The Essential Guide to Styling Wood Rings

Fashion can be a tricky thing for many people, largely because they’ve internalized what our society has to say about it. They feel overwhelmed with opinions, trying to memorize what colors and patterns supposedly belong together, what one’s supposed to wear for different complexions and body shapes, which patterns work in various settings, when we’re allowed to mix and match our belts and shoes, and more. That’s exhausting – not to mention not very fun! Yet it happens all the time with clothing and accessories alike.

However, it doesn’t have to be that way. Why? Because no matter what social media, billboards, or the “style gurus” have to say, fashion is personal. It’s supposed to be discovered and explored at will. You don’t need prescriptive rules and set instructions. All you need are a few general guidelines, a little curiosity, and a willingness to try new things.

And for those who’re nervous about that last point, start small! Try out some new accessories like wooden rings and move your way up. Fantastic for everything from the everyday to formalwear, they’re endlessly flexible and effortlessly cool? Would you appreciate more direction? If so, here’s our essential guide to styling wood rings. Use this as a base and go from there. You’ll quickly find out developing your personal style isn’t quite as intimidating as it seems.

Everyday Wear

One of the greatest things about wooden rings is that they’re intensely versatile. As mentioned, you can pretty much wear them in any context. Just the fact that they’re wood rather than metal gives them a little something special, but most designs are still rather neutral and very sturdy. This makes them perfect for everyday wear while still being plenty interesting enough to keep you from simply blending into the crowd. 

Want to rock one of these rings as you’re going about your day? You can’t go wrong with a traditional wood grain look in a natural tone. They’ll then easily complement other jewelry and fashion styles since they’re relatively toned-down but will remain a great conversation piece. Put them into your regular rotation, pair them with a few other go-to favorites, and see for yourself. 

For Special Occasions

Everyday errands, work, and hangouts with friends may make up the bulk of your routine, but you’ll find that thrown off from time to time. Inevitably, you’ll find yourself invited to a big event like a wedding, anniversary, birthday, or graduation, and you’re going to have to step up your style game whenever that happens. That means embracing things that are a little bit more luxurious, expensive, and special. 

Lucky for you and us, wood rings can definitely find themselves part of this. The proper one can easily add interest to suits, dresses, and any other special occasion look you can throw on. The only thing is that you’ll need to carefully consider the rest of your outfit before you go a little trigger happy, throwing just any wood ring into your cart. 

Color and style should complement and not clash, so we’d recommend either muted tones or those that reflect those of your outfit and a higher-shine polish to look a little bit more formal. Combined wood and metal rings work best here, but don’t be afraid to try on a few different styles to see what looks best. 

Wedding Rings

Naturally, rings are associated with marriage and weddings. Typically, these wedding rings would be made out of a shiny silver or gold with a plain band, functioning more to symbolize a couple’s union than to reflect any significant fashion consciousness or personal tastes. More and more often, though, people are breaking this mold, and using a wood ring in place of the aforementioned materials is an ideal, obvious way to do this. 

If you choose to go this route but aren’t wanting to be the boldest about it, we recommend marrying (pun fully intended) together with some more traditional aspects with more unconventional ones. For example, if you want to wear a ring with a more casual and pronounced grain, opt to at least buy a matching set for you and your partner. Or, if you don’t want matching bands, select wood rings with a little more detail and some high-polished metal components. 

You’ll then be bending the typical rules and look incredibly stylish while doing it without totally ignoring tradition altogether. Of course, should you want to totally break the “rules,” though, go for it! The choice is entirely up to you and your partner. Not sure what you want to go with? Browse around the Urban Designer website for some inspiration and rings you’re sure to love. Our catalog is extensive with matching sets and separates of nearly every design and grain you could imagine, so there’s pretty much something for everyone. 

Ring Stacking

There’s more to styling a wood ring than merely deciding on a more formal or casual look and wearing that as is. It’s not relegated only to what you wear but also to how you wear it. Combining your ring with other accessories and style combinations can completely change your look, and ring stacking is an excellent demonstration of this. It may seem like wearing a couple of rings on the same finger wouldn’t make that much of a difference, but it truly does, acting as more of an obvious fashion statement and disregard for subtler style. The result? You’re perceived as cooler, edgier, and more unique. It’s truly a rockstar move, difficult to pull off, but it looks awesome whenever you do.

However, you’ll probably need a little help here, provided you’re not already an old pro at ring stacking. Our biggest tip is to focus on balance. Don’t just throw on whatever rings catch your eye. Try to be strategic about it. If you’re not, it’ll go from ‘intentionally stylish’ to ‘accidentally messy’ real quick, and no one wants that.

 Consider how a wood ring will look stacked against others. You won’t want rings that are too similar as they’ll blend together, defeating their purpose as a statement. Thus, try mixing thicknesses and combining woods with metals. It’ll be more visually exciting and will say a lot more about your personality that way. Be creative, be unique, and you’ll do just fine. 

Pendant

Here at Urban Designer, we’re all about making fashion work for you and doing things in a way others won’t necessarily expect. That’s why this is probably one of our favorite styling tips. For those who want their rings to be noticed more and want more options, why don’t you wear your wood ring as a pendant? 

After all, no one said you have to wear it around your finger, and it is far more unusual and unique than sticking with the status quo. That gives you major style points. Able to swap in and out various necklace and ring choices, it also allows you to play around with different looks than would otherwise be possible, giving you lots of built-in variety. 

Our suggestion here is to lean into the material of wood rings for best results. Choose a cord made from an earthy material like leather, waxed thread, or cotton, pair it with any natural-toned wood ring, and you suddenly have a nature-inspired accessory that’ll fit with any wardrobe. Although, there is an exception here for wood rings that are decorated with some metal accents like silver or tungsten. In these cases, using a metal chain or cord often strikes the perfect note, adding up to a necklace that’s elegant and eye-catching in every way.