Does the state of someone's manicure...

[ChloeTheGreat]

I think it depends HOW the nails are manicured...I frequently see manicured nails that are way too long (how do you even type on the keyboard?!) or are painted with multiple bright colors or patterns...I personally think it looks UNprofessional, but that is just my opinion, of course. I wonder how some of the funky colors are appropriate in a professional environment.

 

[AprilBaby]

I don't usually notice hands but unmanicured feet are gross. I see them all day long in my dental chair during the summer. You don't have to go to a salon for nice feet! Just take care of them!

 

[that_someone_special]

This is how I view it...

Since we show a lot of rings on here, nice nails are appreciated. I know that I am SO embarrassed when they are raggedy and gross- but sometimes you can't help it!

It's the same thing, I guess, when looking at a make-up for recently I saw people showing their "stashes".. but some people had some nasty, dirty, gross brushes. Now, WHY would you post that?

I suppose it's the same thing (to me) as someone with bleeding hang-nail city going on with their brand new diamond.

I don't really care too much- I mean, whatever makes them happy.. but from an online perspective..

 

[rainydaze]

i don't think i really notice either way... scratch that, i tend to notice when someone's nails are over-manicured. i.e. long acrylics with bright colors. for whatever reason it irks me, especially if they are typing. click, click, clickityclickclick. i will admit that i have made the judgement that receptionists who have such nails and type a lot are less efficient and professional than if they wore a more practical nail style. i'm a short and clean girl myself, with the occasional subdued color thrown on (by me) for fun.

 

[melave]

i guess because i have always worked in industry i have never noticed nails. I work with a lot of guys and some of their nails are pretty bad. Plus i have never been able to have nice nails

I got acrylics to get photos of my e-ring and my nails have been really bad since!! i got them removed and my natural nails are so thin they break constantly. I have had to hack them right off. I don't think i will ever get falsies again.

 

[Amys Bling]

I think well kept nails are important, but they don't necessarily need to be painted...

 

[centralsquare]

I don't do a good job keeping my nails nice. I honestly dont know how to do on my own and it's hard to get tO a salon. Wish knew how to do them myself. I don't really notice other people's.

 

[missy]

I always admire others well kept manicures but I never wear nail polish myself. My nails don't react well to the chemicals or something and it is also too much maintenance for me. I prefer short well shaped clean nails on me and don't judge others choices. Though I do cringe when I see dirty nails. I also wonder (like some others posters mentioned) when I see hands that look untouched by life. Not usually something I admire.

I do love wearing toe polish and love all the colors. I wear closed toe shoes for work though so only get to show off my feet when I am not at work.

 

[mrscushion]

Sure. I think chipped nail polish looks messy and I'll notice. Also, I notice overly long acrylic nails and big French tips, and I judge. Sorry.

I wear short round gel nails with a natural polish pretty much all the time now, because I like the even length and long lasting varnish.

 

[Miss Sparkly]

form an opinion about them for you? I was reading an article the other day about how when you have your nails done you look 100x more "professional" and put together. I only have mine done bec I was anticipating my new ring last week, and will be going back to my normal non-manicured, overgrown cuticles, no-white-showing nails this weekend for assembly of an invite job. I normally only bother with nail polish a few times a year, mostly because the growing out stage is something I can't handle. Yet I collect polishes in an alarming quantity...I even got a few based on the long old polish thread that I cannot seem to find on here.

Do you keep your nails up/hands in good shape?

Always. I agree that nicely manicured nails look significantly more professional than undone nails.

 

[monarch64]

I notice if someone's nails are painted but the polish is really worn/chipped, bitten nails, and obviously fake ones. I do form an opinion about the person based on those things and it's usually not a totally positive one.

 

[asymons412]

I don't usually notice hands but unmanicured feet are gross. I see them all day long in my dental chair during the summer. You don't have to go to a salon for nice feet! Just take care of them!

I agree! Yucky feet gross me out, especially in a place like Arizona where people wear flipflops year round.

