MANICURE MUSE: Balenciaga AW’12

Prepare those resumes, ladies. At Balenciaga, Inc. intergalactic sweatshirts are the required uniform- at least for the IT girls (as in Information Technology)- and it seems there is something for us all. “It’s an idea I’ve had for a few years, about corporate clothes, and business-dressing. I wanted to play with it. So I imagined a company, Balenciaga, Inc., and what all the different women would wear to work there,” explained Nicolas Ghesquière. I’m torn between the “Join a Weird Trip” sweatshirt and the liquid shine animal print 80s pullover, but in this world it all comes down to the ladyfinger at hand. 

To emulate this look, I used Bruton Street by Nails Inc. and Royal by Love & Beauty. 

To get these ladyfingers:

1. Paint your full nail a dusty pale pink

2. Using a small paint brush, paint on a high-shine blue replicating an animal print

3. Seal it with Seche Vite’s Fast Dry Top Coat

(Photo: elle.com)

MANICURE MUSE: Custo Barcelona AW’12

“It’s a fusion of colors, graphics and materials,” said Custo Dalmau of his eclectic Fall collection. There was no shortage of everything under the sun. The collection included fringe, fur, sequins, prints, lame and leather (say that three times fast), but somehow it all worked. Eye-popping color radiated off the models, who were an after-thought to the clothes. Shown here is my favorite look from the show. 

To recreate, I used Case Study by Essie, Royal by Love & Beauty, Blingtastic Gem Crush by Sally Hansen, and White and Black by Color Club.

To get these Ladyfingers:

1. Start with a taupe colored base

2. Apply a line of metallic blue down the center of your nail

3. Once dry, layer blue glitter on top of the blue line

4. Using a white nail art brush, draw two lines on either side of your nail 

5. Using a black nail art brush, apply two small diagonal lines on either side of the blue connecting to the white vertical lines

6. Fill in a small amount of black at the very top on either side of the blue

7. Top it off with Seche Vite Fast Dry Top Coat 

(Photo: elle.com)