BASIC GEOMETRY

STYLE

MENSWEAR TOUCHES FRINGE BENEFITS FASHION CLASS: LAYERING

Basic Geometry

This fall, it’s hip to be square.

BY ANDREA KARR

After seasons of over-the-top polish hues and pattern-crowded manis, fall’s direction for nails is a breath of simplicity. Case in point: the nail art by Rita Remark, lead nail artist for Essie Canada, at the Wes Gordon fashion show in New York. She chose charcoal and amethyst polishes to match Gordon’s palette of grey separates and purple floral dresses, and created the matte backdrop with simple square accents as an edgy yet feminine statement. “Subtle geometry is a big trend this season,” she says, as is texture blocking, where polishes of contrasting textures (such as matte and metallic) are layered together. “It’s one of those things you might not notice from afar, but then the light catches it.” Remark’s square design is super easy for beginner nail artistes to mimic.

Follow these simple steps for Remark’s geometric mani:

1

Smokin’ Hot, $10, essie.ca.

Apply a base coat, followed by two coats of deep purplish-grey polish.

2

La Manucure de Chanel LeTop Coat Velvet, $31, thebay.com.

Sexy Divide, $10, essie.ca. Brush on a matte topcoat.

3

MAKE IT LAST Remark’s top tips for extending the life of your mani.

•Make sure your nails are clean before applying polish. This means washing your hands with soap and water, then rubbing your nails with a cotton ball soaked in acetone or alcohol. • Nail lacquer shrinks as it dries, which can cause it to recede from nail tips and lead to chipping. To prevent receding, paint a touch of polish along the tip of each nail. • Wear gloves if you garden or do other activities that are hard on your hands.

Trace a metallic purple square in the centre of each nail tip with a striping brush. If you have a shaky hand, use painter’s tape to outline the square. Once the matte polish is bone-dry (it could take up to 40 minutes), press down on the tape to prevent seepage, then paint the square. Remove the tape while the metallic polish is still tacky.

Rita Remark,

lead nail artist for Essie Canada

SAND + EMERALD

OPI Nail Lacquer in Tiramisu for Two, $11.50, shoppersdrugmart.ca. Revlon ColorStay Gel Envy Longwear Nail Enamel in High Stakes, $8.50, revlon.ca.

modern duets

These polish pairings go together like Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga.

HOW DO I CHOOSE POLISH SHADES THAT GO TOGETHER?

Make sure they complement each other, not compete. As soon as you have two outrageous colours, you lose the element of good taste. If you want to play it safe, texture block with similar colours and different finishes such as matte, pearl or shining metallic. For more pop, make sure one hue grabs more attention than the other.

BERRY + NAVY

CND Vinylux Weekly Polish in Rouge Rite, $12, cnd.com. La Couleur Couture Nail Colour in 1974, $13, shoppers drugmart.ca.

GOLD SPARKLE + GOLD

Joe Fresh Nail Polish in Gold Crystal, $6, joefresh.com. SpaRitual Nail Lacquer in Eye for Detail, $12, sparitual.com.