I have small hands, short fingernails and am constantly wearing nitrile or latex gloves, so there's no use for me to maintain long, lovely nails unfortunately... but I wish I could! I definitely go through phases where I wear nailpolish on my stubby little nails, then realize I hate how obvious it makes my stubbly little nails look, and remove it.

I do love the look of a french tip though, on any nail length! I most frequently form positive opinions of people that do maintain their nails nicely, but don't really notice otherwise.

 

[Lady_Disdain]

Dirty, ragged, ill kept nails do give a negative impression for me. Nails that obviously do work but are clean and neat give me a positive impression. My favourite look are shortish nails, well shaped and with a light coat of varnish or very subtle colour.

I also hate overly done nails: designs, too bright colours or too long. But my personal pet peeve (and this is purely taste) is for long nails with french manicure. The too white tips scream fake to me.

 

[Laila619]

Having nails 'done' in a salon opens up all kinds of doors to fungus, MRSA, and other disturbing problems. No, thanks.

Far more people are turned off by phony acrylic/gel nails than you would think. Men, especially, find them dumb.

Cut your nails. File them. Use hand lotion. Keep your hands clean. No one has ever been turned off by clean, neat hands.

Yep, that's pretty much what my thought on the topic is--I keep my nails clean, tidy, and trimmed. Polish is too fussy for me, and I'm not keen on the idea of all those chemicals.

 

[Imdanny]

Well, the state of someone's nails isn't here or there for me, except in some limited circumstances.

If you're going to post a picture on the internet of your hand holding, say, a ring (I notice this with pictures of men's hands, really, not women's), and your nails are jagged, you have hangnails, and maybe a little dirt under your nails, then yes, I form an opinion that the person doesn't know how bad that really looks for them, and that they should know (or someone should have told them) not to post pictures like that.

Also, today I saw/ talked to a homeless man who was in the worst shape of any homeless person I've ever seen, anywhere. I was shocked. He literally had flies buzzing around his face. His nails were beyond dirty. Obviously, I formed an opinion of him that he really needed someone to help him, somewhere, somehow, because he really wasn't in any condition fit for the dignity of a human being. I don't even want to get into the whole: if I gave him money, would he spend it on beer thing. This man was beyond that. I never even imagined I'd see any homeless person with flies buzzing around his face as if he were a horse. His nails told me (along with everything else about his condition) that he was severely mentally ill, so much so that when I talked to him about how he might go to get some kind of help or some kind of referral to get some help, at least, he had no idea what I was saying. He said, "Why would I do that?"

The thing about nails, for me personally, is that they need constant attention. I can go to a day spa and get a manicure, or I can give myself one, or I can let my nails go for a week and a half until they're a little too long and the cuticles are ripping and hurting me. It's really a question of: when can I get to this, when will I have the time and energy, but it really doesn't matter, because whether I get the best manicure in the world, do a pretty decent job myself, or put it off until it really needs to get done, it will get done.

So, when I meet other people, I assume if their nails aren't perfect, it really doesn't matter. If your job requires you to have manicured nails, then you should find a way to make that happen. If you don't, and if you're not going to post a close up picture of your hand, then no big deal.

My MIL who is visiting has her toenails painted blue. She's 70! I think that's great! She pays a lot of attention to her appearance and she looks great. If her job required her to work with her hands, and she wasn't able to do that, I wouldn't think any less of her at all, though.

 

[Haven]

I didn't think about acrylic nails and the like when I first responded. I think acrylic nails don't look particularly elegant, so if I'm honest I'm sure I do form an opinion of someone when they're wearing them. There's a big difference between short, manicured, natural nails and long, thick acrylic nails, IMO.

Honestly, the French manicured acrylic nails just look YOUNG to me. A lot of high school girls sport them around here. I would never have been able to do that in high school, I would have torn my palms up with those things holding my field hockey stick. I guess fake nails makes me think "Definitely not an athlete!"

I don't get anything done in a salon anymore, but when I did go for the occasional manicure, I brought my own little tool set. I read enough Cosmo Magazine horror stories in my youth to know better!

