Trina Miller

ontiac, MI, was named after Pontiac, a war chief of the Ottawa people. This city is best known for the General Motors’ auto plants and now, it’ll also be known as the home of this long-nailed beauty, Trina Miller. Quiet and reserved, this diva’s fashion flair and style speaks loud enough for all to hear. X’Treme Nailz stopped by for a quick chat and was glad that we could hear her as well.

Trina’s father was a cosmetologist and, as the only girl in her family, her mother made sure that she represented properly. “I’ve always been classy. As the only girl, my mother made sure that I was dressed immaculately and my hair and nails were done!” While this little girl learned the meaning of class and style in hair and clothing, Trina, an admirer of long nails, would have to patiently await her turn to enter the world as an extreme nail diva!

Today, Trina is a mother of seven, five daughters and two sons. She still loves hair, fashion and is a ‘self-proclaimed’ homebody. She loves interior decorating and creating a variety of DIYs. We asked how she initially came to love extreme nails and found that she admired an elementary teacher, her mother and godmother who all wore those inspiring nails. “I couldn’t wait until I was old enough to have long nails. In 7th grade, I could finally at least wear the shorter ones. As I got older, I was allowed to have them longer. There was a nail salon near where we lived and I spent so much time there, it became my second home! I’ve now been wearing them long since 9th grade and I really believe that the longer nails and toenails are beautiful and sexy! I love it!”

“I’ve always felt different. I’ve never wanted to be a part of the in-crowd and for me, that was okay.” —Trina Miller

X’Treme Nailz: Trina, your father is a cosmetologist. Have you ever thought to follow in his footsteps? Now, being an extreme nail wearer, have any of your children shown interest in the field?

Trina: I love hair and nails and yes, I would like to attend school and achieve my manicurist license. Afterwards, I’d like to open a salon and specialize in extreme nails and for those who choose to be different. To answer the second question, my sixteen- and twelve-yearold daughters are now interested in beauty. I’ve always had amazing role models and, as a mother of seven, I tell them to be the person who God created them to be. I also encourage them that it is okay to be unique.

X’Treme Nailz: I often say that we truly were designed to be unique individuals. Even if you are an identical twin, there is still a uniqueness in you that will set the two apart. How long are your nails?

Trina: I had to have them cut back in June due to me having full reconstructive knee surgery. I have to learn how to walk again. I am just learning to use the walker and I need to wrap my fingers around the bar securely. But before then, they were a little over five inches. That’s about where I keep them. I don’t believe I’ll grow them any longer than that.

X’Treme Nailz: Well, we are definitely rooting for you and praying for a full recovery. As an extreme nail diva, what are your pros and cons, if any?

Trina: Tying my shoes and braiding hair. My girls know how to

braid hair and do their own. So that works out tremendously. Otherwise, I can do pretty much anything anyone else can do without them. The pros are that they are sexy and I love to live outside of the box. I don’t play by anyone’s rules, but my own. I love being me and I love being different.

X’Treme Nailz: Do you have a signature color?

Trina: I like bright colors. Blue and yellow are my primary colors.

X’Treme Nailz: Of course, we’d like to know if you match your nails to your outfits?

Trina: Yes, I usually match my nails to my hair and my outfits. (laughing)

X’Treme Nailz: You match with your hair? (laughing) I love it! So you enjoy the different colored hairs, the yellows, the greens, pinks, and purples.

Trina: Yes, and I’ve done the reds, blues and mixed with other colors as well.

X’Treme Nailz: Because you’ve inherited the industry’s bugs from your father, you automatically are set apart from everyone by growing up not afraid to stand out and be different. Now, wearing the extremes, this has proven the point, and of course, drawn attention. So, what are you asked and how does that conversation look?

Trina: They ask how do you wipe your behind? What can you do? Or assume that I can’t do anything with them. I respond I can do everything that they can and leave the conversation at that. X’Treme Nailz: Unfortunately, once again, why is this always the first question we are asked?

Trina: Right. Also, if they actually researched, they would find that the most contaminated nails are the short ones! that’s what I like, let me wear my shoes. If clothes are my thing, let me enjoy shopping. It’s my thing! If I were to enjoy colored wigs, let me enjoy my wigs. If I like extreme nails, that’s my thing, so let that be my thing. But why does it have to be my nails that bring me the controversial attention?

Trina: Exactly! That’s exactly what I say! If it’s not your thing, don’t come for me! It is my thing, and if this is what I like to do, it’s me. Let me be ME because, like it or not, I’m not changing for anyone! I’ve learned that it’s okay to not fit in, as people will talk no matter what you do or don’t do. I love being the unique, creative and talented soul that I was created to be. I am thankful for my struggles, the good and the bad. All have helped me to be the better version of myself and to understand my worth and my values. Encourage yourself and learn to become your own best friend is what I say. You learn to love what makes you happy and not what people believe you should do or want you to do.

X’Treme Nailz: Well said, Trina! You know, in the ancient years of the Egyptians, exotically long and polished nails were considered royalty and in the eras of ancient Chinese, nails were considered an art! Do you find more criticism from men or women?

Trina: I see it more with women than men. Now, there are some men who may have a problem, but not too many. The men find it sexy! (laughing)

X’Treme Nailz: That they do! (laughing) However, one would think that with women, it’s just that we’re women, and we do

Live your life in your truth. If long nails are what you want, do it. Don’t be afraid.

