Flared nails are back in fashion and no, we don’t know why either

If you’re over having almond-shaped nails, who about turning your acrylics into triangular monstrosities? Okay, so they’re not a new thing. Flared nails, otherwise known as duck feet nails, have been around for a while now – but they’ve recently resurfaced on Instagram and we’re not quite sure how they’ve become a trend in 2017. For anyone who doesn’t know about flared nails, they’re basically nails that’ll make you think you’re back in the 70s. The nails feature a flared shape, bringing out the corner of each nail into a duck foot-like fashion.
                                         

The look can be created using either acrylic or gel. According to beauty blog Glambo, you should apply either as though you are creating an artificial nail, except ‘where the white meets the pink’, you should begin ‘gradually adding the white product outward on the sides’ to create a flared shape. The tips of the nail should not be too much longer than the nail bed – otherwise the nail risk breaking. Finally, finish the nail with a harsh, square tip for full duck foot-like effect. Of course, you don’t have to go for the natural look – and many Instagram users who’ve been creating the look for themselves have gone above and beyond to make their fingers pop with colour.

No one really knows why the design has been called "baby boomer nails".
But there is a convincing theory from nail artist Bethel Coleman on her blog.
She said: "The baby boomer era is known from approximately 1946-1964, in 1945 when the world war ended there was an influx of babies born about 9 months later.....
"We can guess why? And the number of babies born each year averaged about 4million until 1964 then tapped off.
"In this time of the baby boom, the most popular nail colours were bright red, frosted pinks and whites."

I'm a 'long nails person' and I'm proud

My earliest beauty memory is of a matching set of Poochie or Strawberry Shortcake branded lipstick and nail polish I owned in 1986. They were in little bullet-shaped tubes, white plastic covered in pink love hearts; the lipstick was fruit scented, and the nail polish was a transparent fluorescent pink.
                                                 

To four-year-old me, that nail polish (which was effectively a clear topcoat, it was so transparent) was the last word in glamour.

In fact, I have many vivid nail polish related memories, including using Mum's varnishes to repaint my Barbie dolls (1992), finally finding a bottle of Revlon "Street Wear" polish in a barg

ain bin and feeling like the coolest person on earth (1997), and the blue glitter polish my family worried would be "too challenging" for some conservative relatives (1999).

Everything changed in 2010 when I met my great friend and nail collaborator Erin, who introduced me to a whole new world (I still remember the first polish we used, Butter London in "Henley Regatta"), as well as a niche new boast (turns out I have great nail beds; who knew?).

Nail art has gone from strength to strength over the past five years, in the general consciousness at least (since artists like Ortiz have been making mini masterpieces of nails for decades), but no matter how many Instagram manicures turn up on your 'suggested posts' page, people seem alarmed and even repulsed by long – really long – nails.

The great tragedy in these "ew, gross" reactions is that people are blind to the incredible sense of community that someone like Ortiz has fostered with her "long nail goddesses", not to mention the pure sense of self-actualisation and self-expression these people with long, painted nails enjoy.

The newest trend in fashion

It seems that the newest trend on Instagram is not for the shy. Fashionistas all over the photo sharing platform are sporting little vulvas on their nails.
                                               

While trends in fashion often go to the extent of becoming bizarre, this one, it seems, is really nailing it.

The recent fad, till a few days back saw women glitter bombing their vaginas. But now, they are getting vulva manicures.

The unusual trend involves embossing vagina shapes to create statement nail designs.

One of the most trending artists, according to The Sun is Asa Bree, who works at Finger Bang nail salon in Portland, USA.

Having decided that she wanted to create vagina-themed nail design, Asa tried it out on a local designer T Ngu.

Speaking to Buzzfeed, T said that Asa and she had been talking about doing some vagina inspired nails for a while and it just felt appropriate to make a statement on her nail.

The process took around two hours, with Asa consulting medical models of vaginas to get her design spot on.

The tattoos vary from flowers, arrows, dots and lines. The designs vary with other people matching their tattoos with their rings or matching with nail polish. The cuticles are a pretty painful spot, as skin over bones tends to be one of the most painful places to put tattoos but the trend is certainly taking off.

READ:Gorpcore - fashion favours function
But for those who love the idea but don't want to go through the pain of getting inked, there are salons that do temporary cuticle tattoos or try henna and some have opted for metallic gold  or black nail stamps to recreate the look.

