Trendlet: Midi-knuckle rings

You're shooting your obligatory before-I-go-out-and-get-my-dance-on selfie in front of the bathroom mirror. You know, the one you plan to hashtag #mysituation.

The outfit is a stunner, of course. But on your picture-taking hand, you've coolly placed a tiny ring just above the first knuckle on three of your fingers.

Midi-knuckle rings, also called memory rings or tea rings, are handy, stylish sensations this fall, especially visible when texting. The rings run the gamut, from kitschy designs (emoticons) to spiritual ones (evil eyes).

The midi-ring had its beginnings in the Middle Ages (I'm not making this up). Back then, royalty wore multiple rings on their hands as status symbols. When they ran out of space above the base of their fingers, they started adding them above the knuckles.

During fashion's more whimsical decades, like the 1970s, midi-rings came in and out of favor. Around 2012, three things happened: Nail art became hot, the selfie became ubiquitous, and texting became a way of life. Fingers flying across technology were clearly cuter with caviar nails and midi-rings.

Because you can find them for less than $12 at mall haunts like Claire's, or pay a few hundred dollars apiece at fine jewelry stores, teens, tweens, and grown women are adding flash to their fingers. Rihanna's digits are often midi-ringed and so are those of Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen (indeed, they make their own baubles under the Elizabeth & James label). Angelina Jolie is a midi-ring mama, too.

Yes, but I think a midi-ring needs symmetry - that means I need twin midi-rings so there's one to adorn the same finger on both hands. My fave design is the teeny-tiny bow. It's so delicate.

Sure. But consider this rule of thumb: With each decade in age, limit your number of midi-rings. For example, four on each hand is OK in your 20s, but in your 40s you may want to limit your midi-shine to two per hand.