Colorblocking is everywhere this season. From runway shows to department store window displays, the trend is loud, proud and here to stay. Nevertheless, it is true that rocking a brightly colorblocked outfit can be a little overwhelming if you are not looking to attract too much attention. For those of you not quite brave enough to tread the waters of colorblocking, there is still a subtle – but super trendy – solution: colorblocked nails. Luckily, sometimes the smallest gestures can make the boldest statements. Pair the following styles with a neutral outfit and get ready to turn heads – subtly, of course.
French tip with a twist: Choose two contrasting nail polishes, such as bright blue and yellow or green and pink. Paint them as if you were giving yourself a French manicure, using the cooler color – blue or green, in this case – as the tip. Voilà! You will look super classy but still young and fun.
Two-tone nails: For an original spin on colorblocking, choose two nail polishes in the same color but in very different shades (e.g. baby blue and navy blue). Paint the first nail in one of the two shades and the next one in the other, alternating until you have painted all of them. The fun thing about this style is that most people will not be able to tell it is colorblocked until they get a closer look. It also creates a cool shadow effect.
Vertical nails: This style takes some practice and skill, but once you get it down, you will undoubtedly have the coolest manicure out of everyone in the room. Select two nail polishes in contrasting colors, just like you would if you were giving yourself a French manicure with a twist. Start on either the left or the right side of your nail and use one of the polishes to paint from just above the cuticle up to the tip. Here’s the catch, though: you must stop in the middle and paint the rest with the other polish so that your nail looks like it has got two thick vertical lines of color, from cuticle to tip. You might want to allow the first polish to dry a bit before you paint the rest. Repeat this procedure on all of your nails and you’re good to go!
Rainbow nails: Don’t even pretend like you didn’t do this in middle school! For a fun, colorblocked spin on rainbow nails, choose a brightly colored polish for each color of the rainbow and paint each of your nails in a different color, going in the respective order of the rainbow.