It’s time for this fashion writer to come clean: I do not understand nail art. I love a good mani/pedi and I try to keep my nails looking fabulous as much as possible, but wacky nail art is just beyond me. Like completely. I think it’s really cool, and it boggles my mind how people can create tiny drawings with nail polish, but nonetheless—it’s not my thing. Meaning, I would never spend hours creating nail art myself, nor would I ever pay someone else to do it. That being said, I might not want to buy a Rothko painting, but I can certainly appreciate it, right?* It is, of course, much easier to write what you know, but so the saying goes: nothing worth doing is easy.
So when I was recently browsing Pinterest for a trend that both intrigued and wowed me, I quickly noticed the popularity of wacky digit toppers and knew I had to document it. I wanted to learn more about this trend that has essentially overtaken not only a substantial set of pinfamous pinners, but also a good portion of women in Manhattan. What follows is my list of the 10 most creative nail masterpieces on Pinterest. Behold, be awed, and (in some cases) beware.
*This analogy doesn't really hold water, because I would absolutely buy a Rothko painting, had I $87 million lying around.
All images via Pinterest.
So Pinteresting: Trendy Talons
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Moonicure
Who would ever think to do this, really? Maybe she lives on a farm. Maybe she doesn’t live on a farm and just really wishes she did. Whatever her reasons, I fully support. Not only does it take creativity, but also gumption and confidence to paint your nails like miniature cows. Work.
Photo: Pinterest
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A New Take on Nude
These perhaps aren’t as “creative” as some others you’ll find on this list, but aren’t they kinda pretty? Of all the nail looks I found, I think this is the one I’m most likely to sport. It’s simple, not loud, but still interesting and different. I think these babies would look awesome with a bright, neon-laced outfit. What do you think?
Photo: Pinterest
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Creamsicle-Inspired Tips
Okay I lied. These are the ones I’m most likely to partake of. I love pastels anyway, and these are just too adorable. I appreciate that each nail is a different swirly design, even though they’re all the same color scheme. She could have just done all her digits uniformly and they would still be cute, but no! She went above and beyond. Clap clap.
Photo: Pinterest
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Pacmanails
Ummm, these need no introduction or description. They are nails painted like the characters in the ever-beloved arcade game Pacman. Simply enjoy.
Photo: Pinterest
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Tribal Talons, Part One
These are super cute, no? It’s kind of like she took all the popular t-shirt designs at Urban Outfitters and condensed them down into nail polish form. I don’t hate it.
Photo: Pinterest
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Watermelonails
I love watermelon. Maybe it’s because I’m from the South, but I cannot emphasize enough how much I relish in this particular fruit. As soon as I saw these nails, I knew they had automatically earned a spot on my list. The girl obviously has superb taste in fruit. What more could you want?
Photo: Pinterest
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Batmanails
Holy nails! These are just too much. I don’t love these—but I don’t hate them either? It seems to me like the bat ears are essentially a safety hazard, especially during mosquito season. I don’t know. I'm officially bat-signaling this look: what are your thoughts?
Photo: Pinterest
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Chuck Nails
Um, these win. Period.
Photo: Pinterest
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Tribal Talons, Part Deux
I think these tribals are better than the first set! I mean, not only are they much more intricate, but also they incorporate the Eye of Horus, or something. And said inclusion is so random, no? All the other nails are just your standard squiggly lines, dots, and stripes, then all of a sudden you arrive at the thumb and bam!: it’s that eyeball from the United States of America One Dollar Bill. Sneak attack.
Photo: Pinterest
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Paper Planes
I think M.I.A. might rock these. I think. I can’t be sure. I’m sure her song was this person’s inspiration, right? No? Either way, for some reason these nails are among my faves. There’s something so wistful and adorable about a paper plane flying through the air—I don't think I would mind looking down at my hands and being reminded of the innocence of youth.
Photo: Pinterest
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Tetris Talons
These nails are a bonus inclusion, because I’m just feeling that generous. (I also found them sort of last-minute, but we can ignore that minor detail.) I get the homage here, but these are just downright alarming, not to mention completely non-functional. Can you imagine sitting next to this woman at work, whilst she types away with her Tetris nails? The horror!
Photo: Pinterest
