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Why is it that only the woman in the American culture wears an engagement ring and not the man? 
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Why don't men wear engagement rings?
- Thread starter Ave Maria
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- May 26, 2004
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peanutbutter12
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I wouldn't wear one. Jewelry is generally a woman's thing. I know there are some shops (like the post above) trying to cash in on a new market, but the tradition doesn't really work that way.
An engagement ring is a gift presented by the man as a formal agreement. Why don't men get a gift as well? Who knows how the tradition started, but men didn't wear much in the way of jewelry in times past unless they were royalty or very wealthy. And most men's jewelry is very plain, if you've not noticed that 95% of mens rings out there are a simple band of gold or silver.
An engagement ring is a gift presented by the man as a formal agreement. Why don't men get a gift as well? Who knows how the tradition started, but men didn't wear much in the way of jewelry in times past unless they were royalty or very wealthy. And most men's jewelry is very plain, if you've not noticed that 95% of mens rings out there are a simple band of gold or silver.
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Luther073082
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- Apr 1, 2007
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I don't know.
Why do women carry around purses and men don't?
Just the way somethings are some times. Men and women are different.
Why do women carry around purses and men don't?
Just the way somethings are some times. Men and women are different.
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peanutbutter12
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You've never seen a ManPurse?!
Seriously though, I rarely wear my ring as it is because I can't wear it when I work because of the style, and during the winter because my finger chaps from washing my hands and water getting stuck under it. Was thinking of getting a tattoo ring for when I don't wear it but... *shrugs*
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Biblically, a woman is always under protection of a man. First her Dad, then her husband.
Whereas a man is the head of a family, and the one who goes to the womans father to have her.
I fit this in with ring wearing (which is not Biblical) as fitting with our culture. A ring shows we are not up for grabs, men don't need this as women are not meant to look for a husband. Men are meant to look for the girl.
In the Bible the man gives the daughters father first a dowry (some of which the woman is meant to own as her own property in marriage - NO its not a prenup lol) and then his sandal (instead of signning papers) for marriage.
Whereas a man is the head of a family, and the one who goes to the womans father to have her.
I fit this in with ring wearing (which is not Biblical) as fitting with our culture. A ring shows we are not up for grabs, men don't need this as women are not meant to look for a husband. Men are meant to look for the girl.
In the Bible the man gives the daughters father first a dowry (some of which the woman is meant to own as her own property in marriage - NO its not a prenup lol) and then his sandal (instead of signning papers) for marriage.
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Luther073082
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You've never seen a ManPurse?!
Yeah and people who carry man purses are made fun of.
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it's basically a preference issue i think. My fellow male friends and I think it'd be cool to get a wedding band tattooed on our finger.
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My fiance carries my hot pink handbag EVERYWHERE we go.
Its great. Its like a male engagement ring. He's taken! And he's smitten cos he's bearing a hot pink bag! PS it was all his idea always!
Its great. Its like a male engagement ring. He's taken! And he's smitten cos he's bearing a hot pink bag! PS it was all his idea
always!
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Highland Watchman
Keeping watch from my ebony tower
This is what I've heard re: the story of the ring...
Looking historically, the ring was a symbol of the bride price - how much the groom paid to purchase his bride. It was like a bridal on a horse, to be worn on the third finger of the left hand (supposedly that's the finger of passion and love, so it is laying his claim on that for her). To wear the ring meant that she was now his property.
As to why most men don't wear engagement rings in our culture - I think part of it might be historical precedent (even though not many know the story behind rings in the first place), some it's a matter of preference... and for others, it is an economical decision (why spend extra money on a ring, when your finances are already tight as it is? ESPECIALLY when all of these stores are cashing in the big bucks on it...). And for others, they just don't because other guys don't do it either - it's a woman thing to show off her ring to her friends; guys don't need to do that.
Looking historically, the ring was a symbol of the bride price - how much the groom paid to purchase his bride. It was like a bridal on a horse, to be worn on the third finger of the left hand (supposedly that's the finger of passion and love, so it is laying his claim on that for her). To wear the ring meant that she was now his property.
As to why most men don't wear engagement rings in our culture - I think part of it might be historical precedent (even though not many know the story behind rings in the first place), some it's a matter of preference... and for others, it is an economical decision (why spend extra money on a ring, when your finances are already tight as it is? ESPECIALLY when all of these stores are cashing in the big bucks on it...). And for others, they just don't because other guys don't do it either - it's a woman thing to show off her ring to her friends; guys don't need to do that.
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- Mar 30, 2004
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I was at a wedding on the weekend, and there was a couple beside me. Everyone at the table was doing wedding talk, and 2 girls were married, so I assumed this other girl was too, because the guy with her had a ring on. Anyway, come to find out, I think they've been engaged 2 years, and they both wear a ring.
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In Sweden, both the man and the woman wears an engagement ring (usually it is "only" a gold ring without big diamonds in it), but at the wedding, only the woman gets a new ring.
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k450ofu3k-gh-5ipe
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Why is it that only the woman in the American culture wears an engagement ring and not the man?
Very good question. Personally, I'm way more chill about traditions and think the engagement ring thing doesn't really make a whole lot of sense, but my wife wouldn't have heard it at all when we got engaged. She wanted a ring!
Maybe women want one so they can show it off to all of their friends? I dunno.
As my dad always says: "the Lord only knows."
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Kvikklunsj
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