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?

It is in my world.

‘Commit suicide’ is a very out dated term that lots of people who have been bereaved by suicide find upsetting and/or offensive

I think that’s what pp was trying to suggest..?

We should all kill ourselves as soon as the first flush of youth is over. Then we won’t upset the new generation of feminists who forget we got there decades before they were born. 🙄

Happy now?

I love painted nails/toe-nails. I do mine myself at home, and keep my finger-nails very short. I currently have bright pink hands and coral feet, but in winter love a navy nail, or bottle green.

Why do you jump to being so fatalistic and sinister? it's such a serious thing to be flippant about.

Anyway I said it reminded ME of older women because it's old fashioned where magazine INGRAINED it into women that they must have their nails painted otherwise they're not classy or sexy and have let themselves down. 'must have your lippy and nails done'

You do know this is style and beauty don't you? We post about all sorts of superficial stuff

Are you sure, I've seen people spend £50 on overlays and colours/clear to make them look natural and bare (they were anything but!) a bit like natural look makeup.

You could have fooled me! Has turned into AIBU these days.

Anyway, this thread has made me go the other way and thinking I should at least explore Essie Ballet Slippers or similar nude polish.

Haven't painted my toes in around 10 years

Oh gosh, I hadn't read the comment about "older women and cam girls" before posting. I'm 50 so an older woman, but definitely not a cam girl.

I teach undergraduates and the majority of the girls have "done" nails - often acrylics which boggle my brain how they manage when I see them typing on their laptops/using their phones!

Charlotte** that is indeed a gorgeous colour but very unforgiving of crap application technique/less than perfect nail surface. Definitely needs lots of prep work before application.

I'm off to Italian a few weeks and whilst I may just do Nail Glow on my fingers (also means if I want to reapply while away it's pretty foolproof.

My toes however are a different story Both my big toe nails are badly bruised and have a ridge at the bottom - I'm terrified they will lift and the existing polish is all that's keeping them on! (apparently trauma from plodding around London on a Christmas break in shoes that bashed the nails about !!) so I'm on the look out for a nice light greige or brown/pink to hide from ye damage. Any recommendations greatly appreciated!

Italy even

Jeez my sausage fingers.

in your attempt to unshackle women from sexist societal expectations you just ended up coming across as being...quite sexist really.

oh well. there's always next time.

Not sure how you reached that conclusion but oh well

by reading your post

@Rosalindaaaa

I think it's the dismissive labelling victims as 'old' or 'cam girls'. Anyone can be a victim of patriarchy / a capitalistic beauty and fashion industry. No one is too wise or clever.

So you don't wear nail varnish but you do see older women as somehow dismissible, unimportant? An afterthought?

Well, I'm in my 50s. Don't wear nail varnish. Certainly not above such things though. Like to think I have the freedom of choice regarding most things really.

Is this for real ?🤣

I like having different colours on my nails, definitely nothing to do with "the menz" what a bizarre idea. Does the same attitude apply to hair dye, colourful clothes, make-up, jewellery? Can't we do what we want without someone implying that we're doing it for men 🙄

Thanks @tellmewhentheLangshiplandscoz I am quite crap at application and while my finger nails are in good condition, my toe nails are not as I walk a lot.
Maybe will experiment with various nude shades.

The argument is as old as the hills. I do make fashion choices to fit in to some extent. I will happily admit it. It's part of societal cohesion - people want to be able to relate to other people and see them as like themselves. As long as it's not too restrictive and stifling of all creativity and individuality.

And nail varnish can be 'empowering' if you feel your nails are unsightly. A lot of people wear it during cancer treatment as the treatment can cause nail damage. Not constantly have to see the damage can make them feel better.

I hardly think the colour of your finger or toe nails defines your ‘ coolness’ who wants to be ‘ cool’ anyway? Sounds so naff.

Subtle / nude colours are a current trend until the next one comes along.
Last year it was rainbow tips, next year it will be something else.

I've stopped getting gel manicures. I always had a short, red manicure but noticed my nails weren't in the best condition so I stopped. I treated them with a nail treatment and still use it with a Dior nail glow over the top.

I feel much more put together as I was starting to think my red gel nails looked a bit tacky for lack of a better word.

I still have gel toes though. I get it put on after my six weekly visit to the podiatrist and taken off before I see her again. I like to know my nails are still in a good enough condition to have the gels.

Having the option to disguise the defects in my less-than-perfect toenails with a bit of subtle (or even bright! - who knows how skittish I might become!!) colour on hot-enough-for- sandal-days strikes me as being one of the perks of being a woman. The option isn't really available to my husband in the rather conservative, middle-aged, office-dwelling circles we move in. I like the bare look but am currently growing out an infection in one of my big toenails (least S&B sentence ever, perhaps?) so it's not the best look for me right now.

For those who rather grandly pronounce on how trivial and unproductive this sort of thing is, (yet still somehow have time to condescend to others on a S&B thread), I do hope that you are curing cancer and finding a solution to global inequalities with all that time you're not spending on mani-pedis.

I don't actually know any women who wear nail varnish. I really don't think it's a "cool" fashion statement not to wear it. It just never occurs to many women. On the very rare occasions I have worn it, it starts chipping off within a day. I just can't be bothered. To be honest I'd feel a little bit silly wearing it now.