Is there a man alive who thinks that long blood-soaked claws are sexy?

[bibliophage]

I'm thinking of long fingernails painted red, of course. I recoil in horror when I see long fingernails. I see red when they're painted. Both at once? I'll be in the next county before you can say 'boo.'

Granted, back in the middle ages, I can see some peasant eyeing the local girls and saying, "Look: a gorgon. If I marry her, the Huns and Mongols won't dare come within a hundred miles of me." Made sense back then. But today?

Guys, am I the only one who feels this way?

Girls, why on earth would you do such a thing to yourselves (those of you who do)?

[Talkinsquirrel]

Damn I was thought you really meant bloodsoaked finger nails. That is SO sexy.

[soulsling]

what? you mean that's just paint? well that's just like decaf. what the F?

[Typo Negative]

I'm with you on this one.
My roommate, on the other hand, loves the long painted fingernails, high-heels, lipstick and all the slut-trappings. (his term)
I, personally, think it's ridiculous. But not frightening.

[saucy potato]

From a female perspective:

If you really like red, then I guess it's not TOO bad if the nails are short, but if they're long, ewww! Personally though, I think bright red looks cheap. Purple, burgundy, maroon... you guys are ok.

[ThisYearsGirl]

I never paint my nails, but my mother is always saying to me "If you paint your nails, men wil notice and think you're sexy." Of course, the men I hang out with wouldn't notice if I had five hands. But now I see men only notive gross long red nails (which I think is nasty, too).

[Diane]

For formal occassions I have worn my nails long (thanks to a niece with a manicure license) and painted them various shades depending on the outfit. Black dress, gold accessories = blood red nails.

JMHO, if they are worn with something other than formal attire, it looks like big haired, gum popping, trailer trash.

Since formal occassion are far and few - thank God - I mostly wear a french manicure with a string of tiny daisies painted along the line that divides the pink from the white. I love the look.

It's funny how more men notice (and like) the french manicure compared to the dragon lady nails.

Of course there was Tom, but then again, he liked me to wear 4 inch spiked heels and stockings to bed.

Oh, and a pearl-pink or lavender for the toenails.

[Jois]

Well, so, Bibliophage, what if those bright red nails were scratching your back?

[Danielinthewolvesden]

weel, I like what "spooge" called "slut-trappings". But not too long, like some Black girls sometimes wear them, THAT looks wierd. Gee, Diane, if I wasn't 'taken' I'd consider flirting with you....Oh, well...sigh...

[Sue Duhnym]

I think that a candy-apple-red is nice. Personally, I wear bright red on my toes and a clear or french manicure on my hands.

What I hate is that black-red color ("vamp" IIRC) and the blues, yellows and silvery-grays everyone wears. Yuck.

[Diane]

Diane, if I wasn't 'taken' I'd consider flirting with you....

Ahhh, a little cyber flirting never hurts. If you don't tell, I won't.

[Danielinthewolvesden]

Diane: well, being in the SCA, I do have a 'license to flirt", but that was for SCA flirting, but I guess here is OK, too. I'll nominate you for Prom queen....

[timmar68]

I have long, beautiful nails. They are a badge of honor for me. I was a nail biter and I finally stopped. The red color shows them off. I love the look on peoples faces when I tell them they are my own and not fake. I wear all kinds of colors, even blue. When I break them and have to cut them down (thus making me cry) I use light polish so that attention isn't drawn to them.
Of course, there is such a thing as having them too long. A girl I used to work with had them about 4 inches long. Now THAT was bad!

[Random]

It's funny how more men notice (and like) the french manicure compared to the dragon lady nails.

Of course there was Tom, but then again, he liked me to wear 4 inch spiked heels and stockings to bed.

Have we met?

[TVeblen]

I think MaryAnnQ and Diane nailed ::koff!:: the essential element here. It is kind of "DragonLady" in the Mandarin sense: a sign of pride and self-care.

I used to wear my nails relatively long, but just can't maintain them that way anymore. Gardening, home repairs, etc. just won't permit it. FWIW, I do prefer the French manicure look, i.e. more squared at the tip rather than pointed talons.

That's in theory; in practice, my nails are very moderate in length, with clear polish or the lightest translucent blush I can find. No biggie, just my preference. But a really gorgeous set of well maintained nails can be stunning. (Chips, nibbles etc. totally kill the whole idea.) When done well, it can exude a real sense of care in grooming.