Danny is right, though. Nails require constant maintenance. I file mine every night, and attend to my cuticles and nail beds at least a couple times a week. It doesn't take much time at all, just regular attention.

ETA: Nails are funny. My pinky nails grow super fast. They are always longer than the rest of my nails, and I feel like I look like a cocaine addict or something. It's terrible. AND, my middle nails are brittle and always tear. My thumb nails are thick as, well, nails, and I can use them as tools if I really need to. So strange. Isn't it strange that we have these things growing out of the ends of our fingers? If only they could shoot laser beams.

 

[iLander]

No, I pay no attention to other's nails.

And I hope no one is looking that closely at me!

 

[Circe]

I do notice people's nails: while I've never thought less of anybody for having unpolished nails (assuming a basic level of hygiene and care), I do give extra points for nicely shaped, gleaming digits.

I wear polish pretty much all the time myself ... not so much by choice, but because a year and a half ago I managed to tear the cuticle off my thumb, and it's been growing out ripply and weird-looking ever since. Polish just makes it look like I screwed up my manicure, as opposed to being a mutant. But oh, happy day! It finally decided to reattach itself, a year and a half later, so once this sucker grows out I will be free of the tyranny of the manicure!

Eh, who am I kidding. I had them polished almost all the time before, too. But now it'll be optional again.

 

[iugurl]

I definitely prefer no polish than super long multi-colored fake nails. I don't really think more or less of a person based on their hands, assuming they aren't super dirty or super long (like I mentioned above).

 

[ame]

ETA: Nails are funny. My pinky nails grow super fast. They are always longer than the rest of my nails, and I feel like I look like a cocaine addict or something.

I end up with coke nails too! I try to make sure they're super short, esp my thumb, index and middles. I like to not stab my eyes out when I put my contacts in. Im going right after work today to soak off my axxium polish and then cut them all the way down. The only time I ever let them grow is with axxium on.

 

[mogster]

Double standard here - ladies I don't pay attention to, but men I will pay attention to their nails and teeth as an indicator of hygiene/cleanliness and maybe high strung-ness if they're bitten down to a stump.

 

[Indylady]

I just got my nails done today! I do think that nice nails do make a 'professional' impression.

 

[ame]

I had the axxium soaked off this evening in prep for my work tonight. I just showered and now I am priming myself for a long weekend of bow tying with no nails in the way. I feel normal again, that's for sure.

 

[yssie]

I didn't think about acrylic nails and the like when I first responded. I think acrylic nails don't look particularly elegant, so if I'm honest I'm sure I do form an opinion of someone when they're wearing them. There's a big difference between short, manicured, natural nails and long, thick acrylic nails, IMO.

Honestly, the French manicured acrylic nails just look YOUNG to me. A lot of high school girls sport them around here. I would never have been able to do that in high school, I would have torn my palms up with those things holding my field hockey stick. I guess fake nails makes me think "Definitely not an athlete!"

I don't get anything done in a salon anymore, but when I did go for the occasional manicure, I brought my own little tool set. I read enough Cosmo Magazine horror stories in my youth to know better!

Danny is right, though. Nails require constant maintenance. I file mine every night, and attend to my cuticles and nail beds at least a couple times a week. It doesn't take much time at all, just regular attention.

ETA: Nails are funny. My pinky nails grow super fast. They are always longer than the rest of my nails, and I feel like I look like a cocaine addict or something. It's terrible. AND, my middle nails are brittle and always tear. My thumb nails are thick as, well, nails, and I can use them as tools if I really need to. So strange. Isn't it strange that we have these things growing out of the ends of our fingers? If only they could shoot laser beams.

This made me laugh

I too played tennis in high school, fenced in college, and to me perfectly painted nails = non-athletic even now! Beyond that I don't know that I make any assumptions about the more common looks. I do judge people with very long nails, or nails painted in intricate designs - that to me does look unprofessional (as in, wouldn't fly with a suit).