Several Classic Films That Nail Uni Life

There’s definitely no shortage of movies that depict the American college experience. It’s usually guaranteed that there will be a new film released every year (and so many old films circulating) that focuses on some aspect of college life, from fraternities to classes to crazy parties.
                                               

But not every American films actually nails the Australian uni life experience. Usually, they’re so over the top you can’t relate to them. But every once in a while a classic comes along that, on some level, completely speaks to every uni student.

Legally Blonde

OK, you may be reading this one and are already disagreeing, but hear me out for a second. Sure, the plot of Legally Blonde sounds like a really cheesy rom-com, but it’s actually one of the best college films out there.

Good Will Hunting

An oldie but a goodie, Good Will Hunting is undeniably a classic and if you haven’t seen it yet, put it at the top of your list.

This film teaches you not only everything you need to be prepared for in uni or college, but life in general. It won’t always be easy, education can come from anywhere and sometimes in order to get to where you want, you’ll have to make some real sacrifices. Something all students can relate to.

The Social Network

One of the more dramatic films on this list, the 2010 hit depicts the creation of social networking site Facebook. Unlike your typical frat boy comedies, this movie takes a new approach to the classic college film.

St. Elmo’s Fire

Ahhhh another cult classic. The film critically panned at the time of its 1985 release, probably because it had a much more adult feel to it than all the other adolescent films of that time. Now a cult favourite, this film has stood the test of time and remains one of the best representations of uni life.

Chattanooga Teens Make Duct Tape Prom Dresses For $20,000 Prize

Mollie Ramos and Mary Ann Ebiefung, are the first Chattanooga area teens to advance in Duck brand’s annual Stuck at Prom Scholarship Contest. Their dresses are made completely out of duct tape and on June 14 it was announced that the girls were selected as top 10 finalists, advancing into the voting stage of the competition. They need as many votes as they can get by July 5, and are counting on local support in order to win.
                                           

The two girls are competing with young people throughout the U.S. and Canada for the top prize of $20,000. To compete, the girls were required to create two one-of-a-kind prom ensembles completely out of duct tape. Mary Ann (18) actually entered the competition last year as a single entry, but did not reach the voting stage. She says the disappointment only encouraged her to try again. To save money she actually recycled about 50 percent of last year’s dress and used it for both of this year’s entries.

According to the girls, it took them 215 hours to complete their prom ensembles. They were loosely inspired by the Victorian era, and used 25 rolls of gold and royal blue duct tape. All accessories including the earrings, necklaces, headbands and elaborately decorated hand fan were made with duct tape. Mary Ann's dress includes a detachable fringe skirt that can be removed to reveal a shorter version of her dress. Both girls have been working on this project since last summer and became best friends as a result.

Stuck at Prom’s panel of judges has already selected the top 10 couples entries based on workmanship, originality, use of colors, accessories and use of Duct Tape in the outfits. The second round of the competition requires the entries to gather as many votes as they can. The winner will be selected by 60 percent of the judge’s votes and 40 percent of the community votes. To support these Chattanooga teens, visit stuckatprom.com and vote using an email address.

Icy Unicorn-Tip Nail Art Looks Like You Dipped Your Fingers in Magic

Just when we thought we had seen every unicorn-inspired beauty trend in this magical universe, we were introduced to dripping unicorn-tip nail art — and we're completely in love. The look involves a holographic finish to the tips of the nail, applied vertically toward the cuticle to give the appearance of the sparkly finish dripping or fading into the rest of the nail bed.
                                         

There a couple of ways to get in on this hypnotising, sparkly trend. If you want a more icicle-inspired look, place strips of holographic foil on the nails vertically and overlap different lengths until you get your desired effect.

We can't get enough of holographic nails, and this variation brings a unique look to the massively popular phenomenon. Read on for some inspiration so you can nail this art for yourself.

This design is a pink and white gradient that begins pink at the base of the nail and gradually gets lighter towards a completely white tip. The french manicure gradient works well on shorter nails as there isn't a sharp white edge that shows where the nail bed ends and the nail tip begins. It gives the illusion that the nail tips are longer as the white tip gradient fades, avoiding those sharp white lines.

