What nails for a senior professional job interview?

[Palexpo]

I never get my nails done. I trim them short and leave them. I have a big interview next week and want to look well put together but also very serious and professional. I have a manicure booked this weekend. What should I ask for? I literally have no idea as I have never had a manicure except on my wedding day!

If they are a reasonable length, I'd likely get a french finish with the white bit at the end. If they are very short, possibly just a clear varnish. I'm far from any fashion icon, but would keep them plain.

I would avoid glitter, where 1 nail is a different colour to the rest, neon, super long and pointy like talons. 😝

I'd get them short, oval or curved ends, then go with either something close to your skin tone or clear. Not French unless they are very short. If going for gels then maybe a deep wine red but not with ordinary polish in case it chips. No glitter, no greens, blues etc, no accent nails, just plain and short.

Just the way you normally have them only properly "done". Clear or very neutral.

I'd get a nude/beige/brown probably. Something that doesn't stand out much but looks neat and polished. Are you having a traditional manicure (i.e. a tidy up and paint with normal polish) or a gel one?

@EerieDecoration Not French unless they are very short.

May I ask why no French? I WFH, so hardly anyone sees my nails, but am I making a terrible fashion faux pas? 😬

Things men never have to ask themselves.....

I've never had my nails done. As long as they are neat and clean, that's good enough. I'm regularly on interview panels and id only ever notice someone's nails if they were dirty or looked completely OTT

A nude gel similar to your skin tone it won't chip and will look clean and fresh. I hope you feel amazing and can walk in confident feeling your best.

Neutral. But you don't need to, just make sure they are clean, short and tidy.
Good luck!

You can wear coloured polish but keep it classic. Red or dark red, neutral through taupe to brown, pale pink (flat colour not pearly). Grey can be nice and you can get away with dark colours like navy but otherwise no pastels or bright colours, and no art or embellishments. Short natural shape. Gel is best because it doesn’t chip.

Mulberry, or dark reddish berry. Not French.

First of all good luck with your interview. I work in a traditional law firm and always think French Polish and nude colours look smart, professional and classy. I would avoid red. I also interview here a lot and would say most female candidates wear nude colours. Would love some of the PP who say to avoid French to expand on that, as I’m now worrying on the very rare occasion my nails are done I’m making an error having French finish.

I’d go neutral - a nude sort of colour.

French or nude.

Short, neutral colour or French or maybe red if you feeling bold. Personally I wouldn’t go for anything crazy like neon pink and the likes…

Nude or dark reddy/brown. Stick to the classics basically. And short oval shape, especially if going for a darker colour

French can look classy or cheap, I can't quite articulate why it looks one way one some people and not on others.

i hate french, mine are short and square, cant type when long so mine are filled down all the time - my girl says i am the only one of her clients who asked for short nails. They are currently a dark brownie red as coming into autumn, pale colours get dirty quickly for me so tend to stay away from them, but think they are nice in summer when you have tan (fake)

French only looks cheap if it’s a really chunky white tip. If it’s done professionally it looks good, in my opinion.

OP, I’d go with clear or nude. Honestly, nobody will even notice your nails unless they are garish colours as stated previously or insanely long.

I like an oval shape, and a muted, neutral colour.
I tend to lean more towards nude/pinks in the summer months and more nude/browns in the colder months. I also like a shiny finish in the summer and a matte finish in winter.
Ive currently got a muted coffee-colour with a matte finish

Things men never have to ask themselves.....

To be fair women don't have to ask themselves this either. Nails are really neither here nor there in a job interview.

French looks tacky.

Go for a plain light pink.

By all means have a manicure if you think it will help you to feel more confident and 'together', but it's perfectly fine to have bare nails for a job interview if your natural nails are neat and clean, so don't feel like you have to get them done.

In my professional field, any nail colour or style would be absolutely fine, and it would be completely OK to have green, blue, black, an accent nail or whatever at a job interview. Nobody would bat an eyelid. But if the job you're going for is one where you'll need/want to look more conservative, then anything in the 'nude' spectrum would be nice. That doesn't necessarily mean 'identical in colour to your natural nails' - just a colour that is conceivably on the spectrum of what you'd naturally see on a human being. So the 'nude' palette could be anything from a very pale pink to a pinky-grey to a muted peachy colour to a deep chocolate brown. Basically muted, natural colours really.

A classic red also looks professional on short nails.

French are ok as long as they are very short tips (say about 1mm so just a very fine white tip). Any longer and you are getting into the same territory as glitter, nail art etc, nothing wrong with them in general but not what I'd want for a serious professional interview look. It wouldn't matter one jot in my work but we are very casual.

nails? clean and not too long thats all you need

Have a look at the company website and pictures of the hands of any people at your level.

Nail inc Porchestee Square is an amazing greige.