STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

sfclinevandy · Coach

French manicure... nice or tacky?

mikacat · Coach

I agree--

can go either way but I do think tacky ones are too thick on the white part and are airbrushed.

Nicer ones are handpainted, thinner white parts and not so stark white if that make sense.

American manicures are pretty too and a little more natural looking.

I wear a lot of american and french Manicures but haven't ever done my toes that way. I am just not into it but I have seen it look good on other people.

splash · Kenneth Cole

I adore french manicures, if they're done by hand and the white isn't too bright. I really like those sheer pinkish colors over the white and the rest of the nail. I guess it's ones that look like fake nails that I can't stand. But anything that looks like fake nails I think is bad.

What's an american manicure?

RyanJ · Coach

I am not a big fan of them. They always just scream porn star/stripper. I absolutley hate them on the toes.

member · Hermes

I have a french manicure and I always get them. I agree though that it looks better when hand painted, the white not so thick, and a sheer pink over it as a top coat. I don't think they look tacky - I think it looks pretty classic and I always get a lot of compliments.

mikacat · Coach

SFC-this is sexy -- how about this?

mikacat · Coach

tried to find a photo of an AMerican on the internet and couldn't but it just looks like natural nails---not bright white on the tips just a pale white and a little pink on the nail beds.

Andrea Julia · Coach

They have a huge potential to look tacky, but can also be very pretty.

I like them on my nails. My nails are completely natural and only stick out a little over my finger and they are squared off. When they do a french manicure, they make the white part pretty thin. I like the french manicure with the pinkish color over it.

I think they look bad on fake nails because it seems like with fake nails, they always make the white part huge. It also looks bad when you have those thick wrap things that make your nails look like they are fake although everyone who has them insists their nails are "real".

member · Hermes

quote:
Originally posted by: Andrea Julia
"They have a huge potential to look tacky, but can also be very pretty. I like them on my nails. My nails are completely natural and only stick out a little over my finger and they are squared off. When they do a french manicure, they make the white part pretty thin. I like the french manicure with the pinkish color over it. I think they look bad on fake nails because it seems like with fake nails, they always make the white part huge. It also looks bad when you have those thick wrap things that make your nails look like they are fake although everyone who has them insists their nails are "real". "

Actually, I disagree - I have artifical nails and I get french manicures. My white tips are not thick at all, they are handpainted and very thin. Most people think my nails are real. I get gel nails, which look very natural.

Chic · Marc Jacobs

French Manicures on hands can be ok but on toes it freaks me out. It looks like mini hands, I really don't like it at all on the toes....I always get Essie Fiji when I am tan, but I am on the look out for a new signature color...

roxy · Nine West

the essie fiji is pretty, sfclinevandy. do you want to match your fingers and toes, and do you want to stick to pinkish colors?

i think french manicures look nice on fingernails if they are fairly short and square shaped. a thin/sheer white hand painted tip looks clean with a sheer pink on top and a really shiny top coat. it's beautiful when it looks like short natural nails, but barely pink and really glossy.

-- Edited by roxy at 15:34, 2005-05-01

kealoha · Kate Spade

I never liked French Manicures until I saw a girl w/them the other day. I think works best on short, natural nails. On longer acrylics, it reminds me too much of SPamela Anderson.

-- Edited by kealoha at 15:39, 2005-05-01

subwolley · Kate Spade

I like short nails all around. I think long nails with any color are tacky. I think french manicures are pretty on short nails. I also have them on my toes, and I get so many compliments on how nice my feet look (and hands). If it's done right, french manicures are nice.

Andrea Julia · Coach

quote:
Originally posted by: shopchicago33
"Actually, I disagree - I have artifical nails and I get french manicures. My white tips are not thick at all, they are handpainted and very thin. Most people think my nails are real. I get gel nails, which look very natural."

I've probably just seen a lot of people with ugly french manicures. I'm sure your nails look pretty. I hope I didn't offend you!

Mia · Kate Spade

I have short, natural nails (length is just a little past the fingertip) and they are naturally fairly squared. I usually have a French manicure going, which I do myself, although now I am totally curious about this 'American manicure' - I've never heard of that! If anyone has a pic, please post, 'cause it sounds nice.

I don't do the French manicure thing on my toes.

Barbie · BCBG

I think a big factor is what part of the country you live in that determines whether french manicures are tacky or not. I live in the South and a great majority of women here do have french manicures, on nails and toes. I personally love it, but I either pick nails or toes, not both at the same time!

daiz519 · Dooney & Bourke

this american manicure sounds sorta like the Beverly Hills manicure that Orly sells. The tips are painted on in a color called "sheer white tips" and then "beverly hills plum" is painted over. I like it a lot, very natural and it's not as obvious when it starts to chip.

Barbie · BCBG

I also love American nails.....instead of using the pure white that they do on french, they use a softer, more off-white color. It looks much more natural.

bex · Chanel

I have natural nails and i have the white painted first and the pink color painted OVER the white so that it is more subtle. i prefer it that way and i really like it. but it is rare that i get it done b/c i don't feel that it lasts as long as a solid color does.

i absolutely HATE it on the toes... i have never done it and never will...

Grace · Dooney & Bourke

I prefer french manicures and pedicures to anything else. I think it always looks simple and clean.