Spring 2011 Trends - Family & Friends Edition

Happy Spring! It's here at last!! By request, I'd like to share my opinion on polish trends for Spring 2011. I haven't been 100% satisfied with the shades picked out in the few magazines that have managed to find their way to my new address.

There's the higher end, conservative interpretation...

Vogue Spring 2011 Beauty Guide

Whether they match the clothes, or provide an artful contrast, nails are now as much a part of a finished look as lipstick, eye shadow—or the right handbag. Spring runways witnessed the gray trend go deeper, more metallic. Silver made an ethereal appearance, and red staged a notable comeback, often in playful, not-so-serious shades of bright tomato and cherry.

• Vogue's Picks: Dark Metallic Gray, Glittery Silver, Light Silver Pearl, Tomato and Cherry Red

The "so trendy that we've skipped right past spring and jumped right back into fall"...

Allure's Top Shades For Spring 2011 *from March 2011 issue

There's safety in neutrals. But as this season's freshest nail colors show, safety's overrated. These are the shades you'll want to get your hands on now.

• Allure's Picks: Green, Creamy Peach, Orange-Red, Pearly White, Mulberry

And the "sweet enough to acknowledge spring... but still trendy enough to jump right into summer!!"

InStyle Spring Beauty 2011

How to Wear Spring's Rainbow Nail Colors - Thanks to a few key tips from Ji Baek, the owner of Rescue Beauty Lounge in N.Y.C., even the most shocking enamels can become wearable everyday accents. "Think of nail polish as an accessory, like a chunky necklace or a gorgeous handbag," Baek says. "You can make a statement without being flashy." So step away from the sheer pink and embrace the color storm, one shade at a time. 

• InStyle's Picks: Yellow, Lilac, Hot Pink, Pearl, Orange, Mint Green, Bright Blue

I know polishanistas don't chose their nail shades based on trend or season, but by mood and whimsy, so I'm dedicating this post to my family and friends. This is for moms, grandmothers, aunts, cousins, girlfriends, all my special people who are interested in good-looking nails that are current without looking crazy.

Spring is a real season and I'm going to acknowledge it as one! So I shopped my stash and here is what I think is on trend for Spring 2011...  After the moody dark colors from this cold winter, it's time for lighter shades that are soft yet saturated - nothing stark or overly bright yet because that's what you wear at the pool and beach when we're in the full swing of sweltering summer days. 

First, our classic colors - red and pink. If these are your colors of choice, then the runways and Pantone have declared Tomato/Orange-Red and Honeysuckle to be The Red and The Pink you should be wearing for Spring 2011.

I don't have that many orange-reds but here are some ideas of the warm, yet soft, reds that would look nice this spring. I included OPI Big Apple Red on the left and Zoya Paz on the right as color references to these colors compared to a true red and orange.

Reds - Zoya America, OPI Don't Socra-tease Me, BB Couture Sex on the Beach

I also don't have that many honeysuckles but I've been on the lookout for them this year. Nubar Honeysuckle and CND Smoochie are also supposed to be excellent choices for the honeysuckle nail. I included OPI Strawberry Margarita on the left and OPI I'm Indi-a Mood For Love on the right as color references to show how warm, but still pink these shades are compared to a warm and cool pink.

Honeysuckle - China Glaze High Hopes, OPI My Chihuahua Bites!

Now for let's take the trendy shades and make them work-appropriate...
If you loved gray last year, you're going to love all the options you have this year! Take the grays from last year and soften them for spring with some shimmer. Pearl and metallic finishes are in so the shimmer can be as subtle or as out-there as you want to wear it.

Shimmer Grays - Sation Gray Opal, Zoya Laney, Zoya Harley

Blue polish is still very in this year, but not necessarily the most work- appropriate. Try a gray that leans blue instead - it's more mature than sky blue while still keeping some of that blue edge. It might even be a gateway shade to a periwinkle pedi in the near future ;) As an availability FYI, if you like the light gray shimmer Sag Harbor, L'Oreal High Tide and China Glaze Sea Spray are reasonable dupes.

Bluish Grays - Essie Sag Harbor, Sally Hansen Gray by Gray, Misa Office Polish-tics

Spring is the time for pastels, but my mom cringed when I said "pastel polish," so it might not be for everyone. Instead of melon or yellow, how about we ease into it with lighter, softer shades of more conventional colors? Specifically, I mean light pink - but make it opaque! And try pink with a touch of purple if lavender and lilac are too child-like for your tastes.

Light Pinks - China Glaze Encouragement, China Glaze Something Sweet, OPI Lucky Lucky Lavender

How about the "pastel" version of an office-appropriate taupe? Take You Don't Know Jacques (on the left for reference) and lighten it up and add some pink or gray to make it more spring-like or current.

Light Taupes - OPI Over the Taupe, OPI Tickle My France-y, Orly Country Club Khaki

If a lighter taupe is too nude, try a taupe touched with purple. Or go with my favorite new color of this season - gravender. (Yep, that gray is everywhere this year!)

Touched with Purple - Barielle Putt-e On Me, Revlon Perplex, Cult Nails My Kind of Cool Aid

I think green is easier to pull off in the winter months when it can be dark and rich, but this is NOT the time of the year to be wearing dark green. Mint green is still in this spring but if you're on the fence about wearing pastels and you're unsure about wearing green, why would you wear a pastel green??

Even without wearing a green, I think there are so many options out there for my working friends and family to suit every color taste and preference this spring. Take the polish shades you like, give the color a 2011 spin, and go show off those lovely hands! It's Spring!!!