As you’ve probably noticed, nail art is quite A Thing right now, and the Olympics showed that it’s not just a trend for those with a nearby WAH salon. Obviously, nail art has an awesomely decorative purpose, but it seems it’s also becoming more about what the wearer stands for. And as more amateur manicurists master the art of nails for themselves, we’re seeing greater creativity in what nails can express.
The wonderful women of the Olympics used their nails to express both their national pride and their femininity, which they often complain is stripped away by the androgynously aerodynamic sportswear they rely on for speed. Their fingers were a great showcase for patriotic designs, which seemed to be performance-boosting too, not least for young Lithuanian swimming gold medallist Ruta Meilutyte, whose deconstructed flag colours were real class.
As Jezebel recently pointed out, nail art is a uniquely female pursuit, both in terms of the wearers and the artists (those emo boys with black-painted nails don’t count). As a result, nail art also has unique power as a canvas for women’s issues, as illustrated beautifully by my friend Aisling‘s awesome nails (above), which she painted last week in support of jailed Russian feminist punk band Pussy Riot. I’d never really thought of nails as a protest medium before, but seeing these kick-ass talons, I reckon it’s A Thing. I hope the growing numbers of young manicured women realise the creative power at the end of their fingertips…
How Things Are Done 