fashion for fall: nails

this might be what i'm most excited about for fall. manicures. there are several trends and styles i'm dying to try for this season, and some that i've already tried. i tend to change my nails every three or four days, either because i start to chip them off, or i just get bored. of course, most people leave their manicure alone for at least a week, but there are enough styles going around that you don't have to.

colors

let's start off with some shades i'm loving for this season. 

blue

this color is so great. i bought a bottle of revlon in this shade and fell in love. it will be the perfect punch with some of my fall outfits. this could also go with the royal blues i talked about in the clothing post.

vintage red

i'm a sucker for red, as it is, but for fall, i especially love a vintage shade of red. when i say vintage, i just mean it has sort of an orange undertone that screams 60's to me. it sort of gives me the feeling that i'm joan in mad men, and i'm walking around bossing people around. oh wait...

greys

different shades of grey were really popular last year, and this year there are even more to choose from. you might think that grey is grey and that's that. but no. there are so many different ones to choose from. some have brown undertones, some have black undertones, some even have a purple tint. call me drab, but this might be my favorite shade ever.

also, notice the mani in the picture with the grey shades. this ombre-type of manicure is something i really want to try with different shades. you could do this with any color, just keep it in the same family to keep from looking like a rainbow.

silver + army green

i also mentioned army green in the post about your wardrobe for fall, and this carries over to your mani. i picked up this green color by sinful colors at rite aid for $1.99, and i love it. i paired it with a silver color by revlon that i had, and it looked pretty awesome. army green polish would look great with gold, too. which brings me to my next favorite fall trend...

gold + glitter

i think i could wear gold glittery nails every day forever. they are glitzy and fun, and go with pretty much everything. i use martha stewart craft glitter for all of my shimmery manicures. the two top photos are my own manicures. the one on the left with all the gold nails got so many compliments, even from strangers. this is something i know i will keep doing all season. i'm also wanting to try the black polish + gold glitter manicure below. all of the nails are different, but go together nicely.

leopard
i learned to do this from this great tutorial from cutepolish on youtube. her technique is super easy and looks legit.

this design is great for fall, and could be mixed with whatever colors you fancy. i also created a look using the leopard print in just the moons of my nails. it turned out pretty good for the first try. 

moons + interest nail

speaking of moons, i love a reverse manicure that highlights that little white semi-circle at the base of your nail. i tried out a naked moon manicure using a pretty red shade on the rest of the nail. i tried this after i watched "atonement" with kyle last week. i have seen it several times, but for the first time i noticed the mother's manicure as she comforts her lying daughter, briony.

another trend i love, is the interest nail, which is just painting one nail a different color or design. i usually use my ring finger.

matte vs. glossy
i am in love with matte nail polishes, but i have only been able to find a couple from drug stores. but essie makes a matte topcoat that turns any shade into a matte finish. must. buy. that. mixing matte and glossy polishes together also creates a great look for fall.

nail art
i realize not everyone has the time or patience for nail art, especially intricate designs. however, i love doing it. these tribal-inspired nails could be awesome for fall, and a manicure with coordinating shades but different designs on each nail are really adorable. the possibilities are endless, really, and you can surely find something you love for fall.

sally hansen also makes those strips for your nails that make it super easy to get a design, a bright color or a gold sparkly manicure. although i haven't tried them myself, i hear they last for weeks.

this is the last post of the fall fashion mini-series, but i hope you've enjoyed it and maybe even learned a few things. :) let me know if you have any ideas or suggestions from your fall wardrobe. it's a new season, people.
let's look lovely.

love&nails.
krq.