Gradient Nails: Adolescent Fad or The New Hottest Trend?
We all remember the days when our immature brains got to pick out which color we wanted to paint our nails. Pink, purple, blue, sparkle; how can you pick just one?! By the looks of the latest Instagram-worthy manicures, this indecisive trend is making a comeback, which begs the question: Should you just stick to one color and call it a day?
According to countless nail and fashion social media accounts: No! The trend of gradient nails is growing within beauty culture and we are here for it. However, to rock this style, you need to keep the ways to successfully execute this trend in mind to keep your fashion statement from looking like a blast from your past.
The most difficult part of this trend is picking your colors and making sure they don't clash. The easiest way to troubleshoot this is by picking a favorite color and working off of it. If you decide you like yellow, like on the left hand in this photo, choose some light yellows and darker yellows to accompany the original shade. To make sure they are the same hue, sticking to pastel versions of colors can help save you.
If you want to step outside of your comfort zone a little more, there is a more complex way to use this trend. As shown above, you can also choose colors that complement each other, even if they are not just varying shades of the same color. Light shades of pink and nude can go well with light brown and other pastel earth tones. You could also pair light pinks with navy tones as well.
If you have already mastered the past two steps of gradient nails, it may be time to kick it up a notch! Some people successfully add a pop of color into their pallets. As seen above, earthy-verified colors can go nicely together if chosen properly. It can also be helpful to add a tone of your "pop color" into one of your regular shades, as demonstrated by the nail closest to the yellow one. This nail color is a mix of yellow and green to help the "pop" look more natural. This version of gradient nails is a great way to make a statement!
The final way to be a show-stopper with your nails is by doing what social media has nicknamed as "transitional gradient nails". As shown above, these mix all of the versions shown above. Not only is seeing a split-colored nail unique and impressive, with the right tints of colors, but you can also rock this trend like a boss.
Unleash your inner-fashionista this fall! It is time to break out those holiday colors to show everyone in your family how trendy your nails are at this year's family gatherings. Not to mention how great your gradient nails will look holding your festive Starbucks latte or poking out from beneath your fashionable over-sized sweater.
Strike Out,
Writer: Tabitha Labrato
Editors: Gillian McKendree and Savannah Tindall
Tallahassee