Long nails always seem to be on trend. From the long, white tips Kim Kardashian sported at Paris Fashion Week to the stiletto nails we see gracing hands of countless celebrities, having long nails has always been synonymous with being "stylish." I still remember that in middle school, getting fake nails was sort of a right of passage (and was what all of the cool girls did!). However, the first time that I tried to wear fake nails to an eighth grade dance, I was almost in tears over my frustration at not being able to text, eat, or even use toilet paper! It was as though the world was off limits once the fake nails were on, so I obviously took them off the second I left the dance.
Ever since then, I've been a short nail girl for life and couldn't be paid to put fake tips on my fingers! Really, isn't beauty too extreme when you can't even function normally in order to achieve your look? Your beauty life needs boundaries, too!
If you're not yet convinced that you, too, need to get on the short nail bandwagon, here are even more reasons that you should ban long tips for life. Provided, of course, you want to. I'm totally willing to believe that loads of people out there genuinely prefer the longer look. I'm just not one of 'em.
1. Your Nails Shouldn't Stop You From Living
Remember how I said I couldn't even use toilet paper while I was wearing fake tips? I've heard all kinds of stories of women who have to adjust the way they live because their hands aren't able to be fully used. From texting, to typing, to eating, to applying makeup, it seems that wearing long nails makes everything you once took for granted difficult.
Think about this, though: You're choosing to limit your hand-mobility in order to achieve a certain look. Isn't this taking your beauty regime a little too far? I'll never do anything that forces me to change the way I live up to beauty standards and I don't think you should either.
2. Life Shouldn't Be Lived In Fear Of Breaking A Nail
Anyone who has ever broken a nail knows how painful and annoying it is. The one time I chose to wear fake nails, I did break one while I was putting on my shoes and it hurt like a you-know-what. Beauty does not have to be painful! Isn't it easier to just have cute nails that are short that you don't have to even worry about breaking? Not to mention that breaking one nail can ruin your entire manicure, which can require an expensive visit to the salon. Who wants to spend their entire life fixing their nails?
3. You Can Still Experiment While Being Functional
I know many people think that having short nails means losing out on all of the fun of experimenting with your nails, but the length of your manicure doesn't determine the amount of fun you get to have with them! You can still rock nail art, bling, and cool designs on short nails. In fact, you could argue that you are free to get creative even more often with shorter nails, since you don't have to rely on salon visits in order to change up your look.
4. Short Nails Mean More Money In The Bank
The other major reason that I hate long nails is that they almost always flake, which means making expensive trips to the salon for maintenance. It's practically impossible to get long-lasting long tips on your own, so having them requires a pretty big financial investment. If you ask me, I'd rather spend that money on other things and build my savings account.
5. Sexy Times Are More Fun With Fully Functioning Hands
This might sound like TMI, but I can't even imagine trying to masturbate or have sex with fake nails — think of how many possibilities are off of the table! Sometimes, a girl has got to be able to go and do some handiwork, if you know what I mean.
6. You'll Become Instantly Cool
Since everyone else is trying so hard to impress with their long nails, you'll become an instant trendsetter with the #IDontCare attitude of short tips. Seriously, who doesn't want to be a trendsetter? Instead of keeping up with the Jones's (or maybe the Kardashians, in this case), make your own rules.
7. Time Will Be On Your Side
Taking care of long tips means spending a lot of time caring for them — not only will you have to spend time getting to and from the salon as well as hours inside, you'll also have to keep your long tips buffed, chip-free and clean. Shorter nails keep things a lot more simple and save you the most valuable commodity there is: time!
8. Cooking Will Once Again Become Tolerable
Any of you who have tried to cook with long tips know how miserable the process is.You have to hold your tools differently than the rest of us and try not to cut yourself or break a nail as you chop, dice, mix, and blend. There's a reason you never see chefs with long nails and that's because food preparation is made impossible with long tips. If you like to cook on a regular basis, skip the long nails and the process will become a lot more enjoyable.
9. You Can Change Up Your Look With Ease
If you have long tips, you have to be more willing to commit to your nail look, since you'll probably have the same long tips for weeks at a time. That means if you want to try a new look or nail trend, you'll have to completely start your nails from scratch. Having short nails means that you can change your polish whenever you feel like it, making it unnecessary to commit to one style or nail color.
10. You're Free To Accessorize Even More
When you have shorter nails, it makes stacking rings and wearing funky hand candy easier, since your nails won't overwhelm your hands. Otherwise, it can be hard to notice all of the other details to your hand look, because people's eyes will immediately gravitate to your tips.
Did I convince you to ditch your long tips for your natural shorties? I think nails, like anything else, are a personal preference and expression of style, so whatever your nail style of choice is, I respect it! But I do think you should try going short, even just for a few days — don't knock it until you try it!
Images: Fotolia; Giphy (10)
