The Newly Engaged Sartorialist: Engagement Rings, Fashion And Relations

Quick & Easy Illustrations by Mai Manaloto
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“Yes, I will be Mary Ann Taynton” I told my fiancé when he got down on one knee and popped the question. I could never have prepared myself with the joy that comes with being engaged to the one person who ticked all my boxes. It seems like it was just yesterday that I was a single gal mingling and dating around, daydreaming for when I finally find the one. And here I am today, an engaged woman, smitten by my fiancé and can’t stop staring at my engagement ring. This discourse involves a brief history of engagement rings or also called the betrothal rings, the proper ensemble for various engagement celebrations and bits of my experiences as a newly engaged lady. The history and tradition behind engagement rings is a fascinating topic dating back to ancient times. It all started during the Egyptian period when couples who were newly wedded exchanged rings made of intertwined reeds forming a round shape – circular figures symbolized eternity. The ring was placed on the left hand ring finger as it was believed to have a vein that ran straight to the heart or better known as the Vena Amoris which is Latin for “Vein of Love”.

Betrothal rings were still made out of hemp, leather, bone or ivory during the Greek period. It was during the Roman period when gradual shift to the use of metal became predominant and iron was the metal of choice back then. Gold and silver rings were usually reserved for a rare occasion which symbolized that a man trusted his wife with his valuable property. Engagement rings didn’t exactly symbolized love back then but rather a form of ownership.  Grooms would give the bride a ring to signify her binding legal agreement to his possession of her. Diamonds on engagement rings didn’t exist until the 15^th century when the Archduke of Austria, Maximilian, proposed to Mary of Burgundy with a ring embedded with thin pieces of diamonds forming the first letter of her name. It was also during the middle ages that posei rings begun to flourish, these were ring bands with engraved romantic poetries or short inscriptions.

The influx of diamond engagement rings didn’t start until the 19^th century. A British company called Debeers discovered a diamond mine in South Africa which massively changed the jewellery trade. At that time, there was more supply of diamonds than the demand for it. They got in touch with an ad agency to market diamond engagement rings to the mass and their marketing strategy was to persuade men that only diamonds were synonymous with the ideals of love and romance. Engagement rings became the measure of a man’s love and even up to this day, a man’s personal and professional success is assumed to be proportional to the size and quality of diamond he purchases. One of Debeer’s most famous slogan was “diamonds are forever” which encouraged men to spend a large amount of their salary on the rock. But the fuss over diamond engagement rings is nothing more than a mere ad campaign. Being engaged means so much more than just having a ring on a woman’s finger. It’s a life changing new level of commitment to each other.

I’ve always preferred an intimate proposal – it was important that it was only about us two and the love and understanding we have for each other. There wasn’t anything unusual the night Ollie, my fiancé, popped the question which caught me off-guard and really surprised me. I came home from work with a chocolate cake and he told me he would cook us a nice, healthy dinner accompanied with some vino which wasn’t unusual at all since we always make it a point to have a nice dinner presentation from time to time. Afterwards we walked up to the sky deck of the tower where we live and after treasuring the landscape view he got down on one knee and started his speech while handing a jewellery box containing a sparkly diamond ring. He ended his speech with “will you be Mary Ann Taynton?” and most certainly I said yes. Quite frankly, his words started to fade a little once he opened the box and I could see the sparkling ring. I couldn’t take my eyes of it, it’s so beautiful.

We posted our engagement on social media not only to inform our friends (we’ve informed our family prior to the post) but also because we were so proud of each other and the choice we’ve made. When Ollie and I started dating for a bit, we’ve already had a discussion where we see our relationship going. We both knew that we wanted to get married and be together in fidelity for the rest of our lives. Perhaps this is our honeymoon stage as an engaged couple but I feel like a whole new woman. My make-up and wardrobe are more than ever amplified, my nails are always painted, and I’m more polite and positive with my general demeanour. Now that I am an engaged lady, it’s only appropriate to always look nice and this goes to all engaged ladies out there. Apart from all the planning and excitement that comes along with being engaged, you should never forget to dress well for all the special occasions you’ll be taking part in from now on. 

Prior to the wedding day, there’s the engagement party. This is the time to dress up in a special ensemble so try not to wear white just yet, save all that for other upcoming celebrations and of course the wedding day. The bridal shower is usually a daytime affair; it is recommendable to wear light or pastel colours. Be sure to wear something festive and comfortable because a lot of socializing will be occurring – a shift dress style paired with blocked heels is a nice example to wear. It’s time to bust out that sexy fun party dress for the bachelorette party. This is the perfect occasion to wear something that shows-off a little bit of skin but keep in mind that you are already off the market so don’t look too sexy, keep it classy. A white short mini dress is a nice candidate for this night out with your gal pals. On a more serious function, signing a marriage certificate at a city hall isn’t exactly the most glamorous of all occasion but it will be nice to commemorate the moment by dressing appropriately. A sleek midi length dress paired with pointy flats is the way to go. As we draw closer to the wedding day, comes the rehearsal dinner so for this gathering it is best to wear something you can move around with. Brides commonly wear a white dress during rehearsal dinner and it’s best to wear heels that will resemble to the ones you will wear on your wedding day, this way you can practice and know what you are dealing with when you walk down the aisle.

There you have it, the perfect OOTD for all your engagement affairs apart from the wedding day itself. Being engaged is a wonderful, exciting and fun-filled life experience. Personally, Ollie and I are just cherishing all the occasions we get to call each other “fiancé”. An engagement is a crowning moment of finding your soul mate as well as getting butterflies whenever you tease each other as “fiancé” while doing the dishes and going to bed. There is nothing wrong with being in that honey moon phase in a relationship and wearing your ring proudly furthermore being excited with all the plans. Enjoy this stage in your engagement like the thrill of when you just started to date. An engagement is more than putting a ring on it and the four C’s (cut, carat, colour, and clarity) but ultimately it is a celebration of a lifelong commitment, fidelity, loyalty and the journey of two people together. Continue reading about Relationship Bliss and Sartorial Compromise.