Wendy Brandes Jewelry Blog

Never Is the Next New Thing

Not-So-Basic Black Nails

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Gorgeous blogger Princess Poochie recently shared a photo of a cool manicure.

Ooh, pretty. Manicure by Erika of Chloe's Nails.

I immediately sent the photo to celebrity manicurist Tracylee Percival. I wish I had beautifully shaped nails like the lady in the original photo but I have sad, stubby, round nails. TracyLee and I decided that doing shiny moons would be better than shiny tips for me.

Tracylee used Gelish’s Black Shadow and Essie’s Matte About You for this manicure. We’ve decided to name our manicure styles, so this one is “Matte Over the Moon.”

Nails by TracyLee Percival.

I’ve been wearing my Empress Wu dragon ring a lot lately. I think it looks good with the black polish.

Empress Wu and the black manicure.

I keep trying to take a side-view picture of the ring on my finger, but I am getting bad results. I might have to call on MrB for assistance. That would be an extreme measure because, while MrB has an astounding number of excellent qualities, he’s not the type of blogger husband/boyfriend who follows me around all day taking gorgeous fashion-y photos.  Where the fuck was I when they were handing those out? Because I need one of those to take my blog to the next level. As a photographically blessed blogger once told me, “You’re beautiful in person — you need to take better pictures.” Um, thanks?

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. I believe you’re beautiful in your photos, WendyB, no matter the photographer. Love the ring with your new manicure.

  2. Hi my dear-wow, they look awesome and I love the two tone matt and shine!! Over here I’ve noticed the new thing for cars is matt black all over-BMWs and Range Rovers have it and everytime I see it I keep thinking its the cars undercoat. Definitely a look suited more to nails than a car!! xx

  3. Damn! Those matte-and-glossy black nails are the bomb! I’m doing that to my nails asap.

    Love your Empress Wu. It has my name written all over it. Yes, you’re right, it’s something to aspire for. Sigh!

  4. As an amateur nail polish enthusiast, waaaaaant. Those are lovely nails, both of them! I’ve yet to get my hands (and nails, haw haw) on some matte polish, but that with a bit of shine makes for a cool effect.

    And, YEAH. Forget networking and hard work; apparently what a bone fide blog needs is a photographer man toy to follow you around. That and maybe Jeffrey Campbell heels.

    Once when I handed my card to a librarian, she looked my picture, then at me, and said, “you’re much prettier than this picture.” I take what I can get.

  5. As if you don’t look beautiful in your photos. How ridiculous! I love that manicure given my love of black nail polish. I won’t mention the ring, ok I will. It’s fabulous. I love it…le sigh…

  6. Those are the coolest nails ever. Your photos are great, but it is fun doing fashion-y photos. I’m lucky to have the type of boyfriend who loves nothing more than faffing around with his SLR!

  10. I’ve been haunted by the matte/shiny black mani since I saw that photo a few weeks ago. Totally need to replicate that! I like your version too…clever, and it does suit Empress Wu.

    And um, the photog hubby/BF…yeah, I must’ve been with YOU when they were handing those out. No matter how many hints I drop, homie don’t play that. But he’ll take photos of a nice brekkie at IHOP. Gah.

    • You and I both Ms. V. Maybe the three of us should be each other’s BF photographers sometime (Derby, Indy), which sounds really weird but… yeah!

  12. I love these! I had matte Essie and shiny leopard print once, but I found the matte wore off so quickly and it all just looked a bit dull after a couple of days. This manicure would be much easier to touch up with topcoat than leopard though!

    x

    • I’ve had pretty good luck with the Essie holding up. I have one nail that’s gone all to hell because it has a crack pretty far down. We glued it together before the manicure but it gave up the ghost and the whole nail is a disaster. And I’m kind of hiding my index finger in the ring picture because I had meetings with editors all day yesterday, so spent hours opening necklace clasps and poison rings. That always does in a manicure!

