According to the Runways, Long Nails Are Out

2 min read

When your nails are long, you have a built-in eye-catching accessory for every outfit. The flashier, the better—jewel-encrusted claws act as stand-ins for rings or bracelets and elongated French manicures add a certain amount of elegance to your look. They’re great for just about every occasion, until you have to take out a contact lens, type anything longer than a text message, try your hand at pottery, play an instrument, or fasten a necklace. But sometimes beauty is pain or inconvenience, so we muscle through for the aesthetics. But this fashion week, the runways indicated that we might be officially ready to ditch long nails in favor of shorter styles.

In case you’re worried that short nails will make your fingers look stubby, the nail artists backstage proved that they can be just as sophisticated—if not more so—than longer ones. At Altuzarra, nail artist Erica De Los Santos opted for tidy, sheer nails to add a bit of polish without detracting attention from the clothes. Sundays Studio nail artists opted for trimmed oxblood manicures in both matte and glossy finishes at Cinq à Sept to show “confidence and strength,” according to founder Amy Ling Lin. And at Marc Jacobs, Proenza Schouler, ASHLYN, Michael Kors, and Calvin Klein, nail artist Jin Soon Choi created a suite of clipped styles, from earthy colors at Proenza Schouler to buffed-out natural nails at Calvin Klein.

Nails by Sundays Studio at Cinq à Sept.

“It looks more refined, intentional, and chic,” Choi said backstage about the short, ultra-skinny French manicures she created at ASHLYN. The designs proved that short nails don’t need to be boring—models had razor-sharp, thin black lines for a more modern take on the classic style.

Nails by Jin Soon Choi at ASHLYN.

The best part of this season’s short nail trend is that they couldn’t be easier to try for yourself. Just ask your manicurist to file your nails down to your fingertips, or better yet, do it yourself at home. Make sure to clean up the cuticles and shape the edges for the most streamlined look possible. To channel the runways, opt for a minimalist French manicure, sheer almost-pink nails, or earthy neutrals. You’ll look polished and daily tasks will get easier.