To achieve this look you'll first need to use a good quality base coat and then paint a light pink as a base colour. Once dry, take a makeup sponge and begin layering the pink and white onto the sponge (you can buy these from a dollar shop), overlapping a little. Sponge off the excess onto a piece of paper, and begin dabbing onto the nail. You'll need to build up a few layers until you get the gradient effect, so don't be put off when it doesn't look like the photos after the first application. Be sure to roughly work out how big your nail bed is so you get the whole nail covered in polish. Once completely dry, use a super shiny, fast-dry topcoat and there you have it! This manicure requires a lot of clean-up, so I'd suggest using a liquid tape designed for nail art to protect the cuticles. See the video above for a tutorial to perfect the gradient technique.

Byron Bay’s Spell and The Gypsy Collective

Byron Bay label Spell and the Gypsy Collective has won the kind of loyalty that fills sporting stadiums.
                                             

Founders Elizabeth Abegg and Isabella Pennefather (Spelly) watched as the label blossomed from market stall to staggeringly successful sister act.

Now there are almost 750,000 followers watching the brand’s every move on Instagram alone.

“We do have an amazing community, that’s for sure, and some of them can get very passionate about certain pieces,” creative director Elizabeth says.

For membership into Spell’s stylish bohemian tribe, start by snapping up one of their dreamy feminine maxis.

While floaty fabrics and peek-a-boo lace conjure an endless summer, clever styling will see the look through winter.

“That’s what we love about designing our clothes — they are pieces that can stand alone or they can be totally accessorised,” Elizabeth says.

“We love to add a cool coat, some edgy boots or denim flares to make (lace) a bit less dainty.”

While a Parisian backdrop fit the bill for Spell’s Blue Skies collection featured here, the label’s look is still informed by its home in the Arts & Industry Estate of Byron Bay.

“We employ a team of almost 15 people who work in Byron Bay in our design studio, from pattern makers to textile designers to tech drawers and production,” Elizabeth says.

“But then we try to flip it on its head … in spring we’ve used the clothes we wore when we were five years old as inspiration.

“We have all these photos of Spelly and I in frilly dresses wearing skirts on our heads as veils.

How to Do Dry Flower Nail Art

Clear nail polish sounds like a pretty boring manicure, but turns out it only requires one more thing to take it to work-of-art status: giant flowers. Park Eun Kyung, founder of Unistella and inventor of some our favorite manicures ever (including the multifaceted diamond mani, cutting-edge wire nails, and mesmerizing sunglasses nails), is at it again. This time, she's created what she calls #dryflowerart, and it's not what you're thinking. Sure, we've occasionally seen manicures accessorized with tiny petals and blooms from real flowers, but not like this. Instead of restricting the flower to the nail bed, she lets it extend halfway down the finger, creating the optical illusion that your hands are sprouting flowers (a little weird, but very cool).

It goes without saying that this isn't he most practical of looks. In fact, wash your hands one time and it's going to get destroyed, considering how delicate and brittle dried flowers can be. But, if you're in the mood to snap an eye-catching picture, coat your nails in clear polish, find some pretty flowers, and attach them with a dab of nail glue. Who needs a green thumb when you can have a whole garden on your thumb?

Years ago when I worked in the food service industry, I remember priding myself on not being the “type of girl” to get manicures — a smugness that promptly dissipated after I finally got one for the first time and understood the appeal. For less than $25 and in less than 30 minutes, you get a relaxing hand massage and an unclumpy nail polish job that announces to the outside world “I’m an adult woman with money and a put-together outfit,” whether or not any of those things are actually true.

But there are many layers to unpack here, from the weirdness of having a stranger hold your hands to the questionable ethics of supporting an often exploitative industry (if you somehow missed it, please read the New York Times’ 2015 exposé The Price of Nice Nails). Not to mention the unfairness of feminine beauty standards; to maintain an un-chipped, perfectly polished manicure, you basically can’t use your fingers.

Nail Trends At Oscars

It’s mani Monday — Oscars edition! There were so many pretty nail looks at the Oscars on Feb. 26. We’re breaking down our favorites below.

It was mostly neutral, white, and greige shades on the Oscars red carpet as far as the manicures went. Despite a few pops of color, the tone was nude all the way. See some of our top nail looks here.

Celebrity manicurist Rosanne Sollecito painted Hailee Steinfeld’s pink shimmery nails and told us: “The metallic floral accents of Hailee’s whimsical Ralph & Russo gown called for a matching lustrous manicure. essie’s buy me a cameo had the perfect amount of frosted shimmer to top off her fresh, modern look.”