I sometimes have a layer of clear on.. that's about it. I play violin so my nails are always super-short - no white whatsoever, but my nailbeds are long so even cut down completely they look quite "normal". Well - to me, anyway!

 

[Miss Sparkly]

I didn't think about acrylic nails and the like when I first responded. I think acrylic nails don't look particularly elegant, so if I'm honest I'm sure I do form an opinion of someone when they're wearing them. There's a big difference between short, manicured, natural nails and long, thick acrylic nails, IMO.

Honestly, the French manicured acrylic nails just look YOUNG to me. A lot of high school girls sport them around here. I would never have been able to do that in high school, I would have torn my palms up with those things holding my field hockey stick. I guess fake nails makes me think "Definitely not an athlete!"

I don't get anything done in a salon anymore, but when I did go for the occasional manicure, I brought my own little tool set. I read enough Cosmo Magazine horror stories in my youth to know better!

Danny is right, though. Nails require constant maintenance. I file mine every night, and attend to my cuticles and nail beds at least a couple times a week. It doesn't take much time at all, just regular attention.

ETA: Nails are funny. My pinky nails grow super fast. They are always longer than the rest of my nails, and I feel like I look like a cocaine addict or something. It's terrible. AND, my middle nails are brittle and always tear. My thumb nails are thick as, well, nails, and I can use them as tools if I really need to. So strange. Isn't it strange that we have these things growing out of the ends of our fingers? If only they could shoot laser beams.

This made me laugh

I too played tennis in high school, fenced in college, and to me perfectly painted nails = non-athletic even now! Beyond that I don't know that I make any assumptions about the more common looks. I do judge people with very long nails, or nails painted in intricate designs - that to me does look unprofessional (as in, wouldn't fly with a suit).

I sometimes have a layer of clear on.. that's about it. I play violin so my nails are always super-short - no white whatsoever, but my nailbeds are long so even cut down completely they look quite "normal". Well - to me, anyway!

My nailbeds are the same here. I do my own acrylic overlay with a polish on top and my nails look so long, but if I flip my hand over you can barely see them peeking out from my finger tips.

 

[pregcurious]

I think well-manicured or naked nails both look good. What I don't like is chipped nail polish.

 

[Fly Girl]

No, I pay no attention to other's nails.

And I hope no one is looking that closely at me!

LOL. Same here. My weekly manicure consists of clipping them short after my shower.

 

[soocool]

When I was younger and very athletic, I kept my nails short and clean. In my 20s I kept my nails longer and polished. Then after having a kid, short nails were preferred (couldn't always guarantee that they looked good, because I had other priorities). Now much older I still prefer them short with no polish. Unfortunately, I always associate highly manicured nails with someone who does not do much - non-athlete, a non-cleaner, non-gardener, etc. Not to offend that is just how I feel.

 

[Black Jade]

I just cut mine supershort and keep them very clean and keep my hand lotioned so they keep feeling soft. I hate to touch someone's hand and their skin feels like sandpaper. I also notice MUCH more if people aren't putting lotions on their feet, especially their heels,which tend to get dry, much more than how their toenails look. You would be surprised how many people have manicured toes and heels which are so dry they are peeling and really look like sandpaper is there instead of skin.
I used to play piano a lot and although I do less now b/cause of an injury, I think of long nails as something that gets in the way. I tend to think highly manicured nails look 'teenagery'. Like, you have a lot of time on your hands and are way too influenced by Hollywood or fashion magazines or something. I don't disrespect it, I just think of it as a young people thing.
I also naturally have nails that grow very very long very fast and they are very hard. They NEVER break. I don't know why. I don't know if its genetic or what, but if I keep them long at all, they are like a dangerous weapon. If you run into me accidentally, you don't just get a scratch, you get a GOUGE. I have scratched myself badly before and also my husband and it was a serious concern when my kids were little. I actually have to cut my fingernails with sharp toenail clippers and can barely cut my toenails at all. So there's a good reason for me to keep them so short that the white isn't showing.