When a hand becomes a piece of art.
Nail art can transform any hand to the show piece it deserves to be. The best thing about nail art is that it doesn't matter what size, shape or age you are, it is available for anyone and everyone, and can make that subtle difference to alter your look from ordinary to extraordinary. Nail art is fantastic because no matter how conservative or uniform you may have to appear, with so many nail options available, you can always reflect your personality through your nails.
In today's society, nails are just as important as any other fashion statement, and are expected to look polished whenever you are dressing up for an occasion. However, unlike make-up and hair styles, nail art can last a few weeks, depending which type you choose (gels, polishes, falsies, transfers etc), and, when you get bored, with so many options to choose from, you can start from scratch and create a whole new look, whether you are trying to go dark and mysterious, sunny and playful or have a disco vibe, the list in endless.
Celebrities and musicians use nail art to add that 'little extra' to their outfit, especially when they are trying to great a 'character', on or off stage. Some even hire their own manicurist to create this art. If on a tight schedule these manicurists (although in some cases legitimate artists!), will create the art on false nails, and quickly apply them on to the celebrity before their debut. You would be hard pressed to see modern day celebrities not wearing nail art at some point, so much so that for the past few years, on some red carpets, television networks have been showcasing a 'nail camera' to capture this latest trend. It has been seen on the red carpet at the Oscar, the BAFTAS, and the BRITS, where celebrities walk their hand down a 'miniature' red carpet to show of their glamorous nails and jewellery.
Nail Art can be an extravagant affair, or worn more subtle, as when Adele wore it when accepting her MBE, with a blue manicure, and a tiny red crown on her ring finger.
You can now mix and match with gloss and matt paint, or long 'talons' and short squared edges.
Such is the nail industry, that there are now nail trends coinciding with holidays and seasons, from music festivals, to Christmas. There are also nail awards for some of these extremely talented artists, and trend setters.
Backstage at fashion shows you won't only find hair stylists and make up artists, there is always a manicurist on hand. During fashion week in New York, London and Paris, this was the case at the Autumn/Winter 2014 shows, as they reflected this season's fashion styles. Nail extraordinaire, Sophy Robson, for House of Holland, gave girls a debauched debutante nail art with retro colours and slanted tips, reflecting the 80's and 90's era of the clothing.
When wanting to create her own nail art, Colette Marie always heads to 'Nail Polish Direct', which has a great selection of polishes, from CND's Vinylux non-chip polish, to a small collection of false nails, or if you want an even greater selection of false nail options, head over to 'Elegant Touch', where, without a shadow of a doubt, you will find the style you are looking for.
So, why not try some art on your own nails, or buy some transfers or false nails, and turn you hands into the show pieces they deserve to be. And to make your hand even more spectacular, throw on some Colette Marie rings and bracelets, and make your hands spectacular!
If you need some inspiration have a peek at Colette Marie's 'Nail Art' pin board, or the phenomenal tumbler account of 'The Illustrated Nail', and transform your hand into a party hand.