Vogue: Diamond Engagement Rings Are So Basic

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Fashion industry bible Vogue would like all you engaged or married ladiez out there to know that your diamond engagement ring is like, totally out. In a recent article titled, "Put a Ring on It—Just Not a Diamond One," Lizzie Garrett Mettler (of Tomboy Style blog fame) writes that the most chic women she knows are opting for simple bands instead of diamond solitaires on their ring fingers.

For still-single men and women out there, this trend is probably heartening. As Mettler writes, "Ostensibly, my ring was a sparkly reminder to my husband of the day he asked me to spend the rest of my life with him, but to me it was a reminder of the debt he went into to pay for it—as a graduate student, no less."

Other fashion women concurred, with one, a senior marketing manager at Urban Outfitters' new fitness brand Without Walls, remarking that, "a diamond seemed so Disney princess to me." There's a lot of emotional baggage tied up in diamond rings—such as the comparison game, which is insane and unfair—as well as the whole, "falling prey to consumer culture" and "lady as prize" thing. Dive in to that debate here if you'd like.

For women who are already sporting a diamond, this swing of the fashion pendulum could be a real downer. Shelving a very expensive piece of jewelry might not feel great. But this cultural shift also presents a happy medium: Women should be able to feel secure no matter what, and a plain band is a nice option for someone who doesn't want a diamond for whatever reason.
· Put a Ring on It—Just Not a Diamond One [Vogue]
· Finally! A Clear Shot of Olivia Palermo's Engagement Ring [Racked]
· Holy Shizz: George Clooney Proposes With 7+ Carat Ring [Racked]