Wedding Rings only came back into 'vogue' in the 1940's as a way to hock diamonds. Throughout history weddings rings have waxed and waned. And indeed, throughout Christian history (and Judaism before that), there have been instances where rings have been encouraged and blessed, or banned and shunned.
Same with the short sleeves. It's all modesty and it's extremely influenced by culture. Where it gets into trouble is when we forget that culture actually decides what's modest and immodest; not the Bible; the Bible doesn't talk much about that stuff and if it did, it'd probably be fine with quite a bit of the stuff we don't like. After all, the middle east isn't exactly antarctica. Flowing, open garments, by both men and women, were pretty common.
At one time, for example, baggy was modest.. Baggy clothes were considered modest. Women did tend to keep theirselves covered. Christian women wore head coverings, as some Muslim women do today. (And there are Christian circles and Christian orders, such as certain Roman Catholic Nuns, where women still wear head coverings).
Baggy, plain, not flashy. The womans head is covered and no forearms or legs are shown. Though colored garments like these would be more 'formal' and not owned by most. The reason Clergy have traditionally worn black has little to do with the color, and more to do with the fact that clothing other than black was often pretty expensive, as dyes were expensive. Black clothing was rugged and cheap.
By later centuries, women wore tight clothing with plunging necklines and no headcoverings and exposed arms, but still wouldn't dare show a leg! Men didn't expose their arms in formal settings, but might in day to day. Later in the 16th and 17th century is where we get shapewear and corsets and others things to 'tighten things up'. Deeper necklines, shorter sleeves (and long sleeves as well).
Over the centuries, whatever was fashionably modest, the church has historically endorsed as being the Biblical way of living. It's an ongoing battle that isn't likely to end soon, but it's a result of not asking "why". We simply accept that there are 'rules' for what's modest.
Culture is changing and, as such, the church is changing on how it views modesty; but it's always a few steps behind. One thing that makes me laugh is one-piece vs two-piece swimsuits. When my wife and I were dating her mother was adamant that she could only wear her favorite two piece swimming suit at home (they had a pool), and had to wear a one piece if she was, say, going to a water part. Both had about the same neckline and came to the same point on her legs. Not that I would ever dare say this to her mother; but the abdomen isn't the part people are looking at
And yet, culturally, a one piece swimming suit is more 'modest', even though the only thing it covers that a two-piece doesn't is the belly.
Another fun one is gender identity for children. So much controversy today over "boys" vs "Girls" toys, which ISN'T a controversy your grandparents went through. Dig through Grandpas old pictures; I bet you'll find one of him in a dress. Yes! Children have historically, even up until the early-to-mid 1900's, been viewed in a feminine light. They were extensions of their mothers. There would come a time when a young man was expected to work with his hands and wear pants and a tie, but as an infant, toddler and small boy, dresses, playing with dolls, even having long hair with curls (I'm serious!) was perfectly acceptable for a boy.
If you don't believe me, take a gander as this portrait of a young Franklin D. Roosevelt, who would later grow up to be President of the USA;
It was not considered proper to give a baby a haircut. The first haircut, boy or girl, didn't happen until age 6 or 7. At that time, once the young man got his first haircut, he'd expect to be in pants. But all the way until that point; this was a total normal, socially acceptable way to dress and adorn a young boy:
High heels, tights, and short skirts was once mens fashion. After all, accentuating the legs and making ones-self taller were considered masculine traits.
It's fascinating, truly fascinating, how so many of these things change and people pretend as if they've always been.
(Oh, and until the 1950's, if you were having a baby girl, powder blue was the preferred color. And every mother worth her salt had a lacey pink dress for her boys and pink walls in his bedroom. The two colors 'switched' around and after WWII).
