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Do Men Wear Engagement Rings?
Tradition dictates that the man gets down on one knee and, in a grand and romantic fashion, asks the woman he loves to marry him and presents her with a diamond ring. He gets a wedding band at the exchange of vows, but what about the time in between? Do men wear engagement rings, too?
The answer might actually be a bit more complicated than you would think. Examining the history of the engagement ring will show you that it was originally more about the woman than the man. Regardless, things have changed quite a bit in modern times. Taking a look back and examining how things are now can give you a clearer picture of the relationship between men and engagement rings.
An engagement ring is a ring that shows that the wearer is engaged to be married. It is a popular engagement gift in Western Cultures as can be found in the United States. Today, 80% of betrothed women are given engagement rings to mark the occasion. But where did that tradition come from? It actually has its roots in the distant past.
Historically, the use of wedding rings began with the Egyptians. The circular bands represented eternity. Wearing a round band on one's finger symbolized their commitment to being together forever.
There was also the tradition of paying a dowry in exchange for a woman's hand in marriage. By the 2nd century B.C., the ancient Romans began giving “betrothal rings” instead of high-priced gifts and dowries. This was a physical representation that a woman was “taken” and was meant to show ownership. The engagement ring was born.
Fast-forward to the 1880s when diamonds were discovered in South Africa. Purely a commercial campaign, diamonds began to be marketed as an engagement ring necessity. That is how we get to the engagement rings we are familiar with today. Many engagement rings are quite expensive and very ornate, making it easier for some couples to afford them than others.
In the United States, there was a decline in the popularity of diamond engagement rings after World War 1. It is also good to note that the jewelry industry began to make men's engagement rings in the early 21st century.
Do Men Wear Engagement Rings?
The original engagement rings were meant to convey the “ownership” of a woman. They no longer mean this. What they now represent is that a woman has made a free choice to marry her husband-to-be. The engagement ring now symbolizes love and commitment. Whether men wear engagement rings or not is an entirely personal preference. While the vast majority of men don't wear engagement rings in our society, some choose to do so based on what they believe it represents. It is an outward symbol of an emotional commitment they've already made.
Additionally, today traditional gender roles are more fluid. Women may ask men to marry them, or same-sex couples choose to become engaged with the same long-standing traditions of heterosexual couples. In these circumstances, the engagement ring still stands front and center in the act of proposing marriage, and men may be presented with one to wear during the engagement period.
Are Clip On Earrings Becoming More Popular?
Clip on earrings are in fact gaining in popularity. There are a number of reasons for this, some are related to advantages recognized for over a century and some that are relevant to fashion as it stands today and as we know, fashion dictates popularity.
We live in a society that thrives on convenience and adaptability. This is no more evident than in the area of technology which includes the internet and the ever growing use of smart phones in our daily lives. This has made the delivery and obtaining of information so much easier such that people in general are better informed and more aware. Of course shopping has become so much easier – we can all shop online anywhere, any time – whilst on the bus or train on the way to work or whilst simply chilling out.
As it is with many products, demand has grown as a result of the convenience factor. So in the case of clip on earrings the awareness and availability factors have grown in recent years. Whilst less than 20% of the female population do not have their ears pierced and hence need to use clip style earrings if they want to adorn their ears, the greater percentage of earring wearers are becoming more aware of clip on earrings which have in the past been somewhat our of the mainstream.
Many online stores selling earrings for pierced ears, whether they be traditional styles like hook or stud or both, are now offering a selection of clip on earrings albeit a reduced range. The sparse availability of clip on earrings has for a long time been disconcerting for those who require them. These women (and indeed some men) have usually had to look hard for stores that stock this style of earring and then have had to settle for the meagre range that has been traditionally available. There are also more specific clip on earrings sites that offer fairly extensive selections.
Back in the 1950's and into the first half of the 1960's clip-on earrings were well and truly in fashion, dictated to a certain degree by hairstyles of the era, lending themselves to showing off the larger heavier earrings that were in fashion at the time, which were unfortunately problematic when it came to the sometimes damage to the earlobe. The hook of these heavy earrings when worn regularly as was often the case could cause the skin of the inner of the pierced hole in the lobe to become irritated causing discomfort. This irritation of the skin could sometimes end up becoming infected which was painful. They even often resulted in an elongation or stretching of the hole or even of the lobe in some cases. This was also the case during the heyday of clip on earrings during the so called roaring twenties during the decade of the 1920's.
