Highlight the fact that a woman is wearing a ring on a particular finger and I think most of us will naturally assume the same thing: she’s married.

That remains just as true today as it has for the past century, though there’s apparently a new trend blooming that sees ladies sporting a ring on their pinky finger… and it’s significance is about as far from crying out that they’re officially taken as you can possibly get.

It involves wearing a ring on their pinky finger to denote a pledge of self-love. And if that sounds like something you’re interesting in learning more about, stick with us in this here article and we’ll do our best to explain.

Rings on pinky fingers

Rings have long been used by people to express feelings and project messages out there for others to pick up without the need for conversation. The most obvious one is, of course, an engagement or wedding ring, which usually does the job of alerting the rest of the world to the fact that the lady in question has found the partner she wants to spend the rest of her life with.

Now, it should go without saying that donning rings on other fingers doesn’t always have to mean that someone is trying to make a statement. Some wear rings as they would any other accessory; for no other reason than because they think they look nice and suit the look they’re going for on any particular day.

Yet if you happen to see a woman in public wearing a ring on her pinky finger, it might be because she approves of a new movement purportedly started by Fred + Far, a jewelry makers who aim to celebrate people’s worth irrespective of what their relationship status might be.

Melody Godfred, one of Fred + Far’s founders, explained that she got the idea for a pink finger ring as she wanted to remind herself to take care of herself. The ring was indeed as a symbol of empowerment, as well as a commitment to oneself.

Speaking to Mental Scoops, Godfred said: “I chose to create the ring for my pinky because it is a finger I’ve never worn a ring on before. It is as overlooked as women can be in their own lives.

“It felt very powerful to me to take a traditional symbol of commitment to someone else (big bold engagement rings) and say, ‘This time, I’m choosing myself.’ I still wear my engagement ring proudly, and these two rings are not mutually exclusive. Because loving yourself, makes you better able to love someone else.”

The ring in question features an inverted triangular stone supposed to represent the power of “divine feminine”. If you ask us, regardless of the cost of a ring, or what material it’s crafted from, appreciating your own worth and wearing something as a symbol of your own integrity can only be a good thing.

History of pinky rings

And it turns out that the idea of women wearing pinky rings actually has a history that goes back quite a long way. Reportedly, women in the Victorian age could often be seen wearing rings on their left pinky fingers to show that they were single but not interesting in pursuing marriage.

In more recent times, women have taken to wearing pinky rings to denote that they love and care for themselves. So the next time you see a woman in public who has opted to accessorize themselves in such a way, you’ll be more clued in as to the potential reason why!