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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think long painted nails look unattractive

241 replies

Decormad38 · 23/04/2019 05:56

I am prepared to be shot down in flames but when I look at long painted nails on anyone I just think they look ugly and claw like. I just don’t get why anyone would spend money to make their hands look like that. I think short or medium length painted nails look nice but not long ones.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
5
OwThatsGottaHurt · 23/04/2019 10:46

What a beautiful post @claraschu - thank you for sharing that - so eloquent and thoughtful. I also love looking at old people's hands when they have spent their lives cooking, gardening, nursing, farming, creating, painting, sculpting etc.

Personally, I wear my nails very short and round and would paint them in a neutral colour or a bright red only for a very special occasion.

When I see the acrylic nails etc I mostly think (to myself) - ugh they look so impractical and annoying! The same way as when I see women in those very high heels. But if it makes them happy that's cool. They probably look down at my plain short nails and thing ugh how boring!!! I'm fine with that, I just prefer a clean bare natural look.

Dressless · 23/04/2019 10:46

I used to allow my nails to grow long (max 5 mm) until I had an accident and they bent backwards at a 90 degree angle. I can’t say I foundfoing things an issue (but then again I don’t garden or clean it I can avoid it). Artistic things weren’t any issue (I would even go as far as to say they were useful for clay work). Keeping them clean wasn’t a problem. But obviously I don’t do it any more.

Strugglingtodomybest · 23/04/2019 10:47

But the thick ones remind me of what happens when I don't tackle my small toe nail regularly.

I almost spat my tea out then! I know what you mean...

outpinked · 23/04/2019 10:52

Agreed, they remind me of witches nails.

SpamChaudFroid · 23/04/2019 11:21

I 'm not keen for the kinds of reasons Clarashu mentions. Jesus though, the amount of judgey posts about wearers of false nails, some including the word common! (now there's a tasteless word)

Pinkyyy · 23/04/2019 11:27

They're just nails. They are temporary. People cover themselves in permanent things like tattoos every day. Stop making such a big deal of it.

Toddlerteaplease · 23/04/2019 12:14

Agreed they are horrible. How do you do every day tasks with really long nails.

TheFastandCurious · 23/04/2019 12:19

It’s absolutely fine to tell your kids that if you eat too much or too little you will be unhealthy and not look very well. It won’t lead to a lifetime of eating disorders. Stating facts doesn’t do that despite what the frothing masses tell you to think. Other factors are at play with eating disorders.

Nicknacky · 23/04/2019 12:20

Acrylics don’t need to be long. Mine aren’t.

Redglitter · 23/04/2019 12:23

I've got acrylics & they're just the same length as I'd have my natural nails. They actually look very natural.

TheFastandCurious · 23/04/2019 12:29

Wrong thread sorry 😂

vampirethriller · 23/04/2019 12:30

I love them. I don't have them since having my baby but I could do everything with them- I only don't have them now because I don't want to accidentally poke her or something.

MsLumley · 23/04/2019 12:37

Agree - they're hideous.

NiceLegsShameAboutTheFace · 23/04/2019 13:08

I get silk overlays and I love them.

As for wiping my arse, meh: I get the butler to do it! Grin

Hearhere · 23/04/2019 13:17

Yes hands are beautiful and magical and they are in many ways the secret to the success of the human race

I think that our inclinations to decorate and draw attention to our hands, by for example adorning our nails wearing rings, is born out of the recognition that hands are beautiful and magical

Pinkyponkcustard · 23/04/2019 13:20

Tell you what is cheap and nasty. The way some women judge other women on their appearances.

Honestly haven’t we got enough to contend with being women - without pulling each other to pieces too.

HoppingPavlova · 23/04/2019 13:25

I love long nails and love painted nails. For most of my working life I couldn’t have long nails or painted nails, maybe that’s why I love them? Whenever I had a long holiday from work I would try and grow them but they would break so easily so then I was in even more awe of those who managed it (although realistically I suspect they may not use their hands for much?).

Now I am retired (still work but not in previous main career), i can have long nails no problems but still the same issue, they just break so I will have four semi-long nails on a hand with one super short. Looks silly so I cut them all and start again. I would never have the acrylic ones, unnatural.

Southwest12 · 23/04/2019 13:35

I have acrylics, they are probably too long for many on here, but they are the same length as my natural nails used to grow to. I also have glitter, stars and gems on them, shock horror!! Yes that is chavy and common to many, but I love them. They make me happy and make me feel like me, as do my eyelash extensions.

Picking up coins or doing up a necklace is impossible with acrylics, but don’t have any other issues with daily life. I’ve not had to wipe my bum in almost 14 years (I have no bum hole) so that’s not an issue Grin

TheTitOfTheIceberg · 23/04/2019 13:47

This thread is fascinating, so many unconscious (or maybe not...?) class biases coming out.

Essentially it seems that short, neutral, pale...in a word, tasteful is fine. Long, coloured, bright...oh no dear, that's common. Or at best, nouveau (which is just common with money, darling).

I have no dog in this fight; my nails are naturally long but usually unpainted out of laziness. I think some nail art looks exquisite, some less so - like all art. I think some natural nails look lovely, others less so. I also think women should do whatever the hell they want with their own fingernails without fear of being judged or looked down on.

WeirdCatLady · 23/04/2019 13:56

I have acrylics, long sharp ones, currently purple. I am postgraduate level educated, and would be considered middle class. I manage to clean both my house and my arse very well thank you. I have long nails because I like them, and for no other reason. FFS it’s awful to see so many women tearing down other women.

Like them, don’t like them, that’s your choice. But why the need to denigrate and criticise another woman’s choice?? Hmm

tempytemp · 23/04/2019 14:05

Ha, you probably get judged from both sides. Neither simple enough or fancy enough.

Unless people are being actively rude I don't see anything wrong with judging people's choices. Isn't that partly how we decide what choices to make ourselves?

3luckystars · 23/04/2019 14:07

I often wonder what it would be like if our nails were the same colour as our hair. That they actually grew that colour. They smell the same when they are burnt so it must be made from the same stuff.

PhillipeFellope · 23/04/2019 14:09

How do you do every day tasks with really long nails?

The same way you do everyday tasks with short nails? I lived alone for a long time, being willfully helpless with regards to household tasks due to long nails would have left me living in a shit heap.

This thread is fascinating, so many unconscious (or maybe not...?) class biases coming out.

Fascinating isn't it!? The snobbery and disgust.

TixieLix · 23/04/2019 14:13

My DM is in her 80s and has very long natural nails. She does paint them but I still feel they're horrid. She however thinks they're something to be admired and will find reasons to tap them or wave them about to get people to notice them. I remember when she was in hospital with a broken thigh. She was in tremendous pain and grabbed the nurse's arm when they were moving her (before she had the leg pinned) and the nurse batted her hand away and said "don't you grab me with those claws!" I think she was worried my DM was going to stick them in her skin! What annoys me though is that DM is always commenting about my teenage DDs having hair that's 'too long'. So long hair is a no-no, but long unhygienic nails is ok in her opinion.

Catchingbentcoppers · 23/04/2019 14:16

My friend is a Dr and she says the people with the dirtiest bottoms are the women with longs nails where they can't wipe properly....

Oh come on, your 'Dr friend' brought this up in conversation did they? What nonsense.

I keep my nails v short as that's how I like them. I don't really care what anyone else does with theirs.