A Portlander’s Guide to Stacked Rings

Are stacking rings different from any other type of ring?

Though there are specific “stacking rings,” this trend goes beyond a specific style of ring. Generally, you can use whichever rings you like when stacking rings. That’s the fun! You can stack new rings, old rings, inherited rings, and everything in between.

Still, we do recommend getting some “stacking rings” to form a foundation of texture and surround your more standout pieces. These base rings, which are generally simple and elegant bands, are created for stacking and can be stacked as low or high as you want.

Creating a ring stack ensemble

A beautiful and stand out ring stack is similar to a bold bouquet of flowers. It requires a mix of subtle contrasting and blending of components to create a finished product that’s greater than the sum of its parts.

While you can stack any ring you want, most center their ring stacking strategy around a couple of key ring types:

• Statement rings: These are the rings that will act as the centerpiece of the stack and are typically worn on your ring finger. Often, this will be an engagement or other solitaire style ring. If you go large with your statement ring, we recommend you go somewhat more understated and restrained with the rest of your stack.

• Midi rings: Perfect for your middle finger, midi rings are most often a smaller ring, think size 3 or smaller. These rings create personality in your ring bouquet and help balance out the stack.

• Eternity rings: Now these rings will make you stand out. Eternity rings feature gemstones halfway around the band, and can be stacked themselves or surrounded by simpler stacking rings. These rings are often given as anniversary gifts and are historically meant to signify a lasting commitment.

• Stacking rings: These uniform, band-style rings are both the most simple, yet crucial part of your ring stack. Often made from gold, these bands can be smooth, beaded, twisted, or any other texture. You can surround the rest of your rings with these or stack them by themselves. They really are so much fun.

How you stack them from here is completely up to you.

Tips for stacking rings

While we encourage you to take part in the fun and experiment with your own ring stacking style, below we’ve included some helpful tips. Don’t interpret these as rules. They are here to help guide you in your development of your own style.

Choose a focus finger

While you should not feel afraid to spread rings around multiple fingers, having one focus finger to build around can provide direction for your ring stack. Loading up on multiple rings on just one or two fingers is also a great strategy.

Leave one finger empty

While focusing on one finger helps center your ensemble, so does leaving one finger bare. This helps balance out your look and prevents you from overdoing it with rings on your finger. We love leaving your pinky or thumb empty, but leaving a more central finger bare can provide a quirky, off-centered, and chic look that will stand out.

Don’t be afraid to mix things up

Rings don’t need to be the same metal, have the same gemstones, or be the same size to be stacked together. In fact, mixing and matching is one aspects of ring stacking that makes it such a special fashion trend.

A good strategy when mixing metals is to center your ring stacks around 2 metals, choosing one as the primary color and then mixing in a couple pieces around the second metal.

Another great rule for mixing and matching is integrating different weight and size rings with varying levels of sparkle and gemstones. We recommend limiting yourself to one statement ring, and then designing the rest of the ensemble with rings that balance it out. For instance, if you have a large diamond ring as your statement ring, go more understated with the rest of your stacked rings.

Remember, you don’t want a competing aesthetic, you want a contrasting yet complementary look.

Don’t be afraid to over or under stack

If ring stacking is new to you, you may wonder how many rings is too many. In fact, stacking a lot of rings may feel awkward at first. We encourage you to experiment with trying different amounts of rings.

Be bold

Add some sparkle and bling to your ring stack. If you feel like stacking multiple eternity bands, do it.

The only limit is your imagination.

Center your ring stacking around your personal style

Fashion is ultimately about empowering yourself to feel and look your best. A fully realized style is about more than the latest trends, it’s about conforming these trends into your own style and making them your own.

If you want to explore stacked rings (and why wouldn’t you!) we recommend doing so in a way that compliments your style and personal taste.

Start out with a ring you have that you love and buy some complimenting stacking rings to go along with it.