AisleDash

Fashion follows Hollywood. When Lindsay Lohan started trotting around Tinseltown in leggings, suddenly everyone started copying this style, much to the dismay of everyone's favorite fashion critics, and retailers across America struggled to keep an adequate spandex stock. Thankfully, it's not just the ridiculous trends that catch on -- when Ben Affleck gave Jennifer Lopez a 6-ct pink diamond engagement ring, there was a rush on pink diamonds (until the rest of the world realized that they were not movie stars and couldn't actually afford them). So then there was a rush on pink cubic zirconia.

The Bennifer engagement ring really sparked a big trend in Hollywood, and the rest of the world followed. Starlets no longer settled for traditional ring styles like round solitaires in Tiffany settings. Those rings are classic and glamorous indeed, but not unique enough to make a splash on the red carpet. Now we're seeing celebs with every color diamond in the spectrum, like JLo's pink rock, Heidi Klum's huge canary diamond, and Carmen Electra's black diamond ring, to name a few. In addition to the colored diamond trend, solitaires have gone the way of the dinosaur as celebs opt instead for much busier rings with lots of accent stones, and maybe even a non-diamond center stone, like the pink sapphire Nicole Richie received from ex-fiance DJ AM.

While many celebrities like to wear their extreme wealth on their fingers, Marcia Cross opts for understated elegance. Her one-carat round brilliant diamond solitaire is set in a classic Tiffany setting without any bells and whistles.

The Desperate Housewives star and real-life mom shows her sensible side with this ring. When you have young children, large rings can be dangerous, and get dirty in a hurry. Without lots of tiny accent stones or engraving, this ring is easy to clean and goes with anything on the red carpet.

It seems that everything about Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes' relationship has been completely over-the-top, and the bling is no exception. When Tom proposed to Katie atop the Eiffel Tower in June 2005, he gave her this five-carat oval-shaped diamond set in platinum and rose gold, surrounded by smaller diamonds in a pavé setting. The rose gold, which has a shiny rust color, is not used often in jewelry and gives this ring a unique look (as if a five-carat diamond is not unique!). Nearly as wide as Katie's slender finger, this weighty gem sits high and constantly flops to the side of her finger due to its massive size.

As Kristen reported earlier today, Scarlett Johansson and longtime beau Ryan Reynolds have made The Big Commitment. No, they're not married, they're engaged, but let's face it, the REAL commitment is to the ring. And if this ring is any indication, they're off to a good start here.

Johannson's ring is a simple solitaire, nothing too over-the-top. This week at the Met Museum's Costume Gala, she paired the ring with a sheer shimmery body lotion and an antique bracelet, both of which were the perfect backdrop for her sparkler.

She also kept her nails short and her manicure simple, which is always a good choice.

Now if we could JUST do something about her DRESS ...

Click through the gallery for more (and bigger!) images of Johannson's ring.

We took a peek at super-luxury weddings to create this inspiration board: From record-breaking bouquets to Indian weddings that are truly over the top, we found that you don't have to be an LVMH heiress to add a few luxurious touches to your real life wedding.

However, it doesn't hurt to dream, does it? So let's get to it!

Bulgari is synonymous with Italian luxury. It was started in 1884 by a Greek immigrant named Sotirios Vulgaris (he later changed his name to Bulgari) and the flagship store (pictured above) opened in Rome in 1905. Bulgari jewelry is not for the meek - it's a greco-roman fantasy of precious metals and large stones. They're known for bold designs and old-world decadence, so we thought it would be fitting to highlight them during Aisledash's luxury week.

Long a favorite of movie stars and the jet set, Bulgari has designed a line of engagement and marriage rings perfect for the bride who's not afraid to dazzle.

There's been a lot of wedding ring talk surrounding Jay-Z and Beyonce. Folks are excited about Beyonce's huge rock, but they're equally interested in Jay-Z's lack of bling. Is there trouble in paradise already? What's going on?

Well, as it turns out, the story isn't all that exciting. Jay-Z simply doesn't want to wear one, saying he's happy with the ring tattooed on his finger.



As long as they're happy with that arrangement, no problem. But it made us wonder -- how would you feel if your significant other refused to wear his/her wedding ring in public? Would you question motive, or simply chalk it up to personal preference?

Dear AisleDash,

My engagement ring is a custom-made diamond ring given to us by my mother. It doesn't look like a traditional engagement ring, but it's a family heirloom so it's very special to me and I love it! My wedding ring, which I wear on the other hand, is an heirloom from my husband's side. I love it, too, but it also doesn't look like a typical wedding band. I get a LOT of comments about this. People say I don't look married because my rings don't look like wedding jewelry, and other people are always telling me what I should wear instead. They say my rings should match and I should wear them both together instead of on opposite hands. These comments are really hurtful. I love my rings and I don't want to have to get something else. What should I say when people keep bugging me about this?

-Love My Heirlooms

It's amazing how other people get their panties in a twist over things that affect them so little -- or rather, not at all. What you should say to them is "Why does this matter to you?"

You know you are married, and you are happy with your rings. You have heirlooms from both families that you love -- what a sweet blessing of your marriage. I'm guessing your rings have just as much and probably more meaning to you than other women who got their jewelry from some store. You are just as married as anyone who wears her matching rings on her left ring finger, so stop worrying about the rings. You love yours. You don't need anything else. Who cares if you don't "look" married? If anyone asks, all you have to do is say so, but the "Why does this matter to you?" question works for these inquiries as well.

Do you have a question for Ask AisleDash? Use the Contact AisleDash link at the top of the page, or leave it in the comments section. And be sure to look for our answers every Thursday.

Now you have your beautiful diamond engagement ring, and it truly makes your heart do handsprings when you look down (oh, about 1,000 times a day) and see it sparkling on your finger. Make sure not to lose that sparkle by taking good care of your new gem.

Take it off: First, take your ring off (and put it somewhere safe!) when you are doing any kind of rough work, including gardening and washing dishes, or if you are going swimming in a chlorinated pool. Definitely take it off if you are working with bleach or other harsh chemicals.

Take it in: Take the ring to your jeweler once a year to have the prongs checked and to have it professionally cleaned. Take it in immediately if you notice loose prongs or any change in the setting.

It's important to clean your diamond ring regularly to remove the oil, dirt, and other substances that build up and dull its shine. First and foremost, close the drain on your sink! That open drain is an invitation to heartbreak if you accidentally drop your ring while cleaning. Experts recommend using anything mild to clean your ring, including jewelry cleaning solutions, mild soap or detergent (such as Ivory dish soap), or window cleaner. Always handle your ring gently and avoid touching the stone as much as possible (the oil from your skin is a big part of what you're trying to wash off). You can use a soft brush, such as a child's soft toothbrush, to gently reach into the spaces in your setting and to clean the back of the stone where most of the dirt builds up. Rinse your ring thoroughly in warm water and dry it with a soft, clean cloth. Voila -- instant restored sparkle!

Do you have incredibly romantic vows in mind? Or perhaps a favorite passage that will be read at your wedding? You can commemorate it in a really special way -- by having it engraved on your wedding ring!

We found WeddingVowRings.com to have a substantial selection to choose from, plus you can have them engrave the rings you already have. Custom engraving is limited to 225 characters (including spaces and punctuation) on 4 and 6mm wide rings, 350 characters on 8mm rings, and 475 characters on 10 mm rings. So, you might not be able to fit all your vows on there, but you can certainly use a couple of your favorite lines.



In addition, they will engrave a picture on the inside or outside, so you can choose a religious picture, a meaningful image, or just something fun and personal. So, what would you engrave on your ring? Or on your spouse's?