I call her Reena. Princess Reena. The first instant I saw her I gasped. Mother of pearl! That is adorable! She is the sweetest thing I’ve ever known. Every time I look at her, she just melts my insides. And I look at her more times than I say the word ‘dude’; glance at my smart phone in a boring meeting; and throw back the fringe of my Brazilian weave (Drop it Biko!) combined! There’s just something about her that keeps you glancing back at her. Like damn, she can’t be that beautiful, can she? But yes she can. And yes she is.
I met her at an Egyptian expo in Kisumu. My girlfriend and I were hunting for treats to show for it before the Pharaohs went back up the Nile. She was snuggled on a black cushion in a lilac carbon box. A most beautiful ring with a swirl of golden leaves alternated with three tiny indigo diamond(ish?) crystals curved to the motion, followed by a hexagon of violet diamond(ish?) crystals encasing a bigger, fancy, dark grayish-blue crystal centerpiece. She was magnificent! So enchanting and compelling that I pointed through the glass case right down to her and demanded: “I want her! I need her! I have to have her!” The stand owner muttered something, to which I immediately said “Totally, I’ll take it!” It wasn’t until my friend gasped “Girl, you twaizy!?” While cocking her head to the side to get a better view of the hole in my head that I realized I had just agreed to a ridiculous sum. Ok, this baby may have cost me an arm, but I got to tell you – she’s worth a head! (Not that one boys!)
I named her Reena. Princess Reena. She gives me the feel of springs and lilies and swans that glide to the rhythm of Antonio Vivaldi’s Spring Allegro. She is a princess. She is my princess. Ever since I’ve been wearing her all the girls want to pinch her cheeks and all the boys want to buy her a dress.
Oh Reena! Sweet, sweet Reena! I still can’t believe she’s mine, you know. She is truly a precious thing. I know you must be thinking I’m kind of a sicko for having such a maniacal attachment to a trinket. Believe me; I know exactly how I sound. Sometimes I catch myself staring dreamily at her and I think the exact same thing. And who knows, she might actually be turning me into a real-life Gollum. (Eek!) But I’m a firm believer in savoring every little piece of joy you can find in life when you find it. You never know how long you may have to wait until the next one comes around. So let’s talk – Rings.
Wedding rings, engagement rings, promise rings, purity rings, mafia rings, beauty rings, statement rings… You got to try this people! It’s the simplest, easiest (and I’m tempted to say classiest) form of style that’s just unique and highly customizable. With choices ranging from sleek metals to pricey gems to pearls to beads to glass and even bone, there’s just no telling how varied you could go with rings.
Sometimes the smallest parts of an outfit can pack the most punch. Rings are intriguing in ways no other elements of fashion ever are. That’s because most rings, as well as the fingers you choose to wear them on, are usually laden with meaning. I can bet you my Reena (shudder) that if you walk into a bar with a fancy (non-wedding) ring on your finger, you won’t end the night without a pretty little miss thing brushing against your arm like a hungry kitten and stroking your finger with fascination, asking “Sa ii inamaanisha…?” For real, take me up on that one.
I won’t say much about commitment rings because well, those are rarely ever up to you. Here’s a fun fact though: Did you know that the finger you’re supposed to wear your wedding ring on is believed to be the only finger with a vein connected directly to your heart? – You’re welcome! Now, beauty rings generally, are considered formal. But you can still have fun with breezier boho pieces in your casual time to give your outfits a unique feel. If you want to spot a statement ring like a badass scorpion or a coily black mamba, your index finger is the place to put it, for ladies. For the men, go for the pinky. Always go for the pinky, it does something to the ladies, I’m not sure what exactly, but it always gets them.
You can also always wear more than one piece, if they’re well matched. One way to do this is to make sure you do not mix metals. Stick to a gradient, and also make sure they’re well balanced out. I like to stick to a max of two at a time myself, but sure, you go ahead and have a finger party; just keep in mind that the number of rings on your hand are inversely proportional to its utilitarian value.
Its best to avoid rings on the middle finger though, because it’s the main center of movement for the other fingers so you shouldn’t put so much strain on it. Also the middle finger has other connotations that we all know too well, so you might not want to draw attention to it; unless maybe you have a meeting with Biko and you happen to be wearing your kick-ass human hair weave. In which case by all means put on it your most ostentatious piece, and make sure you hold it up all the way to the venue.