Basic Trope: A character who is not married wears a wedding ring.
- Straight:
- Although not married, Alice wears a wedding ring. Bob notices the ring, and leaves her alone.
- Alice creates a social media profile, and puts her relationship status as "married," for the same reason.
- Exaggerated:
- Alice not only wears a wedding ring, but puts "married" on her tax returns (even though she is not married).
- Alice gets someone to play the role of her husband.
- Downplayed:
- Alice wears an engagement ring or promise ring, or something that could easily look like one.
- Alice tells people she has a long-distance boyfriend.
- Justified:
- Alice is a nun, and since she is bound to a Vow of Celibacy, wears a ring to avoid unwanted attention.
- Alice is traveling, and wants to avoid unwanted attention from locals.
- Alice is traveling with Bob (who may or may not be her boyfriend, but is not related or married to her), and they wear wedding rings, so that they won't get in trouble with Culture Police in the country they're visiting.
- Alice is separated, and beginning divorce proceedings from Bob, but the divorce is not final yet.
- Alice is widowed, and still grieving.
- Alice is in a very male-dominated profession, and wants to make it clear that she isn't looking for romance or sex.
- Alice's ring is a purity ring, meant to symbolize her commitment to remaining a virgin until her wedding night.
- Alice is trying to make someone jealous.
- Alice doesn't want to admit at her high school reunion that she isn't married, so she wears a wedding ring.
- Alice is a closeted lesbian, and she wears a ring so she won't be questioned by family, saying that she eloped with a boyfriend, but that he is home with the flu.
- It's part of an April Fool's prank.
- Alice wants the attention and accolades that come with getting engaged or married, or with being a widow.
- Alice is divorced, but her religious beliefs forbid remarriage after a civil divorce.
- Inverted: Alice takes off her wedding or engagement ring when she goes out, so men will feel free to hit on her. (Whether it goes further than that or not.)
- Subverted:
- The ring is not actually a wedding, engagement, or promise ring, but just normal jewelry.
- Alice changes her social media relationship status to "In a Relationship," but not "Married."
- It's revealed that the wedding ring is real.
- Wearing the ring makes Bob want her more, and try that much harder to "win" her affections.
- The 'wedding ring' belongs to Alice's theater group.
- Double Subverted:
- But it still looks like one to a casual observer, and people respond accordingly.
- She stops getting unwanted attention from the opposite sex.
- But it's from a marriage that's ended either in divorce or death.
- No play, whatsoever, is scheduled for this month.
- Parodied: ???
- Zig Zagged: Some days Alice wears a faux wedding ring, other days she does not.
- Averted: Alice does not wear a wedding ring, or make any secrets about her single status.
- Enforced: ???
- Lampshaded: "Hey, Alice! Long time no see! When did you get married?"
- Invoked: Alice has just been through a series of bad dates or crappy boyfriends, and decides that she Does Not Like Men anymore.
- Exploited: Alice is looking for attention and accolades.
- Defied: Alice decides this is extreme, and makes no secrets about her single status.
- Discussed: ???
- Conversed: ???
Back to Wedding Ring Defense
