Out.

That's what I thought.

So what's in this summer? Really dark nails?

Definately out. I'd say Ice Cream Colors (pastels with depth but not brightness), but that was probably Spring.

Depends on the cleavage. ;)

I must say, I don't follow the "in" nail polish colors, because I don't paint my fingernails. I only do my toenails, and then I always do a plain, neutral beigey pinky white color. But I would think any solid color could work with the right outfit.

FINGERNAIL FRUIT IS SOOOO IN!

≡ Click to see image ≡

OMG, that's awesome. I must say, fingernail polish and art is one of the foundational points of my theory on good tacky vs. bad tacky. Plain fake nails? Bad tacky. Long claws covered wtih jewels or pictures or fruit? Good tacky. What can I say, I have a weakness for all things flashy, so if you're doing tacky at 110%, it's fine with me.

Anything concealing the razor shards under the tip.

i always think no, but sometimes a nice one looks... nice.

French manicures aren't really my bag, so I haven't paid attention to whether they're in or not. I don't really know what in nail polishes are either since I usually put on whatever fits my mood or what I think would work well with my outfit but my report from the front is I'm glad that girls in their 20s here in New York are doing fun colors and I don't feel like I'm looked at like a middle schooler for rocking hot pink, royal purple, chartreusey avocado green, yellow and orange.

Yellow certainly has become a hot color from my observation. I remember seeing it on several ladies, even office working types, in various shades of pastels as well as solid basic yellow. But at the same time for some reason I had the hardest time finding yellow nail polish. Even a clerk at Ricky's asked me, "Is that the new in color or something? We don't carry it except for the nail art with the thin brush but I've had so many people come in asking me for yellow nail polish." I had no idea, so yea, maybe it's candy colors or pastels this summer.

Whenever I read about nail trends for summer, the person being featured is Rihanna. Maybe keep your eye on what she's wearing? I've seen her with lots of neon colors. I love that look. Wish I had the patience for fingernail polish. It tends to make my fingers feel weird.

Thank you all... I am attending a wedding tomorrow evening, and for some reason I am wracked with indecision about whether to get a manicure or a pedicure or both or neither and just paint my nails myself, and what color to use on the toes, and what color on the fingers. But at least now I can rule out French manicures.

For a wedding, I like to put on 3-4 thin coats of an almost shear, pearly nail polish. It's very subtle, and has the same sort of "look" as a french manicure, but much less 80's.

But yeah, it seems like lots of young celebrities are rocking really bright nail polish that matches their shoes...

I love any color that is clear. By clear, I mean not frosted and not pearlescent. I don't like anything too muted or "dirty". Clear berry pinks and clear sheer pinks are what I always go for. They look good with my skin color, which is white, and pale to medium in tone. Red as well. I love red toes. The pinks with the "C" next to them and Really Red is what I go for. Not that you care, I just thought I'd share. :-)

Have fun at the wedding, amro!

I love French manicures. I tend to totally ignore trends, so I don't know what's in or out. Those fruit nails are bizarre + awesome. I thought they were bugs at first.

They're totally in in Houston amongst the ladies who are my mom's age. And you do! not! argue! with! Southern! matrons!

Maybe you could paint little tennis socks on, with those little pom-poms on the heel? You could just paint your nails white from the tip but only halfway down the nail and they'd be like ankle socks, with one thin stripe matching the pom-pom.

Those fruits really give me ideas. Maybe I should go to cosmetology school instead of Following and Exciting Career Path in Welding Exotic Metals (which I really only want to do in order to find out what metals are considered exotic by the cats who write subway advertising copy).

IMO, French manicures transcend in or out. They're so traditional and classic, although they may be super-popular one year, they'll never be super-outdated looking another.
This is, however, speaking of the true french manicure. Not the fancy kind where the tip is lace-designed or something.

I used to have fake nails with wild art. In retrospect I really don't know why, and I'm happier without it. It's hard enough for a woman in IT to be taken seriously, having kitty cats on your nails or whatever doesn't help.

I love the finger fruits! But I think you should honor Specklet's Tiny Animals on Fingers Flickr pool by getting a different tiny animal on each finger.

I thought French Manicures were completely over, but there were tons of them at the wedding I attended this week. (Granted, Philly tends to lag a bit behind in the fashion department.) I went with a delicate, subtle pink myself.

I just bought me some Peachful Breeze! My dress is mostly black with some peachy highlights, so I think it will work.

I prefer the American manicure to the French. I think it looks more natural.

Airbrushed nails are still hip. you can see my thumbnail here in a shot I showed y'all before. You put your french (or white) manicured nails in an airbrush writer machine - and the cool thing actually paints birds, flowers, angels, letters or whatever the hell you want on them. :)

Other nail rules - reverse french still avant garde only for evenings. Try blood red with black tip.

Gold pure metallic for summer goes with anything.

Neon/day-glo colors.

For the nail-shy, it's all light pale pastels these days with the kind of shimmer that was popular in the eighties. TRES hip and goes from day to evening easy.

Which reminds me, I haven't done my nails properly since last October.

Clean french manicures, though seemingly timeless and classy have a serious porn-star vibe to them if your nails are long. Avoid.

(i'm so damaged after working on nail accounts last year. We predicted poppy bright colors for this summer season like "electric blue" which was totally just pale blue and "disco dream" which was a bland bright peach)

Essexjan, that link you posted showing the american vs french has a big detail wrong - american means the nail is buffed square, french rounded.