Ought to men wear Engagement earrings?

inside the 1920s, nicely earlier than diamonds emerge as “forever,” jewelers tried to popularize engagement jewelry for men (Zabell 2014). From the jewelers’ perspective, guys sporting engagement earrings might double their income—a clean financial boon.

however notwithstanding manly names for the earrings and commercials proposing guys preserving cigarettes whilst sporting valuable gem stones, the marketing campaign made little progress. perhaps the traditional connotation of the engagement ring as an "insurance plan" for later-jilted ladies—who may additionally have misplaced their virginity and, for lots at that point in records, tons in their marriageability possibilities publish-engagement (Rupp 2013)—become too ingrained for couples to recognize the feel of a male engagement ring.

rapid-ahead to the 21st century whilst, while a gendered double standard of sexuality nevertheless stays robust, virginity is no longer a prerequisite for maximum ladies’s marriageability—and a broken engagement is some distance less of a stigma as well. The historical meaning of the engagement ring has been all but forgotten—many prospective grooms may additionally purchase a diamond ring with out wondering why diamonds are the default or why we assume this bling to accompany proposals (Friedman 2015). although extra girls achieve this today, there remains a strong societal norm for men to propose (Marcotte 2012); in trendy, ladies have made fewer advances in the direction of equality inside the personal realms of affection and family than they have got in employment (England 2010).

however, expectancies may be slowly changing.

A survey by using The Knot shows that 5% of newly-engaged men are marketing their “taken” fame with manly bling (Zabell 2014). some jewelers are explicitly retailing engagement jewelry for men—albeit normally lots less high-priced than the ones for ladies and carrying handiest a small diamond (Zabell 2014). Male celebrities, which include Johnny Depp and Charlie Sheen, may be popularizing the fashion (Fogarty 2014). similarly, jewelers file, gay men choose diamond rings extra frequently than directly guys (Zabell 2014), breaking down some gendered expectancies whilst establishing new markets.

it's also possible that women’s increasing incomes strength is changing the gendered monetary norms of courtship, updating expectancies concerning the one-manner gift of an high-priced ring. anyhow, as men in diamond rings grow to be more common, even extra adult males might also determine that in addition they yearn for a chunk of glitz on their finger.