Friday, January 31, 2014

Red


So anyway, I've been painting my nails red since Christmas. I don't know what's gotten into me. I never painted my nails red when I was younger. I painted them sparkly magenta and shiny, coppery gold during the disco years (aka junior high), and that was sort of it other than clear polish for years and years. Never silver or black, never blue, never green, and never, ever red.

But something came over me a few days before Christmas and I bought bottle of Sally Hansen Hard as Nails. As you can see from the above picture, my nails are still short, so it's not like I've got a dragon lady thing going on. Just a red thing.

I'm finding that red nails are fun. They put a little pep in your knitting. I feel very 1940s sitting by the fire clicking out a pair of socks with my red nails. Very retro.

Maybe red nails will become my signature. I have always liked the idea of having a signature something--a signature scent or a signature piece of jewelry. Is this a southern idea or just an old fashioned one? "Oh, Janice is known for always wearing pearl earrings. It's her signature." My grandmother's signature perfume was White Shoulders.

Given that I almost never change anything about myself, I'm sort of one big signature. My signature haircut: short. My signature clothing: jeans and a sweater. Signature shoes: clogs.

Really, I'm very boring. I have an exciting life of the mind, but you'd never know by looking at me day after day.

But now that I have red nails, maybe you would.

12 comments:

Heather said...

Your red nails look great! Very snazzy. I never wear nail polish, myself. The polish always chips off after the first day, and I find the upkeep unbearable.

When I do wear nail polish for a fancy occasion, I always feel like I'm looking at a stranger's hands.

RedSetter said...

I love red nails, it just feels so deliciously vampish.

Gumbo Lily said...

I like your red finger nails. I don't wear finger polish and I don't wear toe polish except in summer.

I like the picture of your hands with red nails clicking away with the knitting needles. Retro, yes!

Tracy said...

I've learnt something about you today! You're a regular nail painter....and red is very bold of you :). Indicative of your adventurous side, I think.

I paint my nails but once a year or so. It just bugs me and the polish doesn't last more than a couple of days. Like make up it's just one of those things that takes fiddling time when you have to take it all off and perhaps I'm just too lazy for it all!!!

My signature thing besides changing my earrings every day is that I always have a bracelet or bangle of some description. Often tinkly. Preferably colour coordinated and always feminine rather than chunky.

Angela said...

I tried to paint my nails red one night last week. I spilt the bottle over the sofa.
I have abandoned the idea of red nail polish until my daughter is around to paint them for me!!

Susan said...

You rock the red for as long as it feels like the perfect signature for you.

Me? I'm a bracelet girl. Not the same one, but I always have at least one on. For the last few years I've enjoyed stacking several together. I wear them on my left arm along with my watch.

The good thing, as far as I'm concerned, about signatures is that you're not really tied to them forever. When you're ready for a new signature, you can mix it up and then claim it as your signature. It's a perk of being a woman. Guys just can't do this like we can.

Pom Pom said...

I love your red nails. You definitely have a signature, your words. You are a master wordsmith and when you speak, it's a certain kind of craft and grace. I like your signature very much.

Leslie said...

Very pretty, Frances! I like all the words used by other commentors, too......snazzy, vampish, retro, indicative. I've always thought your haircut was very youthful and hip and now you have red nails, too. You make me want to do something to snazz up my look. Hmmm....

Danielle said...

Agree with Pom Pom. Your words are your signature.

Most of all, I love that you love looking at your short, red nails while knitting and quilting.

Amanda said...

I am desperately trying to train my dog to stop barking at the neighbors and come when called. On my walk today I was thinking about whether I could turn my little dog whistle into a signature item, on a silvery pretty chain around my neck...

debbie bailey said...

Love the red nails! And since your nails are short, they don't yell RED! Nice!

The dB family said...

Very pretty! I always have short nails too. I have tried red, but I find I'm horribly distracted by my nails then. I can't knit because I'm too busy watching my nails. I have a signature colour sort of, but otherwise, nope. I have an exciting life in my mind too.

Blessings!
Deborah