Katherine

1.    You are the creator of the Ms.Taken Ring, can you tell us about your product?
Yes, I would love to. The Ms.Taken faux engagement ring really is a girl's best friend. In a shimmering instant, it has the power to deflect the sleazy club-goers, homeless street dwellers, greasy foreigners and other such predators you could waste hours trying to pry away. Not to mention the psychotic jealousy it can inspire in an ex.

2.    How and why did you come up with the idea for a faux engagement ring?
It started as a joke and grew into Ms.Taken. Ladies deal with unwanted suitors on a regular basis. No one wants to be outright mean to them, but slipping on a ring gets the hint across in a less awkward way. It’s a practical way of dealing with Mr. Wrong.

3.    I am sure you hear a lot of funny stories from your customers. Care to share one of them?
Within the last few years douchebags have become an epidemic with the popularization of Ed Hardy, excessive hair gel and Jersey Shore. The crazy stories never end, but obviously some stand out more than others. One man created an elaborate story about having cancer and undergoing chemo (which was all false) to win over one of our readers. Sadly her instincts told her initially that he was a douchebag, but he weaseled his way in anyway. Ideally women would be armed with the Ms.Taken faux engagement ring for these instances when their douchebag radar goes off.

4.    Any plans to add other products to the collection?
Yes, we just added two outrageously snarky and cute t-shirts to Ms.Taken’s collection. http://mstaken.com/tshirt/

5.    Do you think the engagement ring is still a strong enough symbol to keep men, single or married, from hitting on a woman?
I believe an engagement ring is still a strong enough symbol to fend off most unwanted suitors. There will always be a few sleazebags that an engagement ring won’t deter, but those are the same kind of men that wouldn’t be deterred by pepper spray.

6.    With Valentine's day right around the corner, who would the Ms.Taken Ring be the perfect gift for?
The obvious answer is any girl who loves to go out and have fun, but white elephant gift exchanges are also perfect for the Ms.Taken ring.

7.    Your website indicates that the ring helps women ward off “douchebags” – how does this affect the nice guys?
Good question. The discretion is in the hands of the ladies wearing them. Most often women use the keychain or wear the ring on their right hand to ensure the nice guys aren’t scared off. The moment Mr. Wrong starts breathing down their neck, they can secretly take the ring out of the discrete keychain and slip it on, giving him rock-hard evidence he's wasting his time on the wrong girl.

8.    Where can our readers check out the ring for purchase?
You can find us at: www.mstaken.com