By AJ Mun
Correspondent
From French tips to XXL stiletto tips, nails have been a prominent symbol of beauty since ancient dynasties. The first known examples of nail polish date back to 3,000 BC in ancient China. However, in modern times, there is no limit to what you can do with your nails, and I believe that they are one of the best ways to express yourself.
What I think one must remember when considering nail art is the type of feelings colors evoke in others when they see it. Red implies confidence, seduction and power. On the other hand, yellow can suggest happiness, youth and joy.
Though it may seem insignificant, your nail color undeniably influences how people perceive you. It is something so beautiful yet almost terrifying — that no matter how hard you try, you cannot escape making decisions without beauty being a factor.
Despite popular assumption, longer nails have existed since ancient times, originating in Egypt and China. In ancient Egypt, false nails were made from gold and ivory as a display of wealth to the world.
Similarly, that concept still holds true today. An excellent example is fashion designer Marc Jacobs, who has become known in the beauty industry for his extra-long acrylic nails that take hours to create.
Jacobs has said “I think people are expecting it, but no, not right now. I’m doing this for me—it’s a statement of self-expression. I’m just enjoying long nails, you know? Nothing more than that,” Jacobs told Vogue.
What Jacobs exemplifies is that anyone can express themselves in any way, shape or form — he chooses nails. This is something I can personally relate to. While my own nail journey began with just painting them black to follow every other TikToker in 2020, it has since grown into one of my favorite ways to display art and share my interests with the world.
Similarly, nail culture within female rap has exploded, so much so that rapper Nicki Minaj has launched her own press-on nail business Pink Friday Nails. Minaj has been known throughout the rap industry for her nails since the early days of her career, thus motivating her brand to offer a wide range of nail design options.
From simple neutral tones and almond-shaped nails, to extravagant, blinged-out stiletto nails that could truly be deemed claws, the range of nail art is vast. Other women who have embraced and celebrated nail culture include Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion.
Everyone's favorite green witch also has her own journey of expressing herself through nails. As Cynthia Erivo's career began to grow, so did her nails. At the 2020 Oscars, she paid homage to her film “Harriet” with her nails featuring a Van Gogh “Starry Night” design, in honor of her nominations for her song “Stand Up” and her role as Harriet Tubman. A known navigation technique of Tubmans relied on following the North star to bring those northward to freedom.
Recently, Erivo has been sporting extra-long nails that match her outfits, projects or the mood she’s currently in during both award season and the “Wicked” press tour. Erivo has also stated that when building the character of Elphaba, her nails grow with her throughout the character’s story arc, stating, “I wanted Elphaba’s nails to be an extension of her magic, something that complemented her skin and evolved with her journey.”
What I love about nails is that they are ever-changing. No matter who you are or where you come from, if you have a vision, your nails can reflect that. Whether long or short, sharp or square, filled with charms or kept simple, nails are beautiful expressions of who we are.