  13. The nail polish looks beautiful on you! I consider nails just another accessory. And excuse me. You ALWAYS look ravishing in your photos. And what a ring!

  15. I have been fascinated with this manicure since Poochie talked about it. Someone commented on her blog to use clear top coat on the matte to get the shiny, if you don’t have matching colors.
    Love love love the moons!

  20. Lovely mani.

    I had a conversation with the boy the other day that went something like this:

    Boy: “I wonder what it’d be like if I were into photography.”
    Me: “My blog would be soo much better because you’d be one of those blogger boyfriends who follows me around all day taking pictures.”
    Boy: “…”

    So yeah, I guess I’ll just have to settle for the fact that he’s an amazing dancer.

  21. I have never seen this matte polish before…helllooo, where have I been?
    I love this look..and love your sweet little “moons”…Im getting my nails done in the next couple of days..I may have to look into this:)

  23. I LOVE the nails. If I knew it wouldn’t chip in 2 seconds, I’d head out to ask for a copy of your nails right now.

    I’m lucky to have a Hubby who tolerates my photo needs. He doesn’t love it, but he does takes my photos for me since he knows that he’s more effective than a tripod (for me at least).

  27. Empress Wu and black nails go together very nicely.

    I’ll volunteer to follow you around and take photos! But my photos wouldn’t even be as good as Mr. B’s, so never mind.

    What about that guy who took the cool picture of you at the glass table? I guess he’s probably too busy to give up his job and follow you around. Oh well.

  28. I think you did a great job painting your nails this color. I’ve painted my nails with a glittery black before and they came out rather messy. I always find it harder to paint my nails with darker colors!

  29. The manicure/ring combo is so badass.

    Re: photos. I’m finding the tripod/timer combo fun and reasonably effective. Can be rather time-consuming, though.

  31. Wendy, I LOVE both of the manicure pictures you posted! You and Princess Poochie have amazing manicurists.

  33. I love those nails – which surprises me cuz I’m generally not into black on nails. Love the shiny against matte. I think you have many gorgeous photos of yourself, btw. Of course, having boyfriends who follow you around taking pics can’t hurt, right?

  34. Wendy, you area beautiful and talented women!!! Your photos are great and the display your personalty, your slick style and your brilliant smile!!!
    I was told by a fellow south floridian blogger that I would have more followers if I lost 30 pounds. I replied with few choice words!!!

  36. Dayyyym girl, those nails are fly! I also need an amazing photographer boyfriend, currently trying to train mine to use my camera. Old dogs learn new tricks, yes??

  38. “…while MrB has an astounding number of excellent qualities, he’s not the type of blogger husband/boyfriend who follows me around all day taking gorgeous fashion-y photos.”

    THANK YOU!!! My boyfriend hates taking photos of me. It’s like pulling teeth when I ask him to. Thank God I’m not the only one that goes through that! I’m so sick of hearing people say “My boyfriend is so great and takes all these beautiful photos of me!” Yeah, well, GOOD FOR YOU!

    Rant over.

  39. I’ve been wearing my Sally Hansen salon nail effects religiously, these things seriously are the best thing ever. I cant even imagine how more awesome the minx are then!

  41. Loving the black nails. I have to bribe Mr TNMA to take photos of me because the only room in the place with a light-coloured floor is the bathroom – which is tiny – and to get a full-length photo, he has to sit in the bath!

  43. I am loving the black manicures, esp. the matte plus high gloss one! That photo makes me want the Empress Wu ring more btw! Love it!

  44. I found pics of Princess Poochie’s manicure on Tumblr, obviously without credit or source, and I always wondered who was the genius behind the mani. Thanks to you I know now! LOL/OMG at “photographically blessed blogger” though …

  46. whoaaaa! awesome manicure idea. and yes, style blogging is a lot easier when you have a hunky photog bf who loves taking pictures of you all the time … groaaaaaaaaan! 😉