Nailing Your ABC's

When it comes to fashion, some people are particularly brand conscious and like to advertise who they’re wearing on the front of their shirt or on their handbag, for example. And in some cases, the label is the whole design. So it’s no surprise that a rising nail trend over the past couple of years draws inspiration from this idea of words as fashion. Typography nails are all about displaying letters in aesthetically pleasing combinations, which is not difficult as written language has its own natural balance and form. The easiest way to create this edgy look is with Newspaper Nails. Remember using Silly Putty on a newspaper comic strip? All this technique involves is dipping wet, just-polished nails into rubbing alcohol (or Vodka) and pressing newspaper against them for 30 seconds. Finish with your favorite top coat. Voila!

My favorite variation on this look is to use foreign newspapers -- Chinese, Russian, etc. for an exotic and unique manicure. You can try using comic strips too, but the images are usually too large to fit on most nails and will require careful and artistic trimming to be usable.

If you're not usually a "Do-It-Yourself" kind of girl, there is a typography nail set by The New Black sold at Sephora with all of the materials you will need to execute this manicure with the least amount of work possible. Also, Essie has a full cover nail applique that adheres to nails just like a sticker and wears about the same amount of time as a nail polish manicure (up to 5 days).

Glitter Polish

Nothing adds sparkle to the fun and flirty fashion of warm weather quite like glitter polish. Summer is full of picnics, barbecues, and trips to the beach, so what better way to accessorize than with a spectacular mani and pedi that will have you twinkling right alongside the crystal blue water and glimmering night sky? An added benefit -- glitter polish is super durable and lasts longer than traditional polish, especially on your toes. This look is a fashionable favorite of celebrities such as Katy Perry, Nina Dobrev, Jennifer Lopez, Vanessa Hudgens and Pink. To glitz up your manis and pedis, try any of Deborah Lippman's amazing glitter polishes (my personal favorite is "Happy Birthday").