I’ve seen many ‘cool’ looking women wearing…

[Freetodowhatiwant]

…bare nails! Is this a thing?

Usually during summer I am looking forward to choosing a nice summer mani and pedi colour so I’ve been idly looking at people whose outfits I admire when out and about and have noticed that many of them have no nail varnish on their fingers or toes. And I am also beginning to like it!

Having been lured to the white/very pale side, away from my previous reds, in the last couple of years I still could never forsee myself being tempted by NO nail varnish at all. Yet here I am, growing out my last gel pedi so much it’s now practically a French and quite excited about leaving them bare for the first time in years.

Anyone else noticed this and tempted to go bare for the summer pedi?

I have never worn nail varnish on either fingers or toes and therefore always been cool! Occasionally just a top coat.

Grew out my shellac last year after having gel nails for over 5 years. I keep them bare and just use Dior nail glow for a pinky tint.

It does seem to be less of a thing now.

I still get gel polish on my toes as it lasts longer and pings off easily with no damage.

However there was a long thread the other day where some posters said no varnish on toes is slovenly.😂

Basic confusion here - most people don’t paint their nails

@Freetodowhatiwant

seriously? You don't think that in a COL crisis this might be something that people just don't have the money for??

Oh FGS this is S and B. Do we have to bring up the CoL?

Jeez 🙄

I just use Opi Nail Envy so it looks like nothing but with a hint of sheen. I shape my nails but that's it. I used to be full-on mani-pedis but it's too much hassle getting them done. And now I think about it, it looks a bit dated where I live (Shoreditch).

It probably is a trend given the area I live in and I'm subconsciously influenced by the hip people around me but I never realise that I've been influenced until a few years later and suddenly the shops are full of what everyone in east London was wearing 2 years ago (and have moved on from). I always think my choices are my own freewill but maybe not! 😂

Who says I don’t think it’s something people don’t have much money for? Yes I was imagining maybe that had something to do with it. But of course if you buy nail varnish at home it can be a relatively cheap ‘treat’. Remember the lipstick index of one of our recessions?

I don't think it's been cool for a long time to have glossy painted fingers & toes particularly longer nails. I see lots of white/pinks on toenails & clear on nails.

That’s exactly how I feel and what I have noticed. I also live in/spend time in places that are considered to have trendy people in and I’ve noticed that the people whose style I admire are starting to go bare.

I’ve been having them buffed at Margaret Dabbs- no colour but they get a lovely sheen that’s just the natural nail. Love the look of really clean healthy toenails and tanned skin.

Same, I’ve been doing the nude /white/pale pink thing on the toes for a couple of summers at least but I am seeing people whose style I admire with nothing. Not when a bit of nude or clear.

If you are really lazy like me, eventually you will be stylish!😆

I get this POV but the people I am seeing with bare nails are young/older but still hip people who are clearly actively not painting their nails (if there can be such a thing) rather than just not bothering. If that makes sense :)

I have to have unpainted fingernails for work so have no choice in the matter but fancy revisiting my teenage goth side with a glossy black pedi! Need to get a nail buffer so my fingernails are nice and shiny

Clean girl aesthetic / milk nails / bare is very chic

Long acrylics in bright colours isn't really chic unless you're already super edgy style based on my perusal of Instagram and various fashion accounts

Sounds nice! Now mine are pretty much grown out/picked off (classy…) and I plan to embrace the bare nail I might also add a buff.

I like to think I used to tread the middle ground between these by having a trendy but subtle off pink-white but even that now feels a little dated from what I have been noticing.

In my experience a lot of people do. I guess it depends where you live and what circles you miz in. My circles are not the ‘long nailed, nail art’ ones but are the ‘looking forward to getting a nice summer/autum/Christmas etc paint job.

I've never fallen into the gel or acrylic habit, except sometimes a pedi in summer, and I tend to go pale blue to match faded denim.

I've always had clear or nearly clear fingernails which I do myself. Sally Hansen Jell-ous is a dupe for Dior Glow, and it stays on a long time.

well I'm straddling both camps. Don't like coloured finger nails so leave them bare aside from Essie's Hard to Resist (the Dior nail glow dupe) but will always love red toenails.

Agree than the 'clean girl aesthetic' trend will prefer understated nails.

Not something much seen ever among my friends/circle. Nor my DCs' (20s). My friends with good nails have always painted them with nail varnish.

I have a pedi at the start of summer but with nail varnish (usually pink) and only because I am old and one of my toe nails is a bit yellowish. Once done professionally, I can keep their shape. Ordinary polish lasts for 3 weeks on my toes.

It's lack of money

Polish covers a multitude of sins. I guess nice bare nails are just an extension of a young and healthy body.
I love bare nails but my veiny knarly feet look better with dark navy polish.