A woman is celebrating her life as an unmarried person thanks to a hilarious Instagram account filled with photos of her jewelry-free left hand.
Mary McCarthy, 30, created the @notengaged account in 2016. Since then, she has been celebrating her unwed status by sharing snaps of her hand in various settings, with the only constant being that there is no diamond on her ring finger.
Her shots playfully mimic the photos that many people share after getting engaged, which show their left hand with a brand new sparkler on it.
Proud: Mary McCarthy, 30, celebrates her life as an unmarried woman on the Instagram account @notengaged, which is filled with photos of her jewelry-free left hand
Success: She created the account in 2016 and now has more than 37,000 followers
Inspiration: Mary decided to create the account after attending a friend’s engagement party
Traveling around: She has taken photos of her ring-free hand in a variety of settings, including at the entrance of Manhattan’s David’s Bridal store
Enjoying herself: Mary’s account shows just how much fun she can have on her own, and includes photos of her left hand in front of various meals and snacks
Mary, of New York City, has taken pictures in a variety of situations, including while shopping, walking around New York City, and enjoying meals and snacks.
Along with her images, Mary, a writer, comedian, and actress who created a YouTube show called The Goodpie Girl, delivers witty captions detailing the many activities and outings she enjoys as an unmarried woman.
‘Hi. I’m not engaged but I’m OK I promise,’ her Instagram biography reads. ‘Follow the adventure of me and my unwed left hand as we realize things are OK. #notengaged #blessed.’
More than 37,000 people now follow Mary’s account, for which she has even taken photos of her bare left hand at a bridal shop and during another person’s wedding.
A recent post, uploaded in June, sees Mary holding up her hand at the entrance of a David’s Bridal boutique in Manhattan.
Yummy: One one occasion, Mary took this photo of her hand in front of a bar of chocolate, joking that unmarried people can enjoy simple pleasures such as eating one for dinner
Seasonal: Mary also immortalized her left hand in front of a decorated Christmas tree
Nuptials: Naturally, she didn’t miss an opportunity to take a photo of her ring-free hand when attending a friend’s wedding
Plenty of room: Mary once shared this photo of her bed, joking in the caption that she would ‘starfish’ in it later
‘When you’re #notengaged and you’re just trying to take a moonlight stroll through the pea soup that is a Manhattan summer and you can’t walk five blocks without summer wedding season being shoved in your face,’ she wrote.
‘Thank goodness it’s #nationaldonutday and you can put a ring on your own finger. A donut ring. Happy Friday.’
Mary’s posts, which always include her trademark hashtag #notengaged, are meant to be both humorous and empowering.
‘It’s basically how I’m living my life, and how I’m single and I have my own apartment and how single girls are doing just as fine as everybody else,’ Mary told Good Morning America.
‘As jokesy and silly as it is, I try to skew it more to empowerment… even though there’s the emoji with the huge tears streaming down.’
Party: She also snapped this photo of her left hand while attending someone else’s wedding
Message: Mary wants her publications to be both humorous and inspirational
Doing just fine: With this photo, Mary highlighted the fact that she’s perfectly capable to complete manual tasks around the house despite her entourage’s worries
Important date: Mary snapped this photo while at work and celebrating Women’s Equality Day
Philosophy: ‘No matter how you’re choosing your life to go, you’re doing it for yourself and that’s all that matters,’ Mary said
Royal wedding: While watching Harry and Meghan’s wedding in May, Mary reminded herself and her followers that she was ‘doing just fine’ sans prince
They’re everywhere! Mary took this photo while trying to enjoy a moment in New York City’s Bryant Park on a Tuesday in May
Mary said she decided to create the account two years ago, after attending a friend’s engagement party.
She has since remained committed to her project, garnering tens of thousands of fans and dutifully snapping photos of her left hand.
In one publication shared last week, she can be seen holding up her hand in front of a bottle of wine, her laptop, and a selection of snacks, including chocolate and cheese.
She wrote in the caption: ‘When you’re #notengaged and your Insta is filled with your married friends cooking on this cool evening (it’s not fall yet Brenda no it’s not time for pumpkin I swear to God) and you’re like, OK, you know what’s a perfect portion for one? A chocolate bar and a bottle of wine and a loaf of bread and three hunks of cheese and ice cream and maybe some nachos IDK #blessed.’
With her account, Mary hopes others will stop comparing themselves to their peers, especially when it comes to their romantic lives.
‘I have nothing against marriage or relationships, that’s not the message at all,’ she said. ‘No matter how you’re choosing your life to go, you’re doing it for yourself and that’s all that matters.’