Priyanka Chopra’s white/greige mani matched her detailed dress perfectly. Manicurist Jolene Brodeur spoke about the inspo: “essie’s gel couture in make the cut, a pearlized nude greige, was the perfect polish to accompany Priyanka’s geometric Ralph & Russo gown.”

Nicole Kidman wore MiniLuxe’s Sunset Blvd nail polish on her fingers and toes. Debbie Leavitt, MiniLuxe Creative Designer in Residence says: “Nicole wanted something nude and soft for her nails. Rose gold is the new nude and this MiniLuxe polish is soft and sheer with one coat and gives opaque coverage with two. I used two coats for Nicole.”

Of course, not everyone went soft. Celebrity Manicurist Julie Kandelac gave Ruth Negga a bold red mani “to complement her incredible ruby jewelry.” Julie told us: “I layered two colors today. First, CHANEL Le Vernis Longwear Nail Colour in Rouge Noir to give the nail a deep and elegant tone, and second, a coat of CHANEL Le Vernis Longwear Nail Colour in Shantung. Layer colors to maximize your nail color wardrobe. Start with the deepest or most opaque shade first, and then go over it with the lighter or more sheer color.”

Meet the New Breakout Nail Color Line From a Cult Jewelry Designer

After years of full-blown nail-art hysteria, recent times have ushered in another extreme: bare, polish-free fingertips. And while there’s something to be said for no-fuss hands that seem just at home in a ’90s Calvin Klein ad as they do in the present-day Vogue office, sometimes it’s hard not to miss the satisfaction of freshly lacquered nails. Here to bridge the gap is a new line of varnish for the “color averse” from Jess Hannah—the 25-year-old Californian behind J. Hannah, whose sculptural jewelry creations have amassed her an Instagram following of 205,000.

           

Frequently asked about the sleek gold and silver bijoux she dons, Hannah decided that well-groomed, manicured nails were a must but was disappointed with the polish options on the market. “[The salon] never had the right ‘me’ color,” she remembers. “I want my colors muted and to blend in”—a sentiment that led her to dream up an 11-hue, seven-free collection, launching today, that offers quiet takes on even the boldest of shades. See Ghost Ranch, a soft, brick red inspired by the Southwest—a far cry from the fire engine and cherry apple tones we’re accustomed to—or Blue Nudes, a subdued midnight lacquer that borrows both its name and tone from Henri Matisse’s series of cutouts.
But those who have eschewed polish altogether will find themselves most taken with the four nude choices, which Hannah insists are, in fact, not nudes at all. “It’s really about understanding the subtleties that make them different,” she says of the quartet: Himalayan Salt is a pale peach; Chanterelle, an earthy beige; Marzipan, a milky yellow; and Agnes, a soft ballet pink reminiscent of Agnes Martin’s serene striped paintings.
“The sentiment behind my line is classic—not a bold statement piece that’s going to go out of style,” Hannah remarks. In other words, like her jewels, one J. Hannah hue will last a lifetime—but at only $19 per bottle, we suggest buying a few.

Why Eating Jell-O Should Be Part of Every Woman's Nail Care Regimen

Though many women are obsessed with their nails, we sure put them through some major abuse. Biting, using them as tools, and peeling off our gel manicures are just a few of the horrible habits we'll admit to. Manicurists backstage at New York Fashion Week paint dozens of talons per show and only have a few minutes to make them look gorgeous. To make their jobs even more challenging, models are hopping from runway to runway. This means claws are getting cleaned, shaped, and painted, then doused with acetone polish remover before the process starts over again at the next show (resulting in some serious nail stress!). We consulted pros on the most common issues they see, how you can fix them at home, and other top tips.
            

Brittleness and Peeling

All three of the professionals we consulted declared brittle nails to be the number one problem seen backstage. Jin Soon Choi, seasoned NYFW manicurist and founder/owner of the Jin Soon spas and polish line, cites failure to moisturise, lack of nail maintenance, and malnutrition as sources of this issue. She recommends people with this concern "drink a lot of water" as internal dehydration could be to blame.

Soft Nails

"I know a hand model who swears by Jell-O for firming up soft nails," divulges Choi. "The theory is that the ingredient that makes liquid Jell-O convert to a solid (gelatin!) imparts the same firming effect on your nails." She confesses that she's not sure if this sweet-treat trick is scientifically accurate, but she also recommends using a nail strengthener with keratin and protein. We like Jin Soon Power Coat, which, in addition to keratin, biotin, and calcium, contains diamond particles to harden your manicure.