It's 2016 And Suddenly I Like...Nail Art?

I've always hated nail art. Read post, "Apparently Nail Art Is Dead. I Never Thought It Was Alive". It has always seemed to me like a kindergarten art project gone wrong, a way to get rid of your holiday decorations, an accident with the glitter, or just plain tacky.

The other day, something strange happened. I broke my two thumb nails. It was a horrendous experience I wish to never recreate, but alas, some things cannot be avoided. This predicament led to a slew of after-effects. For one, I decided that I had to cut my other nails to even them out (they were beyond nail file repair). Once that was done, I knew that certain colours would not work on my new short nails. The long and short of it is that I decided to paint one of my nails a different colour. Don't ask me how I arrived at this conclusion. It seemed like the right thing to do at the time. I knew that my elegant long-nailed manicure was flushed down the toilet and that I needed a refresher to make my hands feel alive again.

I decided to paint my accent nail in flashy metallic silver. Though I've never been a fan of metallic nails, the New Year inspired me to try something new. After painting that single nail silver, I opted for a dark grey mani to compliment the nail. Unsatisfied with the results, I started to draw all over my nails with silver nail polish like a child left alone with a box of crayons and something magical happened. It looked a little bit like this:

Dare I say it? I may have actually tried nail art. Intentionally and partially, unintentionally.

I can't say that I'm fully committed to this trend nor can I confirm that I absolutely love it. However, I may experiment with a Pinterest tutorial or two. We'll call it my New Years resolution.

Have a great weekend lovelies!

And ponder this...

Bella

Let's Talk About Metallic Nails

A traditional manicure generally consists of a red, pastel pink, or nude polish. The boldest amongst us will occasionally try the color of the moment like a turquoise or baby blue for summer and navy or burgundy for fall. For special occasions, a french manicure is a popular look and the reverse french, even more so. Some fashionistas are inclined to go for nail art. I am not one of them. But what ever happened to metallic nails? Have they been forgotten in the mix?

via styleblazer.com

While I am generally inclined to choose a matte colour that suits my skin tone, I've been contemplating metallics and to my consternation, I can't seem to decide whether or not I could "pull this off". Are metallics tacky? Or are they fashion?

When it comes to our jewellery, many of us have a favourite metal, be it silver or gold. Some of us will even opt for a chic rose gold. When it comes to our timepiece, the metal you choose is everything, so you must choose wisely. While we tend to prefer metal for our jewellery to plastic (which can be perceived as cheap and tacky), why is the reverse true for our nails? Perhaps the new chic is metallic gold or silver. 

Now, as someone who is willing to try almost anything when it comes to fashion, I'm tempted to dig into this further and explore the metallic nail. Who knows? It may become the next fall trend to hit the runways and before you know it, bloggers will be promoting it everywhere.

So, next time you hesitate with the tacky vs. non-tacky debate, try it out. If it doesn't feel right, you don't have to do it again. When it comes to your nails, there's always a good polish remover to save you from an awful mani.

Ponder it,

Bella

Apparently, Nail Art Is Dead. I Never Thought It Was Alive.

According to several reliable sources including The Cut, Fashionista, and Buzzfeed, nail art is on the road towards its demise. Rather than summarizing what has already been said about Nail Art (including various undeniable statistics about reduced consumption), I will state my own personal opinion on the matter (it is your choice to agree or disagree).

Despite Rihanna, Katy Perry, and Miley Cyrus decking these elaborate nail designs, it never really stuck on me (no pun intended). What is nail art anyway? In my eyes, it consists of going back to our five year old roots and conducting an arts and crafts project on our nails (I was never very good at arts and crafts). While that's all fine and dandy, the textured nails concept just doesn't sit well with me. I will try just about any shade or colour (except maybe yellow) on my nails (as you can see from my Essie article) and explore the multi-colour concept. I will attempt at any type of French manicure (reverse or otherwise) you may offer, but a nail design? Not my cup of tea. Maybe it's because I belong to a supreme category of klutziness. Perhaps I simply cannot imagine gluing crap to my nails and having to remove said crap afterwards. Or, I may just be the nail art grinch. For whichever reason, I KNEW that nail art was just a phase like low-rise thong-baring jeans (thank goodness for that).

If for some odd reason, this article burns your soul, continue to elaborately deck your nails with gold sequins or rainbow glitter. Maybe you can revive this dying trend and for that I shall commend you. I, for one, will probably never try this because I can barely paint my nails without passing the lines and the idea of making art displays on them seems unfathomable. Although, you never know what the future holds. Perhaps with the assistance of stickers or professional help, I can warm up to the idea. A wise man once said: Never Say Never (Justin Bieber and my parents).

Adios Snow Bunnies!

Bella