Most women feel wearing red nail polish is the wildest color of all.  “When in doubt wear red.” said the famous fashion designer Bill Blass.  This might lead you to think that women who wear red nail polish doubt themselves all the time!  Au contraire, my fine friend. 

Red encourages action and confidence, increases enthusiasm, and stimulates energy, color expert Kate Smith says.  It’s the color most associated with passion and intensity, and is one of the top nail color choices for toenails. 

So, don’t let a French manicure or mild colored fingernails fool ya.  There are plenty of women with a mild “Oh-la-la” on their fingers while they secretly sport a wild “Va-va-voom” on their toes!

One of my favorite stories about red polish is from my friend Tiane who I met when we worked together in the AOL human resources department.  At the time I was the head of corporate training and she was an HR Director on her way up.  She was incredibly smart about managing executives’ expectations and motivating those who worked for them.  I loved how she skillfully and soulfully would say it like it is – a quality that endeared her to many and dumbfounded the rest. 

A few days ago I shared what it means if you prefer French manicured nails.

But what if you tend towards the very popular nail polish color pink? “Pink is the color of happiness and is sometimes seen as lighthearted. For women who are often overworked and overburdened, an attraction to pink may speak of a desire for the more carefree days of childhood.” says Kate Smith, color expert.  No wonder pink is so popular!  Know of any overworked women?

For the milder child there’s light to medium pink.  These have got to be the pinks that Smith says encourage friendliness while discouraging aggression and ill will.  Apparently it’s working because she writes that pink paint has been used in prison holding cells to reduce erratic behavior.  I have a hunch this isn’t the only tension-filled environment that could use some pink paint. 

For the wilder child there’s bright pink, also known as hot pink, as in the nail color Pistol Packing Pink. 

Are you a French Manicure gal (or know one)?  What does choosing the French way on your nails say about you?

Many women I meet have a French manicure.  They are usually classy, sophisticated, and incredibly practical.  With just a touch of white on the nail tip, a French manicure makes your nails look finished and goes with any outfit.  As one gal told me, “A French manicure is like diamonds.  It goes with everything!”  But being practical doesn’t mean being boring.

One afternoon I was getting my nails done along with my friend Alice, who decided to get a French manicure.  When it came time for the white polish, I naively thought that the nail tech would simply pull out a bottle labeled “white.”  Ooooooh noooooooo.  Instead, Alice walked over to a wall – yes wall – of white polishes:  Bright white, off white, creamy white, pinkish white, bluish white, purplish white, brownish white, kinda white, sorta white, not quite white, you-name-it-white.  Whatever shade of white you wanted, I’m sure it was there.