Nailing the Trends for a Fall Season
Phillip D. Johnson Fall is all about change. Whether is the changing colors of the leaves or putting away your summer clothes and airing out your winter wardrobe, we face a certain amount of necessary upheaval. In Fashionland, women change virtually everything in their lives: their clothes; their perfume, their lipstick, sometimes their hairstyle and most definitely their nail polish. (Sometimes even their husbands!) Because as all beauty experts will tell you, what works during the spring and summer months won’t necessarily translate well into the fall-winter months.
As Jennifer Balbier, Senior Vice-President of Global Development, Artistry Brands recently told the Wall Street Journal: “You can’t be running around in a tweed outfit and fluorescent nails. …very bright and fluorescent colors look out of place when juxtaposed with the heavier, darker fabrics of fall.” In our efforts to educate the FashionManiacOnline reader, I went directly to the source.
Aija Vilemsonne, Creative Director of Pretty Woman USA (www.prettywomanusa.com), is a fount of information when it comes to nails and their care. And first and foremost, she believes it is very important to know your skin tone as it is essential to maximizing your look. Winter skin tones range from pale to olive to dark. Undertones are typically blue or pink, with dark eyes and hair. Autumn skin tones have golden undertones. Most women who have autumn skin are red-heads or brunettes with brown eyes. Spring complexions are pale, with pinkish or bluish undertones. Spring skin tones are often blondes, or brunettes with light eyes. Summer complexions have golden undertones, with peachy skin. It’s common to see straw-colored or red hair with light eyes. Once you know your skin tone, you are then able to find the right nail polish fall trend that will best work for you. Ms. Balbier concurred with her assessment on skin tone sand offers up the following: “If you have olive skin, you have to be really careful about putting on shades that are cold because it clashes with your skin. For dark-skinned women, nothing looks better than a nail polish with a hint of pearl.” Everyone agrees, however, that we are experiencing a blue moment in nail polish. For a time now, more and more celebrities have been embracing blue, starting with nails and extending through to
eye makeup and denim. While it’s okay to follow celebrity trends sometimes, Ms. Vilemsonne cautions that, “choosing the right blue for your skin tone can be tricky; [because] not every blue is flattering for every individual.” For winter skin tones, she recommends going for high-impact colors like a deep navy or an icy-tinged pastel for a most flattering look. For women with autumn skin with golden undertones, blue isn’t your most flattering color. ( Knowing when NOT to follow a trend, in this case, is as important knowing when to.) Women with pale skin (spring) should wear a bright navy or a light whitish-blue to help make the nails more striking. Summer should go with a soft pastel for maximum impact against peachy skin. Ms, Vilemsonne sees this as the one trend that stands out above all others: “You can’t go wrong with nude, and metallic hues are always attractive, but there’s just something about blue! With luxury brands Chanel and Dior releasing collections inspired by denim, we can’t ignore that this trend has caught the eye of some of fashion’s biggest names. Use our guide to find the right color for you, and wear it with confidence.” It appears that the fashion industry wants you to keep on blinging. Fall metallics have hit the stores with a vengeance. It’s become clear that it doesn’t really matter which shade you decide on, be-
cause if it’s metallic, it’s in. In that case, Ms. Vilemsonne suggests taking advantage of the fact that this trend is colorless: “You can customize the trend to work for you.” Winter: This is your chance to go bright! Whether an orange-red or shocking pink, take the plunge. Spring: Avoid dark colors and embrace something soft in the lavender or rose-brown category. Summer: From lavender to plum, the purple family is the way to go to maximize your look. Ms. Vilemsonne is a big fan of nude nail polishes although “nude nails can be difficult [and] finding the right hue can be challenging. Though you’ll generally reach for a color that’s closest to your skin tone [and] even if something seems perfect, it might clash with your skin once it’s applied. Here, you should focus on your own undertones and those of the color you choose.” Winter: Subdued tones are not your most flattering, but sticking close to your skin tone will help. Spring: Go with a camel or a peachy color. Also, zero in on the brown family to complement your complexion. Autumn: Golden undertones are the name of the game. Particularly, beige and camel will work well. Summer: No matter what shade you decide, stick true to your skin’s undertones. Go with a rose-tinged nude.
...Nailing the Trends continued... The trend that is most challenging right now is paste-ons, stickers, and acrylics. “Thanks to celebrities like Katy Perry, who brought the bling with a Swarovski manicure, stone paste-ons have become incredibly popular. Rhinestones are an obvious choice, and you can pick up application kits at most drug stores. Stars like Rhianna prefer stickers in bold patterns and colorful designs. Go a little crazy with this trend. Choose a color that works with your skin tone. Right now, animal skin prints and metallic options are the most ontrend.” Rhinestones that were originally made from rock crystals are now also made from glass and acrylic. And due to its glistening effects, rhinestones have found extensive applications in nail art, and other fashions besides being used as imitation diamonds in jewelries. In fact, with the ever-rising popularity of nail
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arts, rhinestones are being used for almost all the different types of nail arts and nail designs including acrylic and artificial nail art, gel nail designs and many more elegant nail arts And what is the one nail polish that most every woman can wear for fall despite their skin tone: “When attempting to complement every skin tone, the best thing to do is stick with a neutral. Whether it’s nude (in a color closest to the individual’s skin shade) or a lighter option like creamy beige, this color will flatter just about everyone. To avoid making a fashion faux-pas, consider undertones.” Overall, as Ms. Vilemsonne sees it, “The most important thing to remember about nails is to have fun
with it. Make mistakes, test out new colors, and see what you think works best for you. After having read these tips, you’re already ahead of the pack.” Some background information was courtesy of Aija Vilemsonne, www.prettywomanusa.com and Gina Conforti of KMR Communications, Inc. For more tips on nail care and trends,visit Pretty Woman USA at www.prettywomanusa.com