So the solution was to wear clip on earrings in these situations. Hence women who had their ears pierced would often wear clip-on earrings as well and typically have a selection of this style in their jewellery box in addition to standard earrings.
The wearing of large and often heavy earrings has somewhat remained a constant through the years when it comes to weddings so it is often that the bride and her bridal party will wear clip on earrings – another reason of course for this is that in a group of bridesmaids there often can be someone who has not had their ears pierced so the solution is for everyone to wear clipons, from the same source, to ensure they all look good.
Large earrings have come into fashion and gone out of fashion at various periods – not unlike many fashion accessories. Over recent years there has been a revival in long dangle earrings, some even far longer than they were in the iconic 1920's – and there is a big trend in tassel style earrings. Both of these fashions are now readily available in clip earrings and as such many women now have the choices that they did not have previously.
Benefits Of Wearing Silver Necklaces With Your Outfits
Silver stands out as a precious metal, marking its place alongside gold. It also has a lot of uses and applications, especially in jewelry. The earliest uses of silver during the 4th millennium BC were in the form of rings that acted as currency.
Since then, the use of silver passed from one civilization to the next. Starting from Mesopotamia, it soon came to Egypt and then to other civilizations in later eras. Today, wearing silver necklaces and other forms of jewelry became part of fashion as stylish accessories with various forms and styles.
Today, we will look more at the benefits of wearing one. Keep reading to learn why you should buy a necklace today.
Wearing silver necklaces adds a touch to your personality. Jewelry has ways of leaving an impression about you despite its small form. A glimpse at your necklace can tell people much about your fashion sense and style.
For instance, bright and bold colors evoke a colorful personality. Meanwhile, having smaller jewelry pieces denote more of the minimalist mindset and disposition. It even applies to your choice of wearing a silver chain and a matching pendant.
Do you want something that works out as a subtle nod to your personality and style? A silver necklace covers that for you. Pair this with your outfits for parties and you would have a way to accentuate your look.
Your choice of jewelry also helps in highlighting your best features. As for the case with wearing silver necklaces, you bring attention to your neck and face. You highlight your face more with a pair of large earrings while going for a smaller necklace.
During formal events, this becomes an advantage when your dress brings emphasis to certain features due to its cut and fit. Pairing a dress with a silver necklace can add a dash of class to it.
The History And Cultural Significance Of The Wrist Bracelet
Bracelets became popular as far back as 5000 BCE, in Egypt. There have been bracelets found in Russia that are thought to be over 40,000 years old. Bangles are an important part of some marriage ceremonies throughout the world. While ancient Egyptians wore bracelets on their wrists, it is not thought there was much significance for this other than fashion. Greek soldiers wore leather bracelets to protect their wrists and it became a traditional part of their military uniform. Bracelets were popular for both men and women until The Middle Ages when they became an accessory worn mainly by women. Bracelets re-emerged as an extremely fashionable accessory for women in the 17th century. During the 20th century, men often began wearing bracelets again, although they were typically more simple and singular, whereas many women wore multiple bracelets of all different styles.
RELIGIOUS AND HISTORICAL IMPORTANCE
Bracelets have, throughout history, held a great significance in both secular and religious circles. Bracelets have been worn to guard against evil spirits or the harsh sun, outwardly represent marital status, and in hopes of encouraging winter to turn to spring sooner rather than later. Bracelets have evolved to be a fashion accessory, and even these often hold special meaning for the wearer. Charm bracelets are popular since they can be added to, with each charm representing a special time or person in life. There are bracelets thought to help with healing and prosperity, and a darker part of the history of bracelets concerns those that were worn by slaves to indicate ownership. Bracelets have historically been a way for the upper class to display their wealth and place in society. Today, many wear bracelets that are symbolic of group identity or to represent a cause for which they are passionate. This is a common reason for rubber bands, imprinted with words or symbols, to be worn on the wrist. Jade bracelets are a common accessory in China and are often given as a gift from parents to children to remind them of their protection and love. Around the world, friendship bracelets are a common way for friends to bond. Two friends may exchange matching or similar bracelets made of string and tie these bracelets to each other's wrists symbolizing their bond.
Types and Materials
The earliest bracelets were often made of grass, tree limbs, and shells, with some even being made from animal bones or stones. After this, bracelets were commonly made of copper or bronze, and this evolved, after the Bronze Age, into gold and silver. Silver is the most common bracelet material today, but many materials are often inlaid in these, such as gold, bronze, and semi-precious stones. Some bracelets allow the wearer to showcase their birthstone on their wrist, which is a tradition that has lasted since ancient times.