X’Treme Nailz: That question, along with other comments, are some reasons X’treme Nailz has created this platform. We want to get to know the person behind the nails because people automatically see our nails first and they don’t see us. Before speaking, the opening comments reference our nails. There is no problem in that, because as extreme nail wearers, the attention is inevitable. However, it’s the inappropriate questions that people feel they can ask that are bothersome. If I am a shoe hog and

whatever we want. You wear a bikini. I wear a one piece. You wear pants; I wear dresses. I wear nails; you don’t. What difference should it make?

Trina: Some are just not comfortable with themselves, and I feel that if you find your purpose, you wouldn’t want to care about what others are doing.

X’Treme Nailz: How often do you have your nails done?

Trina: Once a month, and I use gel polishes. I recently found a marker on Amazon that I use to draw on them. They come in a few colors and you just have to shake it a little to blend the colors before you use them. You can also find them in the Sally’s Beauty Supply Stores.

X’Treme Nailz: Do you have a nail technician?

Trina: No, I do my own now. I used to go to the salon and have them done. I had practiced how to do them myself when they started going up on the prices.

X’Treme Nailz: Especially when your nails are long, because we are usually charged by the length. Have you ever found that because of your length, salons may not want to service you?

Trina: Back in the day, I didn’t have a problem. I would always go to the Asian salons. The owners never had a problem with servicing me because they were used to doing long nails.

X’Treme Nailz: Do you see a lot of extreme nails where you are located?

Trina: I’ve seen some, but not as long as mine. I’ve heard people say that there was a lady that taught at

the high school who wore her nails as long as mine. They then asked me if I was related to her. I don’t even know her! (laughing)

X’Treme Nailz: So you’re related to her because you both wear extreme nails? Let’s make that make sense! (laughing) Is there anyone in the industry that you admire or who gives you inspiration?

Trina: Yes, I’ve been following Maria Ortiz. She is the key person who I follow. I watch a lot of her videos with her doing ladies with extreme nails and her motivation is everything! That has kept me with her. X’Treme Nailz: That’s outstanding! She’ll be humbly amazed by your comment. What would you want to say to anyone that may be interested in beginning an extreme nail journey?

Trina: Don’t be afraid to be different.

X’Treme Nailz: When you say, ‘Don’t be afraid to be different’, what does that mean to you?

Trina: Live your life in your truth. If long nails are what you want, do it. Don’t be afraid. If you want to do things that people don’t think are normal, don’t be afraid to do it. Just be who you are and not allow anyone to change you.

X’Treme Nailz: Right. Do what makes YOU happy and you can only do that by living in your truth, unapologetically. We’ve talked about a lot of things. Is there anything that we haven’t covered regarding yourself or the industry?

Trina: The need to compete. I don’t think that anyone should be in competition. I don’t know. It’s just that people are in competition about long nails and I don’t understand why!

X’Treme Nailz: Are you seeing competition amongst nail techs or those wearing the longer nails?

Trina: Both. I just think that everyone has their own set talents within the industry, so there shouldn’t be any competition. Everyone’s nails naturally grow at their own pace, so even if they decide to wear tips, it’s their business. I just think long nails, natural or not, are beautiful!

X’Treme Nailz: So, what you are saying is that you have some who have naturally grown their nails show negativity towards those that wear or have worn tips?

Trina: Yes, it can be both. Sometimes the ones with tips have confusion with those who have grown theirs as well. It has gone both ways.

X’Treme Nailz: That’s interesting as it takes us back to the earlier comment of those who wear dresses as opposed to those who do not. It’s unfortunate. Do you see any nail techs of color in your area?

Trina: Where I am? Yes. Unfortunately, this is where I saw the adversity. I went to a nail salon to have my daughters serviced. One was getting her nails done and the other a pedicure. Anyway, the owner had seen my work before and she liked it. I told her I wanted to go to school to get my license before deciding if I would work for myself or someone else. One of the nail techs (a sister of color) said, “Oh, you do, huh?” and I said, Yes, I can actually do my own nails. At that point, she just started making all kinds of smart comments towards and about me. All this because I said I can do both of my hands? It kind of made me mad because why? Is there a problem?

X’Treme Nailz: So, the thing is this, and it’s just my thoughts. If I had seen someone, a prospective nail tech, especially a woman of color, and I liked her work, I would have said to her, “I know you don’t have your license and there is plenty of work here. Go to school and once you get your license, I can help you out anyway that I can, while you build your clientele.”

Trina: Right, because her attitude changed after the owner said that I could come there and make a lot of money, so she may have felt that if I came there, I would try to steal her clientele. I don’t know, but we are two different people with different styles and personalities. We are not in competition, but should have been in solidarity as women of color building clientele.

X’Treme Nailz: In other sectors, that would have been considered ‘training’ and free training at that. I must agree that I have never understood the competition that sometimes occurs in this industry and especially amongst our own. We are gaining in the field, but we are way behind the 8-Ball. You’re right. It’s unfortunate that not only are we seeing prejudices amongst those outside the field, but within the world of nail techs as well. Hopefully, as others join us, this will change the tapestry and we begin to see people of color with salons full with clientele. Is there anything that you would like to leave us with?

Trina: My biggest losses were in 2007 and 2016 when respectively my mother and grandmother passed. They were my backbones and poured all of their love and wisdom into me and so I found it fitting that in their time of need; I was able to unselfishly return the honor by taking care of them until their deaths. I am sure that they still watch over and guide me to this day and are proud that

I am still standing my ground, being true to myself. So, to everyone, continue to be WHO God has created you to be and live in your truth, making those that love you proud!

Nothing could be further from the truth as we can only live life in its abundance when we are living it in our own authentic truths! Carry on Queen, as you continue to travel the undiscovered roads ahead of you as only YOU can unapologetically and in your truth!