There’s nothing more exciting than moving on from winter’s drear and drag. Bring the carefree happiness of summer into your manicure!
While a quick color change is easy, keeping an experimental spirit will really put the sun in your grip and tell everyone who shakes your hand that you’re ready to embrace the season. The best part? Thanks to the cool stores located right on campus, there’s no hassle in making these styles happen on your hands. American Apparel has literally every color you could possibly need to make a change from basic black and maroon.
1. Dayglow– This one’s a little obvious. Summer means bright, and bright most usually means neon. Sound a little boring and overdone for your taste? It isn’t. American Apparel offers neon polish in shades you never would have imagined, like turquoise and raspberry. Every color comes out bright and fun, no matter how non-neon it seems. Make a statement by painting most of your nails one shade but accenting one or two fingers with a different color. This looks super cool with the turquoise and raspberry and often inspires many a compliment.
2. Under the Sea– Maybe you left candy colors back with your fifth grade soccer team (go blue huskies!), and maybe you feel like sea-inspired nails are a little passé (remember last summer’s seafoam green craze?). However, bring the beach to your fingertips with a warm and creamy pastel blue. The pale shade contrasts gorgeously with tanned skin in an entirely different way than neon does, and it will even leave you looking tanner. Get seriously beachy and paint your ring fingers with a gold foil or glitter – sand and surf!
3. Au Naturale– All that sunshine and dairy consumption (hello, froyo and smoothies!) does wonders for your nail’s health, so why not go bare? If the idea of decking out your digits in nothing but clear polish freaks you out (it’s akin to streaking, let’s be honest), get as close as you can with cool nudes. Make like a Barbie doll and have your nails match your skin tone. American Apparel does nude in a billion different shades (so politically correct), so there’s never an issue. Keep it interesting and go for one of their shiny nude metallics. You’re combining two trends in one, what’s not to love?
4. Back to Basics– Like to keep it simple? Your tried and true shades are back! Do summer the classy way and stick to pinks and reds. You’ll still be making a huge change from your go-to deep, wintry mauve without actually doing anything drastic. This is also a great option for that fancy internship you scored. A perfect manicure will have you looking like a go-getter who’s ready for anything without freaking out the senior partners. If corporate is not the look you’re going for, leave the creamier shades in the store and get crazy with something bright and punchy. Strawberry Daiquiri, anyone?
5. Sparkle and Fade– Camp Bisco? Electric Daisy Carnival? Lollapalooza? Summer is packed with one crazy music festival after another, and why shouldn’t your nails reflect that partying spirit? American Apparel has endless quantities of fun glittery polish options, from golden foil flecks to kooky confetti to straight-up glitter. Chances are you’ll be making a stop to the store anyway to pick up your requisite neon crop tops, so why not grab a few bottles of this stuff while you’re there? Take it back to real life and layer these over one of the other trendy colors suggested or pull the two nails deal mentioned earlier. It’ll help you remember why working that cashier job is totally worth those tickets.
6. Purple Flurp– There’s something about purple in that it’s an endlessly confusing color. Do I look like a five-year-old on Easter Sunday? Am I channeling Barney in a not-cute way? It’s unfortunate, because purple is a great color for summer. It can go neon, like the earlier suggested raspberry shade, pastel, or in-between, like the one shown here. Do something a little different and don’t hesitate to buy this color. Combine trends with a neon shade, pattern it up with some blue, or add a little glitter!
So, what are you waiting for? Get shopping and painting – you needed a creative study break anyway!