FASHION Magazine

The clock is ticking, and if you’re still scrambling to create a Halloween costume it may be time to switch efforts over to your nails. Halloween nail art is an ideal, last-minute way to dress up for this candy-filled holiday and there are plenty of options that take almost no time or effort to do. (Seriously!) First option: do-it-yourself decals. Sally Hansen has a complete series of Halloween-themed Salon Effects nail polish strips, meaning in less than ten minutes your fingers can go from plain to patterned. For those who are more comfortable with nail art, dress up each nail with a Day of the Dead skull, Jack-O-Lantern face or black cat. This week Nail Corner combined Halloween decals with nail art for a somewhat spooky and definitely festive manicure.

See how this Halloween nail art is done! »

From the Luoboutin heels that Carly Rae Jepsen is wearing on the cover of our October issue to all the animal print accessories that got a spot in our Fall/Winter 2012 trends guide, there’s never been a better time to paint leopard-print spots on your nails. It’s a fan favourite for nail art that can done in endless colour combinations—but we think it looks best in the classic shades of tawny-brown, copper and black. The muted colours of a leopard-print manicure is also a clever way to sneak some nail art into otherwise formal occasions. (Say, for instance, a family-filled Thanksgiving dinner?) Above all else, leopard-print spots are easy to master: all you need is a dotting tool!

See how easy leopard-print nail art is! »

Outer space has inspired many a manicure, from the classic moon manicure (okay, it may be named for the moon of your nails and not the moon in the sky, but still!) to glittering galaxy-style nail art. Last fall Jeremy Laing had many a moon print in his collection and this season it seems Carolina Herrera is taking inspiration from astronomy. Two pieces in particular seemed to capture the crater-filled, swirling surface of the moon and it’s this print that served as the basis for today’s nail art. (Also, I’m not the only one completely enamoured with the images of Mars that the Curiosity Rover has been sending back to Earth, right? Outer space is on-trend!) To get the surface of the moon on your nails, you’ll need two shades of mushroom-purple nail polish, a silver-purple glitter and a few dotting tools. Don’t worry, this manicure is easier than rocket science.

See how the surface of the moon manicure is done! »

Considering just how much Temperley London was worn by Kate Middleton during her recent Diamond Jubilee tour of Southeast Asia, the label was top of mind when it came time to seek out this week’s nail art inspiration. It also helps that Temperley London’s Fall 2012 collection opened with an exquisite embroidered dress (worn by former FASHION cover girl Anais Pouliot, no less) that was basically begging the nail art treatment. For this design you’ll need a handful of colourful nail polishes, as it’s all about the contrast between the light-taupe background and the floral detail work. (I almost wish there had been more need for the dark, hunter-green shade I used, which was one of the Nars Andy Warhol polishes. It will certainly make a reappearance!) So, grab a nail art brush and a dotting tool and read on to see how this floral Temperley London manicure is done!

Try the Temperley London floral nail art! »

Oxblood is certainly the colour of the season and from what we’ve seen so far at New York Fashion Week it’s still going strong for Spring 2013. And, like many colour/fashion/beauty trends it’s a shade that’s been in the spotlight before. Deep red lipstick definitely had its moment in the mid-’90s (hello, Drew Barrymore!) and I distinctly remember being obsessed with a special edition bottle of Wet n Wild nail polish that was a rich oxblood shade.

The Toronto Film Festival is almost upon us, meaning much of the city is in a state of primping and prepping, as one of the best thing about TIFF is that there’s always the chance you’ll find yourself on a red carpet or at a party with A-list stars. Of course, a little bit of wishful thinking can help secure even the most stringent of invites—so why not show how party-ready you are with a sparkling manicure? Featuring a chunky, multi-coloured glitter OPI nail polish and show-stopping Make Up For Ever gemstones, there’s enough bling in this manicure to last the entire festival.

Find out how to do this manicure! »

If you browse through our Fall/Winter trend report, you’ll happen to see a lot of green—from Kenzo and Milly to Chanel and Elie Saab, shades of emerald, forest and jade dominated the runways. It’s also just as popular in fall nail polish collections, with both OPI and Essie including so-dark-it’s-almost-black shades of green. In keeping with the trend of all-over jewel tones, this manicure pairs two green polishes for a monochromatic moon manicure.

Find out how to do the monochromatic moon mani! »

Sequins, gemstones and bedazzled extras made many an appearance in our Fall 2012 trend report, from accessories to eyebrows. And while we might be waiting for it to get a little cooler before we start donning rich jewel tones, metallic makeup is ideal for an early transition—especially when it’s on your nails. Taking a cue from the sequined sunset on a pair of Roger Vivier boots, this week’s manicure is a glitzy gradient of blues, purples, coppers and gold.

Find out how to do this glitzy gradient manicure! »

Well friends, it might be time to admit that we’re into the last lazy hazy crazy days of summer. Fashion is totally focused on fall trends and summer sales are everywhere. But if you can’t decide which of your favourite Spring 2012 pieces are worth an end-of-season splurge, why not test them out on your nails? This week Nail Corner does a medley manicure that takes inspiration from iconic items by Marc by Marc Jacobs, Jeremy Scott, Alexander Wang and Proenza Schouler. Bring on the bows and cactus prints!

Find out how to do this manicure! »

Summer is still in the air but as fall nail polish collections continue to be announced it becomes hard to resist the allure (and the colours!) of the changing seasons. While Peter Som‘s resort collection is intended for warmer climates, its rich shades of grey, taupe and burgundy matched just-launched polishes from both Essie and Nars. And while the spindly vine and flower pattern on many of the collection’s pieces seems like an unconventional nail art motif, its organic shapes are ideal for practicing your brush skills: no straight lines necessary!

Find out how to do this manicure! »

The Olympics are impressive for a variety of all reasons, but most of all for being the one event to turn even the most athletically disinclined into feverish sporting enthusiasts. Athletes replace celebrities in gossip circles, stringent co-workers suddenly have secret browser windows open to watch the games and, best of all, even Kate Middleton is involved! So once you’re done wrapping yourself up in Team Canada gear get your nails into the game with an Olympic-themed manicure.

See how it’s done! »

Created by arts organization No.9 and Toronto-based artists Jennifer Marman and Daniel Borins, Art Train Conductor No.9 is more than just a wrapped GO train—and it’s also the first time I’ve felt envious of commuters! (If you are a Toronto-area commuter, the train is currently running on the Lakeshore line, but is moving to Barrie as of July 31.) The whole design is beyond visually stunning: from blown-out multi-coloured pixels to bold zig-zags of black and white, there’s a lot going on. So when translating the train into nail art, the biggest obstacle was figuring out which elements to use and which to ignore. After drafting a few different ideas, I decided the best route was to focus on using similar colours and mimicking just a few repeating shapes. The result is a graphic set of striped nails that could serve as a great distraction during any commute home.

Love this look? Here’s how to do it »