A dark manicure might not be the most obvious warm-weather beauty look, and yet there they were, all over the spring 2015 runways: Peter Som had cement gray, Narciso Rodgriguez a muddy ochre, and Giorgio Armani a matte bronze. Even Tom Ford, a designer who rarely strays from his signature crimson lacquer, is offering up two dramatic shades for spring: Black Jade and Indigo Night.
“We live in an era where it’s common practice to live outside expected norms,” says Greg Salo, founder of Caption Polish, a company that’s also offering a slew of super dark hues this season. (Our favorites are the inky Look Don’t Touch and dark cherry-hued Never Ask Permission.) “Pushing up against accepted protocols is a way to redefine who you are and express yourself. Wearing dark nails for spring is a natural extension of that frame of mind.”
We’re all for that. But if going to the dark side is just too Elvira for you, there are plenty of alternatives that don’t involve falling back on Easter colors or nudes. For example, Salo says metallics can be just as dramatic as super dark hues. “Depending on your look, they can be real statement makers that also work as neutrals,” he says. “Try a metallic golden green or a taupe-gray, and don’t be afraid to top with a holographic or glitter top coat to make the look pop.”
Just remember to have fun with it. Spring is a time for reinvention and playfulness, after all. “Never be intimidated by any color,” says Salo. “Just take a risk and just go for it.”
