Popping into contemporary culture with sparkle and shine is the hottest fashion activity among women today! As a unique form of self expression, nail art adds spunk to ordinary painting and drawing by allowing women to showcase their interests or talents right on their own bodies. The ladies at Kean agree that a woman can never have too much nail polish, as it is a creative way to illustrate who they are as individuals.
The first forms of nail art made an appearance during ancient times when the colors of finger nails were used to indicate social status. However, women did not wear nail polish until later in history. Men painted their nails long before women, as individuals of higher class wore black polish and lower class men wore green. Queen Nefertiti and Queen Cleopatra were among some of the first women to apply polish and design to their nails. Common colors used by royal women were deep red and rust shades. The juices of henna plants were used to create elaborate gold designs. During this time, ordinary women were not allowed to have the same nail color as the queen. Now, Kean students say that they frequently find inspiration for nail colors and designs from media images of celebrities and other high-class women.
Picking the perfect polish is not a simple task. Students insist that the science behind selecting the appropriate nail color and design must consider many important factors. Sophomore biology and physical therapy major, Taylor Williams stated, “For me, choosing the right color depends on the season and the mood that I’m in.” Like Williams, many other Kean women found that their mood and feelings had a large impact on the designs they were drawn to. Flowers, decorative swirls, stripes and polka dots are a few of the popular nail art designs throughout campus this spring.
Senior criminal justice major, Ashley Sexton, loves experimenting with her own patterns and designs because it is a fun way to stand out and be different. She stated, “I like to find nail art ideas online and remake them into something that is my own.” Others enjoy the way that nail art is temporary, because as their interests change, so can their nails. Ashley Dunai, a senior history major said, “It’s [nail art] like a tattoo. It just isn’t permanent.” However, students are not the only individuals who have been struck with nail art fever.
Passport program coordinator, academic advisor/councilor, and adjunct professor, Mrs. Billie Bailey says her nails are her signature. “People recognize me because of my nails”, she said, “I love them [nails] because they make me stand out.” Bailey suggests that an individual’s nail art should be appropriate to the atmosphere that they are in. She said, “If I have a presentation, I know that my nails need to be more professional.” For times such as these, Bailey finds that she can never go wrong with a classic, French manicure. On the other hand, her go-to color has always been “burnt orange” for the more upbeat times in her life such as vacations and family gatherings.
With a little bit of polish and patience, faculty, staff, and students have ten canvases right at their fingertips, waiting to be painted on.
The first forms of nail art made an appearance during ancient times when the colors of finger nails were used to indicate social status. However, women did not wear nail polish until later in history. Men painted their nails long before women, as individuals of higher class wore black polish and lower class men wore green. Queen Nefertiti and Queen Cleopatra were among some of the first women to apply polish and design to their nails. Common colors used by royal women were deep red and rust shades. The juices of henna plants were used to create elaborate gold designs. During this time, ordinary women were not allowed to have the same nail color as the queen. Now, Kean students say that they frequently find inspiration for nail colors and designs from media images of celebrities and other high-class women.
Picking the perfect polish is not a simple task. Students insist that the science behind selecting the appropriate nail color and design must consider many important factors. Sophomore biology and physical therapy major, Taylor Williams stated, “For me, choosing the right color depends on the season and the mood that I’m in.” Like Williams, many other Kean women found that their mood and feelings had a large impact on the designs they were drawn to. Flowers, decorative swirls, stripes and polka dots are a few of the popular nail art designs throughout campus this spring.
Senior criminal justice major, Ashley Sexton, loves experimenting with her own patterns and designs because it is a fun way to stand out and be different. She stated, “I like to find nail art ideas online and remake them into something that is my own.” Others enjoy the way that nail art is temporary, because as their interests change, so can their nails. Ashley Dunai, a senior history major said, “It’s [nail art] like a tattoo. It just isn’t permanent.” However, students are not the only individuals who have been struck with nail art fever.
Passport program coordinator, academic advisor/councilor, and adjunct professor, Mrs. Billie Bailey says her nails are her signature. “People recognize me because of my nails”, she said, “I love them [nails] because they make me stand out.” Bailey suggests that an individual’s nail art should be appropriate to the atmosphere that they are in. She said, “If I have a presentation, I know that my nails need to be more professional.” For times such as these, Bailey finds that she can never go wrong with a classic, French manicure. On the other hand, her go-to color has always been “burnt orange” for the more upbeat times in her life such as vacations and family gatherings.
With a little bit of polish and patience, faculty, staff, and students have ten canvases right at their fingertips, waiting to be painted on.
Comments are closed.