Good Girls with Bad Nails
Sometimes I wonder where these trends come from … the excessively padded shoulders, polyester bellbottoms (or just polyester itself), huge scrunchies, acid wash jeans … but recently, I’ve wondered who to blame for black nail polish. Is it Ozzy Osbourne or Lauren Conrad?
Black nails were spotted on the fingers of nearly every model in the July issue of Vogue, and these dark nails don’t seem to be leaving magazines, runways, or celebrities any time soon.
When did it happen that I would go to my manicurist and ask her to paint my nails a deep shade of fungus? What has made this a trend that Posh Spice and David Beckham wouldn’t leave home without?
Please tell me these fashion blogs that speak of waiting lists for bottles of Chanel’s limited edition Black Satin nail polish are really a joke. And tell me that they were never selling on eBay for $90.
I searched for answers to this craze, and found a New York Magazine article titled “Black Nail Polish: A Brief History” (yes), where I discovered that this dark trend originated in Ancient China, where the color was reserved only for “royalty.”
From Chinese royalty, it then went on to David Bowie and other rock stars during the ’70s. And then, before you knew it, sometime after Marilyn Manson first wore these trendy fingers, Lindsay Lohan, Nicole Richie and other “bad girls” were spotted with black nail polish on the 2005 red carpets. Shortly after, the good girls had the bad nails too.
In a moment of extreme honesty, I will admit the moment I jumped on the black nail bandwagon – the day Gwen Stefani was photographed with black nails. Surely, if Gwen was doing it, I would be completely “untrendy” if I didn’t.
The real me would have picked hot pink nails over black any day. I’m a hopeless romantic hooked on an endless supply of Nora Ephron films. I don’t just cry during Hallmark commercials, I cry when an “America’s Got Talent” contestant is told they get to go to Vegas. And painting my nails the color of death, and then spending hours trying to remove the stained remnants from my fingers, just didn’t make sense. But, in the name of fashion, I embraced the sacrifice.
I am proud to say that after a few years, and some strength, my nails are now the color of fuchsia, not fungus. And I’ve thrown away that trendy black nail polish bottle. I just can’t keep up. Now the truly trendy are being encouraged to trade their black nail polish for the ultra hip navy blue color?! A trend that is sure to confuse paramedics, who will have to determine whether you’re out of oxygen or just totally in style.
All I can say is whether it’s blue or black or it’s in or out this year – wear it if it’s something you love and would wear no matter what. And I would follow that rule with every trend. It leads to less guilty humiliation when you glance at photos later in life. Like the ones of me with pink hair … or black finger nails …
