Women often wear small rings with a single stone or a simple band on their pinkies. No, this does not imply that she is a criminal boss, as is commonly believed in popular culture. Single and happily attached women find them handy for making promises, but not the kind of commitments that a mate would make with the symbol of a ring. Instead, the pinky promise—the holy, binding vow that no one dares to breach—is finding fresh expression. This time-honored ritual, once employed by youngsters to seal secrets and by adults to sign agreements, has taken on a trendy twist. Women are wearing pinky rings as a symbol of self-love.

Two women manage the jewelry manufacturer Fred + Far, which pioneered the pinky ring craze. The goal is to recognize your magnificence, regardless of your relationship situation. Inventor Melody Godfred claims the concept originated from her desire to remind herself to care for herself, despite the engagement rings’ influence on the rings’ style. As a busy mother of twins, she realized she was ignoring herself. She and co-founder Samira Far created the ring as a symbol of empowerment and devotion to oneself. Godfred made the following statement in an interview with Mental Scoops:

“I chose to create the band for my pinky, a finger I’ve never worn a ring on before.” Women often overlook it in their personal lives. It was extremely powerful for me to take a typical symbol of devotion to someone else (large, bold engagement rings) and declare, ‘This time, I’m choosing myself.’ I still happily wear my engagement ring, and the two bands are not mutually exclusive. Loving yourself enhances your capacity to love others.

With its downward-pointing white sapphire, the ring contains an inverted triangle stone that signifies the power of the “divine feminine.” While the rings may not appeal to everyone because of their high cost, some women have discovered that purchasing a piece of jewelry that represents self-love is transformative. Others discover that they make excellent gifts for the ladies in their lives—best friends, mothers, sisters, or children. It acts as a daily reminder to declare, “Yes, I’m beautiful, smart, independent, and I rock!” Self-love helps you realise your needs and intolerances. It can also be therapeutic. If you love yourself, your relationships and other elements of your life will follow suit.

It’s worth noting that throughout the Victorian era, ladies wore left-pinky rings to indicate that they were unmarried and did not wish to marry. Recently, people have used rings to express sentiments such as marital commitment, divorce, and “purity.” The women sporting these new pinky promise rings are sending a clear message: “I love me.” Even if you don’t follow the trend, the message may appeal to you. What are your thoughts on the pinky ring movement? Are you in need of some self-love? Please share in the comments!