My Nail Philosophy

Okay ladies.  Call me old fashioned, but I come from a time and place where bright blue fingernails are not acceptable in the office work environment.  Now, don't get me wrong, I LOVE fun colors, but unfortunately I think they should be relegated to the toes.  This being said, I am a little disturbed by the recent uprising of what is broadly considered "nail art".  Pinterest, a site that I love, is absolutely plastered in crazy nail art!

Seriously?

 To me, there is nothing classy, sexy, or practical about crazy nails.  Even more moderate examples kind of get my goat.  For everyday-life fingernails should be in the spectrum of nude-deep burgundy. Toenails can be a little bit more artistic, depending on where you work.  Hell, I had bright blue toenails for my wedding day.  Let me explain why, in this case, I feel the need to express my feelings against this self-expression.

Not quite...

First of all, it just plain looks unprofessional to have crazy nails during the work day.  Do you really want to distract from yourself so that the ends of your fingers can be expressive?  I really think you just end up looking like your self-expression is more important than blending-in in your work environment.  And, yes, ladies, unfortunately we all have to come to the realization that when you are at work, the first priority is work and all that that entails.

Secondly, nails are expensive!  I admit to having been tempted by the mani-pedi many times over.  However, my nails always chip (unless you get gels manicures which I only do for very special occasions or for a vacation) within 2 days and I feel like I just flushed my money down the toilet.  Pedicures are fine.  I'll pay someone else to slough all of that nasty off my feet every 3-4 weeks.  I could never replicate a salon pedicure on my own to save my life.  And as I mentioned, I live in SoCal, so I have exposed toes throughout the year.  NEVER show your toes at work unless they are properly taken care of.  Can we say instant gag-reflex?  (come on--you've all seen it)  If you have the above referenced "nail art", how much is this costing you?  $25?  $50?  There simply must be a better way to spend your money.  I recently stumbled upon a great place this weekend (nothing fancy here, mind you) but they did a solid job of a pedicure and they only cost $15. 

So, I generally paint my own fingernails on Sunday night and I can usually manage to get them to last through the day on Friday.  I tend to stick to mid-brands, OPI, Essie, but I also really like the Sally Hansen Salon Nails line.  If pink floats your boat, great!  If greige makes your day, fab!  Can we ladies just stop perpetuating the the ditzy receptionist who has crazy long mails stereotype and stick to classy not trashy?

Classy!