We’re on haitus, but also EXPANDING
Those loyal to City Nails will have noticed a definite slowing in the number of posts.
This is because I cannot have long nails at the moment for work reasons.
I will try to continue posting street style, etc and responding to nail inquiries, however I will not be posting pictures of my own nails until I am able to grow them again.
HOPEFULLY THIS WILL BE SOON!
In the meantime please enjoy the first teaser of a new video project between me and some friends, BEST CITY FASHION!
Big Love,
Best City Nails.
A Feast for the Eyes: Nail Art Knuckle-Dusters.
You know when you never realise there’s something you *NEED* until you see it?
NAIL ART KNUCKLE-DUSTERS. Oh my goodness, yes.
Here’s some sickening nail jewellery inspired by our fave nail diva Kid Sister, by ‘contemporary art jeweller’ Islay Taylor.
How great are they?
You’d have to have your own nails good enough to match though. Otherwise it would be a bit like when really average-looking people think it’s a good idea to wonder about with Kate Moss (or similar) on their tops.
I mean what is this saying, really?
Anyway they don’t appear to be for sale but Islay if you want to sling some Best City Knuckle Dusters our way, we won’t put up a fight, and they sure would look better!
Here’s the glorious video where it all began:
More X Factor Nails
So judges’ houses (yeah, I should have got this up sooner but life as a bootleg nail diva is busy and hard)
…judges’ houses provided a little more nail intrigue for the show.
First up, 16-year-old Amelia Lily, who is now out of the show, displayed this mixed-colour manicure while she was weeping about the fact that her Dad loves her.
7/10
Why be harsh? The poor girl’s already been kicked off the show. Usually we find red and black combinations a little Dennis the Menace, and rather angry-looking, but maybe a little more anger is what’s needed these days. It goes nicely with her spooky, gothic jewelery and the nails themselves are very elegantly shaped.
Well done Amelia.
5/10
Mischa ‘B’ (Eugh – Jessie J, Katy B…give up, Mischa!) showed us all this baffling look while she was weeping about the fact that Jennifer Hudson came and stood by a swimming pool.
Not being funny but anyone will just look at an index finger nail, twice as long as the rest, and they’ll all be thinking it is for sniffing coke or picking your ears, etc.
Contrast COLOURS are fun, and look pointless. Contrast LENGTHS look as though there is some nefarious practical purpose. Contrast colours look frivolous and fun, and we’ve all just about gotten used to them now. Will be a long time before contrast length (and only on one hand, too) stops looking creeeeeeeeeeepy.
Why do you need that claw, Mischa?
This week, of course, Tulisa has outed Mischa as a cruel bully. Perhaps that single red bead on the offending nail is a symbolic drop of blood, squeezed from a puncture in the lungs of one of her fellow competitors.
If so, that is quite badass, and it is this potentially ferocious little red dot that saves Mischa from a much lower score.
Celebrity Contrast Nails: Kelly Rowland
Further celebrity support for the Contrast Nail can now be seen in the audition stages of the X Factor.
Our glamorous new judge from across the pond is on point with a blue/pink contrast manicure that can be seen from Episode 1!
Notice that Kelly’s pink Contrast Nail is on the traditional finger on her left hand but, controversially, on the right hand the Contrast Nail is on the INDEX FINGER!
Got to give Kelly only
6/10
…love that you’re wearing [we think] your own nails, girl, and the colours are right, but this mixed finger business bugs us out. The only thing that stops Contrast Nails looking like a mistake is that they’re in the same god-damned place.
If Kelly’s Contrasts were on the same fingers, they would nestle neatly together, adding to each other’s impact, as Kelly hides behind her hands in this oft-seen despairing/mirthful pose.
She’s a beautiful woman and full of fun, but she’s taken this too far.
Celebrity Contrast Nails: Serena W and Cher L
The whole contrast nail situation has become a very definite thing since we first introduced you to it in our Street Style at the beginning of the year (well, early April…but we spotted the look weeks beforehand)
Since then we’ve tried our own (more to come) and now celebrities are getting in on the trend, which has sprung from Peckham and East London.
SERENA WILLIAMS
Seen on the court here with a purple set, and silver contrast.
And again:
Obviously we go for a slightly more complex design at Best City Nails, but Serena’s purple/silver look is on-trend and appropriate for sports.
CHER LLOYD
Most people really aren’t into Cher Lloyd’s debut Swagger Jagger. The tune itself would be OK as a novel album track but for a debut single it doesn’t really showcase her well enough.
BUT you can’t fault the video for it’s on-point nails. A very slightly over-styled Cher sports a contrast manicure even simpler than Serena’s (which is probably for the best, as there is already so much ‘going on’).
Cher’s slightly pointed (good) black/silver nails are first seen at the beginning of the video, lining up the track:
And again, as Cher blows a kiss-kiss to the haters:
With give both Serena Williams and Cher Lloyd
10/10
…because we’re just so very into a Contrast Nail.
Hard to go wrong.
Nail Street Style – COPIED elsewhere…
American NYLON magazine have uploaded a nail street style post.
I don’t think they realise that street style is meant to be on the STREET, dig? These are some pictures their readers just sent them along.
Still, nice to see everyone getting involved.
Our fave is the Adidas/Run D.M.C. manicure with the mean original colours. Amazing use of matte black here – shiny would have compromised the clarity of the letters and logo.
Some girl has the blue/gold half-moon manicure our friend Frances did like a YEAR ago. Heh heh.
NYLON GIRL:
Me and Frances:
OK, different shades/shapes, but this is intellectual property, not forensics.
Anyway their yield is worth a look, but not if you get cuticle-cringe…some of these bitches; RAGGEDY AS HELL!
Hackney Nails Article “Filed Away: the Vietnamese heart of Hackney nail art.”
Read this interesting and funny feature from an East London news site about nail bars in Hackney, using a picture from BEST CITY NAILS!
Lynn Enright is a good journalist.
Here’s some choice extracts:
“The workers hunch over their stations; little paper masks protecting them from the noxious fumes and floating detritus. Furiously they file and buff; there is no time for small talk.”
“Hackney-born Charaf is eager to chat away though. “We get all sorts in here,” she says. “A bit of everything – old ladies, young school kids, black, white, but never Vietnamese actually. The Vietnamese run the nail bars but they don’t get their nails done.” ”
“So from America to Hackney, with the help of the Vietnamese diaspora, and then onto Ireland, this is one trend that’s truly global.”
Welcome to Best City Nails
Welcome to BEST CITY NAILS…
You’ve heard of CITY BEST KEBAB, and BEST AMERICAN PIZZA, and BEST CITY FOOD…well now it’s time to give London’s raggedy nails what they deserve – the best.
We’ll keep you posted on what we’re wearing on our talons week by week, PLUS:
- How to achieve FIERCE Best City Nails-inspired looks
- Celebrity nails
- Nail street style (it could be you!)
- Nail tips
- Nail bar reviews
- Nail product reviews
- Cultural nail studies
- Nail Fails
- And more…
So get ready to SUBSCRIBE (for real), and let’s VARNISH London town – all the colours of the ‘bow man.
SOHO! RIHANNA! POP! NEON! FRENCH TIPS! STRIPES! NEW CROSS! SPOTS! STRIPES! BOW! FASHION WEEK! PARTIES! SHOREDITCH! CELEBS! FOILS! LONDON! GLITTER! KID SISTER! FIERCE! HOXTON! KATY PERRY! KEBAB! CHECK! CLUBBING! SEX! DOLLY PARTON! STARS! COOL! DALSTON! DANCING! HIP HOP! WHITECHAPEL! AMAZE!
bestcitynails.com 