Once you’ve gotten the hang of styling them, rings can be an easy and fun way to express your personal style. Rings can also also carry beautiful meaning, since people often wear them as symbols of love, connection, or accomplishment. Yet, that first part— getting the hang of styling rings— is something that many people find tricky. With hundreds of different ring styles and ten fingers to wear rings on, it can be hard to come up with jewelry looks you love right away. But if you’re ready to master wearing rings, this guide is for you. 

In this guide, we’re going over everything you need to know about how to wear rings. We’ll start by going over the basic information you need to know about the most popular ring styles and the meaning of wearing rings on different fingers. Then, we’ll give tons of styling tips as we cover how to wear multiple rings and how to style rings with other jewelry. 

How To Wear Different Types of Rings 

There are many different types of rings and even more ways to wear them. Here’s what you need to know about 8 of the most popular ring styles, including tips and tricks on how to wear them. 

Solitaire Rings 

Solitaire rings feature only one gemstone. This center gemstone is usually set in either a bezel setting or a prong setting. 

Solitaire rings are classic, elegant, and versatile. This ring style is very popular for diamond engagement rings, but solitaire rings are also excellent everyday or special occasion jewelry. Solitaire rings with smaller center stones are ideal for any occasion, while solitaire rings with larger gemstones are the perfect choice for going out or attending a formal event. 

Bands 

Band-style rings don’t have a center focal point, such as a center stone. Bands don’t always feature gemstones and may be made of a pure metal, such as yellow gold, rose gold, white gold, platinum, or sterling silver. Alternatively, they could feature gemstone accents or a complete ring of gemstones (this type of band is called an eternity band). 

Bands are an excellent asset to have in your jewelry box. They can be worn alone or with other rings, making them very versatile. If you want to play around with ring stacking and wearing multi-ring looks, bands are a jewelry box essential. 

Three Stone Rings

Three stone rings feature a group of three precious stones. Generally, three stone rings will have one larger center stone and two smaller side stones. These three stones can be purely for aesthetics or they may have a deeper meaning. In three stone engagement rings, the three stones represent the couple’s past, present, and future together. Three stone rings may also represent the trinity of friendship, love, and fidelity, or the Holy Trinity in Christianity. 

Three stone rings have a classic and traditional style. They tend to be more dressy than rings like solitaires and bands, but can still work well for everyday use when their design is more subtle. Three stone rings that feature larger diamonds or gemstones can be quite eye-catching, making them a great statement piece. 

Halo Rings 

Halo rings are inherently dramatic and striking, so they’re most often worn for formal occasions. However, a halo ring can be a great everyday ring for someone who embraces glamour in their day-to-day life. When wearing a halo ring with more casual looks, let the ring speak for itself by leaving your other fingers bare or wearing just a few plain accent bands. 

Cluster Rings

Cluster rings feature a group of smaller gemstones that create a larger centerpiece. Cluster rings can feature diamonds, gemstones, or an assortment of diamonds and gemstones. Cluster rings often feature a simple rounded shape, but they can also have more complex motifs, like a floral-inspired pattern or a symbol of an evil eye.  

Cluster rings can vary widely in style depending on their size and design. More delicate cluster rings are usually more versatile, while bolder cluster rings are best saved for special occasions. 

Cocktail Rings 

A cocktail ring is a large gemstone ring that’s meant to make a fashion statement. A classic cocktail ring will feature a large and striking center stone, but cocktail rings can also feature many small stones. 

Cocktail rings are designed to be worn at special occasions, like cocktail parties. They’re oversized and bold by their very nature, and they’re meant to be worn with a more dressed up look. Since cocktail rings are so flamboyant, they look fantastic when worn alone. 

Chunky Rings 

Chunky rings are larger rings with a “chunky” look. Unlike cocktail rings, chunky rings don’t have to feature gemstones or a flashy centerpiece. They simply need a chunky, bold silhouette. Some examples of chunky ring styles that are currently in style include signet rings, geometric rings, and oversized gold rings. 

Chunky rings are usually more casual in style compared to other bold rings, like cocktail rings or halo rings. This makes them a fantastic option for those who enjoy wearing bold jewelry with their everyday outfits. 

Stackable and Stacked Rings

Stacked rings are either a set of rings stacked together or a single ring that a jeweler designed to look like a stack of rings. Stackable rings and faux ring stacks can work for any look, depending on how you style them. More simple stacked ring looks, like looks featuring just a few simple bands, are great for everyday. Then, stacked ring looks that feature bold or brilliant ring choices can provide a lot of glamour and wow factor. If you’re not sure how to style stackable rings, make sure you read on. We’ll go over how to style stackable rings more in depth later in this guide. 

How To Wear Rings On Each Finger

When you wear rings, you need to decide which rings you’ll wear on which fingers. When you make this decision, you may want to think about the cultural implications of how you wear your rings. Traditionally, wearing rings on different fingers has certain meanings. Whether or not you care about these types of cultural implications is up to you, but it’s good to have an understanding of them so you can make an educated decision. 

Let’s go over the cultural implications of wearing a ring on each finger of each hand. 

