THUMB
Thumb rings can be tricky to pull off. They need to be big, but they also don’t look so great if they’re too flashy. Thumb rings are best worn alone, or if you must, with a pinky ring to give the right amount of balance and separation.