Another totally unenlightening post,
Veb

[foolsguinea]

I sort of like long fingernails.
Of course, I used to bite my nails a lot as a boy, and at some point started growing my own nails long as a sort of exercise in self-discipline. Of course, in my case this meant that in my teens I had freaky uneven "claws." Not the most becoming thing for a teenage boy, I guess.
But I never painted them. bleh.
I try to at least keep my nails even now....
Anyway, pointed red claws don't bug me at all. hunh.

[Demo]

Long nails = Ick! Unless, as previously stated, they are very well taken care of. And I only care for them on special occasions. One more vote for the medium length French manicured look.

[Strainger]

Diane, you say "big haired, gum popping, trailer trash" like it's a bad thing.

Personally, I don't notice fingernails at all, unless they're just freakishly long. I don't know why so many women put so much effort into them. OK, maybe for formal occasions, but other than that...

[Odieman]

Definitely not. It brings back unfortunate memories of my least favorite teacher in junior high. At the time she was in her late forties-early fifties. She still had (and still has) a beehive hairdoo. She taught home ec and she could pose as a before picture in a cosmetology magazine. She had loooong nails (1 1/2-2 inches)that she painted red. Unfortunately her lifestyle didn't mix with her nails and they were cracked and torn. Rather than cut them she glued them and *gasp* scotch-taped them. Understandably since then I prefer nails that are shorter.
Keith

[Shayna]

Hey Veb, nothing unenlightened about your reply - I happen to agree with it fully. I can't stand nails that are filed to points - ICK!!!!! I prefer the more 'squared off' look as well.

Although there are times that I love painting my nails a vixenish red (and only a true red will do), for the most part it's a special occasion thing - with the right outfit. At the moment I'm wearing only clear polish but if I paint them at all it's always either a light pink or a French manicure (I also sometimes put white rose decals on them when I do the French manicure).

Like MaryAnnQ, I wear my nails with pride because I used to bite them to the quick. They are now what I would consider a very reasonable length - not too long but not stubs either. When they get more than 1/4" in length I cut them down to just under 1/4" and "start over."

However, all that said, I love wearing red on my toes. [slight hijack] I have a friend who had never painted her toes in her life. She doesn't live in LA and when she was visiting one time and we were dressing up to go club hopping, I made her paint her tootsies blood red and wear strappy sandals. Of course I also had mine painted and was wearing a toe ring, to boot. At one point during the evening, while standing on a step near the dance floor, an absolutely gorgeous man (we're talking the cover of GQ magazine here) walked up to us, stopped dead in his tracks and proclaimed, "VERY sexy toes, ladies!!" She bought a bottle of red and a toe ring the minute she got home. Hehehe[/hijack]

[Ellen Cherry]

Fingernails are one girlie thing I don't do. The thought of painting my nails is mind-numbingly boring to me! Keeping up with chips, ugh. I do keep my toenails shellacked, however, since I wear sandals nearly all the time. Those unpainted nails are just too boring I suppose.

It's interesting to me that men think long nails are attractive or not even noticible. However, like most primping, I do if for me, rather than for the (possible) appreciative looks from men.

[Ellen Cherry]

Fingernails are one girlie thing I don't do. The thought of painting my nails is mind-numbingly boring to me! Keeping up with chips, ugh. I do keep my toenails shellacked, however, since I wear sandals nearly all the time. Those unpainted nails are just too naked I suppose.

It's interesting to me that men think long nails are attractive or not even noticible. However, like most primping, I do it for me, rather than for the (possible) appreciative looks from men.

[Devil In Disguise]

I hate long nails on any women, but I find it very repulsive on those excessively fat women that seem to be wearing the nails like it might distract you from the fact they are so fat.

[Rosebud]

I personally am not into doing my nails; on the rare occassions when I do, I like really funky, glittery colors. You know, the ones with actual bits of mylar or something in them that you almost have to pry off with a crowbar when they start to chip. Mostly, though, I prefer to keep them at 1/4 inch or less, slightly squared off, and bare.

I agree that it's a question of personal care-- long nails can look great if they're well maintained, but bare nails can look like crap if they're all uneven or stained. I think what turns a lot of people off are the extremely long, bordering on Book of Records varieties. For some reason that's just kind of creepy, "blood-soaked" or bare.

Btw, the one thing I always wished I'd done when I was in my long nail phase a while back was having a hole drilled in one, and a teeny little gold ring inserted. I don't even know if that's "in" anymore, but I thought it was cool.