Women who occupy the status of "never-married" form a social category virtually ignored by social scientists. The socialization and sex role literature indicate the normative expectation for middle class females is for adult life to be based around marriage, so those women who never marry deviate from societal expectations. And, women who never marry usually deviate from the expectations of their associates and themselves, since the never-married role and identity generally are evaluated negatively. This analysis draws from existing studies, singles' advice books, and personal observations in considering the transformations of identity of women who do not follow the expected role sequence moving from eligible singles to married women, but instead become old maids. The processual nature both of recognition of the possibillty of never marrying, as well as the strategies employed in adjusting to the unmarried role are analyzed. (Author)