Occasional Beauty
Certain events in life demand greatness. Great hair, great makeup, great clothes, great nails and great
ness. I’ve listed below some significant occasions, manicure ideas and lighthearted advice that may be useful. Remember, the best you can be, is be yourself.
1 The School Formal
Do have a ball. Surpass Cinderella’s glamour with a full set of acrylic nails in glitter or pearl. Remember your camera – a good snapshot stops the moment running away.
Don’t worry if your evening’s not so amourous. Those horny young toads you like now will likely end up marrying Cinderella’s three ugly sisters, leaving you the time and space to discover your real Prince Charming!
2 The 21st Birthday
Do be the centre of attention and furnish your fingers with some creatively personalized, one-of-a-kind nail art.
Don’t exceed your blood alcohol awkwardness level. Going beyond this point means remembering your 21st through humiliating photos posted (and tagged) by your so called friends on their Facebook timelines. Don’t be surprised if your family present a slideshow of your life complete with obligatory naked baby pictures. Avoid the disappointment of unrealistic gift expectations – a Ferrari from your Dad probably won’t happen.
3 The First Date
Do be yourself (I keep saying that). Wear your favourite manicure - the one that makes you feel the most comfortable.
Don’t worry about not knowing what to say. Unless he's the strong silent type, guys usually like to talk about themselves. Be a good listener without letting let him hog the conversation or tranquilize you to sleep with boredom. Reconsider a second date if he uses this line: “Wow, your legs must be really tired because you’ve been running through my mind all night”.
4 The Parents
Do some research. Ask your boyfriend if his parents are friendly, warm and relaxed or suspicious, cold and inflexible (or all of the above). Depending on how much you care about what they think, just wear the manicure you like the best.
Don’t mention: how sexually attracted you are to their son, the warrant out for your arrest, your favourite drugs, why you love gambling or your keen interest in witchcraft.
5 The Interview
Do dress to impress. Like it or not, most people judge by first impressions. Even if you're applying for a job that gets your hands dirty, get them manicured! Without really knowing your potential boss, it makes sense to err on the safe side with something like a clear, or nude polish.
Don’t forget to cut the tags off your new outfit before being interviewed. Resist sharing that this isn’t your ideal job but you’d take it if offered. Avoid answering your mobile phone during the interview, especially the call that “could be the offer I’ve been waiting for”. Check here for some more useful
interview advice.
6 The Girls’ Night Out
Do get a strobe light friendly fluorescent manicure. Hook up with some friends and briefly forget your: aftershock-frayed-nerves, tragic workload, shrinking purse, strained relationships, stacking bills, feigned confidence, meddling mother in law, demanding kids, future fears, nagging regrets, stubborn pride, compliant neediness, inflated ego, crappy self image, hated enemies, broken dreams, enviable neighbours and darkest secrets. Did I miss anything?
Don’t be female versions of your male counterparts in
The Hangover movies.
7 The Wedding
Do relish the fact that someone is promising to spend the rest of their life with you! It’s your wedding, your dress and your theme, so I won’t presume to choose your manicure. But FYI, a classic wedding manicure (with or without gel or acrylic nails) might involve any of the following styles: French (easily the most popular), Nude (Neutral), Clear, Light Pink, Pearl or Red.
Don’t panic. Prevent hyperventilation by slowly breathing into a paper bag. Distract yourself by focusing on a physical object in the room. Act natural. Open your eyes. Stop using the bag. Smile. Say “I do”.
8 The Business Meeting
Do be professional. Go with a sheer, natural pink or French manicure. Clear polish may be your best choice for business, as it’s easy to maintain and you avoid the hassle of damaging your polish just before a key meeting.
Don’t be late. Don’t remain seated when your client arrives. Don’t leave your mobile switched on or leave it on the table in front of you. Don’t forget your client’s name. Don’t forget your business cards. Don’t lose your temper, thump the table, stamp your feet or writhe around uncontrollably on the floor. Don’t share your realistic but disturbing animal impressions.
9 The Funeral
Do show respect. Wear a suitably low-key, neutral, clear or possibly dark nail polish or none at all. A funeral isn’t an occasion to wear colourful clothes or accessories.
Don’t try to outdo the family’s grief. Don’t tell everyone how much your flower arrangement cost. Don’t make statements like, “something seems fishy to me” or, “I hope they did an autopsy”. Don’t remove anything from the coffin as a memento.
Ad agency Ogilvy in Frankfurt Germany promoted Abtei zinc capsules with
these quirky print ads. The headline reads, “For strong fingernails.” Have any of our readers ever tried zinc pills to harden their nails? Does it
work? Cool party trick if it does... 
Gelish currently offers 112 colours while Shellac is offering 40 colours (including 3 primaries, 3 secondaries and 3 chromes) and 15 "Effects" (pearls, shimmers and sparkles). Both Gelish and Shellac colours can be mixed and layered to create new colours.
What’s Your Favourite Manicure? Vote here in our (completely anonymous) poll.
