Nails part 1: Fall Colors

Hey there!

Since this might be my last time-consuming weekday post for a while, I decided I might as well talk about something I'm passionate about: nail polish! (Note: Guys, you might just want to leave now because this is a post entirely dedicated to nails).

As I prepare for my first day of work tomorrow, one of my biggest decisions is (as always) what color to paint my nails. I joke that I cared more about my nail color than my wedding dress...but in a way I'm kind of not joking [I decided on Italian Love Affair by OPI, for those of you interested]. I'm pretty sure everyone knows that I'm not very 'girly' in most ways. I don't do much shopping, I hate fixing my hair, I rarely wear make up, and I definitely don't enjoy musicals. BUT, I care a lot about my nails. I'm not exactly sure what to tie that back to, but I think it stems from my love of color in general. 

So, as I was pondering what color to wear for my work debut, I decided it would be fun to do a Fall polish post. Fall is one of my favorite seasons as far as nail color goes, and things are finally cooling off enough around here to make wearing darker nail hues justifiable.

I think that in some ways, a manicure--or lack thereof--really says a lot about a person. Don't get me wrong--I'm not saying that if you don't paint your nails you come across as lazy or boyish or whatever. I know that schedules are hectic, some jobs don't allow polish, and that some people think that painting your nails is a waste of time and money. I will say, though, that regardless of gender, there's no excuse for having jank, untrimmed, dirty nails 24/7. Because that's just gross. I just think the color & length of your nails can give some indication as to what you enjoy or what type of personality/lifestyle you have.

Maybe that's why I take the decision of color so seriously. For example, you wouldn't want to show up for your first day at a new job with your fingernails painted blue. I mean, I love me some blue polish. Really I do. But blue nails have more of a young, fun, carefree connotation than a professional one. I should go ahead and admit right here that I know I read more into nail color than most people might. But I'm still going to carefully consider what my boss would think if I wore bright red to my first day at the office, even though he's a guy and will most likely not notice my nails.

I recently posted a picture of my nail polish collection on twitter to compare notes with some of my best girl friends (who also happen to absolutely love nail polish).

 

I know this might make you think that I have a problem. Mostly my dad, who is probably like "holy hell what have I done." But in my defense, I've been given a lot of these polishes as gifts and some of them are 3+ years old. I've bought almost all the OPI (which is my favorite brand, obviously) on sale, buy two get one at Ulta. I own like 2 purses, one small bag of makeup, and not that many shoes. Basically I'm just making excuses so that you won't think I'm terrible. CAN'T A GIRL HAVE HER POLISH? I think so. Anywho, this picture isn't even completely current as I've trashed a couple of the older/least used colors (at my mother's insistence) and I've of course acquired a few more:D

Without further ado, colors that I think are perfect for Fall (Note: As far as naming the colors goes, you can tell by the bottle if a color is OPI so I typically didn't list that. If I know what collection a color is from, I listed the collection name in parenthesis. Obviously I don't know most of them, but whatever).

Reds and Pinks

While you might not necessarily think of pink as a fall color, its warmer tones can definitely be Fall/Winter appropriate. Right now I really love colors with gold undertones (like Cozu-melted in the Sun, which is probably my current favorite pink).

Purples

Of this group, my favorite is definitely Russian Navy. It has an iridescence and depth of color that's very hard to describe and photograph, but in person it's really neat. The color falls somewhere between blue and purple, but I think it has more purple tones. Vixen is also a really unique color. It's sort of a burgundy wine (the only one I have). Very sultry I'd say.

Browns

I think any color of brown is absolutely perfect for fall. My favorite of these three is definitely the taupe. I was never a fan of taupe until I got You Don't Know Jacques, and I use it all the time now because it's a great neutral. Espresso Your Style is another example of a color with gold undertones, which are very flattering on pale skin like mine.

Greys and Blacks

Out of this group, my favorite is definitely Grey #4. Wouldn't you know, it was the cheapest (on sale at Urban for around $2). It's a classic grey with a little hint of blue--it's also very neutral so it's perfect for work. Suzi Skis is a trademark OPI color. It's really dark and smokey. I'm into that, but it would be a pretty bold choice for someone who isn't used to wearing dark colors. Black Shatter is meant to go on top of other (lighter) colors, which I think would be very appropriate for Fall/Winter.

Blues

Like I said, I love blue polish. I read that Cuckoo for this Color is one of the most popular colors for this Fall. I actually have it on my toes right now. It's very unique, and I would consider it a 'more mature' blue. Pure Ice is one of my favorites too, but it's definitely a very bold true blue. I don't know if I'll ever feel good about wearing it to work, but it's a great toe color.

 Green

As I was selecting the colors for this post, I realized that I only have one green! That's pretty shocking, I know. This was one of my first dark colors to own, and I really like it. I've read that military green is the biggest color for Fall. For whatever reason, I didn't buy one on my last polish run, so that's on the to-buy list.

Gold

I'm obviously on a gold kick right now. This is my newest and probably current favorite color, Glitzerland. I got it a couple of weeks ago, and I used it on my nails soon after. It lasted for 8+ days. I've decided that it's the perfect color for my first day of work. It's neutral yet sparkly, lasts forever, and sets the fall vibe. An all around winner!   

I have a post scheduled for tomorrow about how I make my polish last. I hope you like it!

-Kinsey