Left Hand Fingers 

• Left Pinky Finger: In the 19th century, men wore two rings on this finger to indicate that they were married, but this practice is now out of fashion. In some modern cultures, wearing a ring on your left pinky finger denotes a mafia connection. 
• Left Ring Finger: In most western cultures, wearing a ring on the fourth finger of the left hand is a sign that you are either married or engaged. So, if you wear a ring on this finger, people will probably assume that the ring is an engagement ring or a wedding band. It’s also common for people to wear promise rings or other commitment rings on this finger.
• Left Middle Finger: There are no cultural implications tied to wearing a ring on your left middle finger. This makes the middle finger a good choice if you want to wear a ring that looks like an engagement ring or wedding band, but don’t want people making assumptions about your marital status. 
• Left Index Finger: There are no major cultural implications tied to wearing a ring on the index finger of your left hand. Some people believe that this finger is connected to leadership and power. If you like that symbolic meaning, consider amplifying your power by donning a statement ring on this finger. 
• Left Thumb: Some people believe that thumb rings symbolize that the wearer has a flexible or creative personality. The thumb is a popular place to wear bold rings, since larger proportions look harmonious with this larger finger. 

Right Hand Fingers 

• Right Pinky Finger: Unlike with the left pinky finger, there’s no mafia association with wearing rings on the little finger of your right hand. In some professions, such as engineering and ecology, people wear a ring on their pinky finger to symbolize that they received their degree. It’s traditional to wear this ring on the pinky of the dominant hand, which is the right hand for most people. 
• Right Ring Finger: In most western cultures, wearing a ring on the right ring finger doesn’t mean anything. However, this finger is used for wedding rings in some countries, such as Germany, India, and Russia. 
• Right Middle Finger: Like with the left middle finger, there’s no symbolism tied to wearing a ring on your right middle finger. 
• Right Index Finger: In some cultures, including traditional Jewish culture, wearing a ring on the right index finger means the wearer is married. 
• Right Thumb: Just like with the left thumb, some believe that wearing a ring on the right thumb is a sign that the wearer has a flexible or creative personality. 

How To Wear Multiple Rings 

It’s easy to get overwhelmed when you first start styling multiple rings. With ten fingers, a jewelry box full of rings, and endless ways to mix and match, there are a ton of styling possibilities. But if you’re struggling to create stacked ring looks you love, here are a few guidelines you can follow to create more foolproof ring stacks:

• Start With Matching Metals: Mixed metal jewelry looks can be very stylish, but they can also be challenging to pull off. So, when you’re first experimenting with ring styling, stick to one precious metal. If all of your rings have the same base metal, they’ll naturally look cohesive, even if they’re very different in terms of size, style, texture, gemstones, and so on. This will allow you to experiment more with your ring stacks, while also always looking put together. 
• Start With a Statement Ring: An easy way to create a stylish ring stack is to pick a statement ring, then accent it with more minimalist or delicate rings. Having a singular focal point will help you create an intricate, stylish stack that doesn’t look overdone or heavy. 
• Balance Jewelry Across the Hands: Wearing a lot of rings on one hand and no rings on the other can look unbalanced and unintentional. So, while you certainly don’t have to wear the same number of rings on each hand, don’t forget to think about the balance between your hands. 
• Leave Some Fingers Bare: To avoid a cluttered look, leave at least one finger on each hand bare. The most popular fingers to leave unadorned are the pinky and the thumb, but feel free to play around with which fingers you leave bare. 
• Pick a Dominant Metal: If you’re ready to start experimenting with mixing metals, start by picking a dominant precious metal and an accent precious metal. For example, you could wear mostly rose gold rings, then mix things up by incorporating a few silver rings. When you have one dominant metal and one accent metal, your mixed metal look will seem more intentional. A good place to start is to have 80 percent of your jewelry in your dominant metal and 20 percent in your accent metal. 

How To Style Rings With Other Jewelry

When you wear rings with other jewelry, you want to think about balance. For example, if you have a bold stacked ring look across your fingers, you may want to make more minimalist choices for your other jewelry. This is especially true for nearby pieces, like bracelets. If you wear 15 rings and a bunch of bold bracelets, that could look very intense. So, you may want to skip wearing bracelets altogether, wear a dainty bracelet, or take off some of your rings. On the other hand, with more distant pieces like earrings, either minimalist or statement earrings could look balanced depending on the rest of your outfit details. 

If you’re unsure about how to style rings with other jewelry, try applying our ring stacking guidelines to your overall look. Remember that sticking with one precious metal looks cohesive, which can make styling multiple pieces more effortless. If you want to try mixing metals, pick one dominant metal and one accent metal. Then, consider picking just one bold piece of jewelry (whether it's a ring, your earrings, a necklace, etc.), complementing it with more delicate pieces, and skipping at least one jewelry category. And, as mentioned above, think about balance when you’re picking out your jewelry. 

With this all said, we want to point out that these tips are guidance, not “rules.” There are truly no jewelry rules you have to follow and there’s no right or wrong way to wear your rings. At the end of the day, putting on your jewelry is about expressing your unique personality and style. So, you should feel empowered to wear your rings any way you like. 

Final Thoughts on How To Wear Rings 

We hope these tips have helped you feel more educated and confident about styling your rings. If you have any questions about how to style JustDesi rings, please feel free to reach out. We want you to love wearing your JustDesi jewelry and we’re always happy to answer product or styling questions.