Your company has a dress code – but what about a nail color code?
Nail polish is a fun way to individualize your outfit. But some colors are too extreme for the workplace. Pick a bold dark and you run the risk of looking cheap instead of chic; go too bright and you look tacky instead of classy.
Our hands are important non-verbal communicators. And our 9-to-5 nails can make a powerful statement. The wrong color hurts your image. You want to look like a professional career woman, not like you’re going to a beach resort of night club. This is especially important if you are in a job that is a customer-facing role or client heavy. Do you want the legacy you left on your colleagues to be your nail color?
Andrea Pomerantz Lustig, beauty columnist for Glamour magazine, says trendier colors are fine, if you work in a creative field. In corporate America, though, keep nails conservative.
Certain colors can “sabotage a women when worn in the workplace,” says Sherry Maysonave of bluesuitmom.com. “… I have observed unusual nail colors working against someone’s career goals.”
Here are six tips for nail etiquette in the office:
- Keep them clean. This is a rule that will never change. You keep your outfit neat. Keep your nails neat. too. Chipped polish looks sloppy, lazy and unprofessional. Whether or not you paint them, your nails should always be well-manicured. Keep them trimmed, shaped and, most importantly, clean.
- Avoid off-limit colors. Industry experts generally agree that the following colors should stay out of the business realm: black, purple, blue, green, yellow, gold, silver, neon, metallics and anything with excessive glitter.
- Minimize multi-colors and patterns. Stripes and polka dots were cute in middle school. But In the office, such loud colorful patterns can be distracting. Keep away from designs and flashy nail art.
- Scope the boss. When in doubt, check-out the polish palate of upper management. Use their paint as your guide.
- Try red. Want to try something bold? Red is generally the only non-neutral appropriate office color.
Stay close to skin tone. When wearing business attire, it’s generally wise to stick with neutrals, pale colors, clear coats or French manicures. When in doubt, pick something within a few shades of your skin tone.
If you’re still not sure what will fly in your office, err on the side of caution. Accept that fashion trends must come second to business etiquette. Save the fun styles for the weekend!