Sunday, July 19, 2009

Nails of the Day for Work

I, long ago, (not that long... say the last year) started thinking about work appropriate nails as I became a "working professional" in January. I figured that I could only wear mauves, pale pinks, off-whites, beige... and so on. That really kept me from looking forward to starting my career! My mind changed a bit about work colors in the fall when I was watching a new episode of The Office when they had Holly as a character and I saw that she had vampy nails. Observe:

That made me think. "I can wear vampy colors to work". Of course I realize this is just a fictional show, however... it made me think. But recently I realized that I don't really have contact with the outside world at work, and as long as I don't have really wild nail art, my bosses don't really seem to care what I do or wear on my nails. They are just nails. Not that they have said anything about it or that I shouldn't have wild nail art, just that I am trying to draw a line myself.
Here are a couple of the manis I wore to work in the past few weeks. What do you think?
Rescue Beauty Lounge - Squarepants over OPI- Alpine Snow


Sally Hansen - Rockstar Pink. I think I have expressed my love for this enough before. That is why it just had to be worn to work.

Sally Hansen - Forsythia


Forsythia with a little Konad.

This one I did for the Konad contest in May. Hence the prop and all. It's KO-Karen (matte finish) stamped with Konad polish in red and using plate M2.



Del Sol - Pretty in Pink with Konad and holo glitter.



Currently I am wearing Del Sol - Heartbreaker, so that will be what I wear at the office Monday morning.

What about you guys? What do you consider work appropriate? If you work with the public or in customer service? If you work in a closed office setting? Do you have a nail dress code at your job?
I have a friend who I like to lend my polishes to and she has to wear neutral colors (boo) but I think it's a bit ridiculous for her position because she serves and bartends on a ship that goes out on the lake and serves lunch and dinner and it's kind of a relaxed party boat. I have been on it... I did the electric slide. So.... ya know.

17 comments:

  1. I would shrivel up and die if I could not wear all the colors I wanted at work! Man when I saw that first picture of Holly I wanted to watch the last season again, love The Office!

    All your manis you've shown here are gorgeous! I adore them all, and I also think that they look work appropriate.

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  2. I think it depend in what kind of work, and if you got special rules and dress code in that job. anyway - never thought to change my mani to be office-appropriate. I wear them all to work,and love the attention. since I'm a graphic designer, creativity is a big plus in my work, and no one ever complained ;-)

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  3. I'm dying for a banana coloured polish! It's so hard to find. I can't order from Ebay, where you almost find everything. :(

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  4. I love all of your photos, so pretty! I work for myself now so it doesn't matter what I wear but when I did work out in public, I always wore what I wanted and no one said a thing. I can't imagine having a 'nail dress code' but I suppose some workplaces are quite conservative. That would not be fun to have to follow that dress code :/

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  5. My boss commented once when I wore Russian Navy to work... and there was me thinking that was one of my more conservative colours! But he didn't bat an eyelid when I rocked up in a green recently - maybe they're used to it.

    Whenever I go on a client visit I always make sure I wear something neutral though, just in case. I wouldn't want people not to buy from me if they thought I was a frivolous witch or something!

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  6. I looove those Del Sol polishes. Too bad they don't ship to Denmark :(

    I also just wear what I like on my nails for work. My boss sometimes looks at me like I'm crazy if I have something wild on. But most of all I use my workplace (I work at the localtrain station ticket sale) as a platform to show off my nails for my blog. Even 80 year old ladies have commented on my nails.. lol I like getting feedback from the customers.

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  7. I work as a waitress, and my company actually has a written policy in place - which absolutely nobody listens to. :P Luckily for me, because I've rocked about every color under the rainbow there - and gotten a ton of compliments! I guess it depends on how strict the system is. Lucky for me, they don't enforce the polish rule.

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  8. I used to have really long nails that I'd paint a variety of colours.While it was fine when I worked with the public (I'm in retail),when I transferred to the shipping dock I had to cut them for safety reasons(boo!).However,I still wear every colour under the sun.Even the delivery guys notice!We don't really have a strict nail dress code at my job,but I always feel bad for the girls at the cafe next door. They aren't allowed to wear polish at all :(

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  9. It infuriates me to have a nail polish code. I'm a rebel at heart. I do understand for very conservative firms. But really what harm are your nails going to do to someone? Unles you spell out F-U and so on what's the big deal! I always wore whatever polish I wanted and never was bothered because of it. I just ignored them anyway. If it came down to my being fired than it would be a different story. Otherwise leave me alone and I will do my work! I think most of the colors you wear get compliments anyway if you are neat and clean about them.

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  10. I'm with Lucy, I am also a rebel at heart! ('m wearing Crusin' right now) lol I think some jobs need to lighten up on their dress code rules on nail polish, you are taking the time to have pretty nails right? But if you got chipped nail polish (see it all the time at retail stores) then you are really taking away from your look and the overall look of the place you are working at. You don't to know how many times I want to tell someone, nail polish remover is cheap, use it!! Don't pick at it.. But that is something else totally off the subject.. First impressions you know...
    Now as someone who was once a food waitress, the dress code was no nail polish but for a health reason. Cheap nail polish tends to chip and you could get chips in someone's food. And what food waitress can afford the really good nail polish brands anyway? lol

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  11. To ALL - You guys have truly inspired me. I think I am going to wear whatever I want from now on. Neons and all. Awesome. I will embrace all comments as compliments and hope no one takes me aside and says to stop wearing obnoxious colors!! HAHA!
    <3

    Kae - I LOVE the Office too! Thank you for the compliment! I'm glad you like them!

    Inbal - I would think (and hope) that creative and interesting nails would be appreciated in graphic design. That is great!

    Alexlyndra - I am so sorry! Have you been able to find OPI - Banana Bandana? I'm going to look for you.

    Mary - Thank you! I need to work for myself! Not that anyone here has a problem with my nails, or that we have a 'nail code' but that would be nice!

    Helen - That is my thought to. If I have to meet with clients or outside partners I try to keep it toned down. LMAO at frivolous witch!!

    Sussi- I definitely love when people notice my nails. It is nice to get feedback. I got a ton of compliments recently when I wore Lippmann-Superstar. (which i also wore to work!)

    BrooklynShoeBabe- It's great that you don't have a nail code at a library. I would think that may be a place you would. Rock those neons and vamps!

    Nicole - Rebel!!! That is great! My waitress friend recently stopped obeying herself. I think if you just ignore it they are gunna let it go. It's really not as important as giving good service and food, and as long as your nails are neat and clean, as well as the rest of you, then I think you should wear what you want.

    Pinkginger - If I couldn't wear any nail polish... I can't even think of that. AHHH!!!! what a nightmare!!! Sorry for losing the length, but as long as you can paint them what you want, I'm glad.

    Lucy -Hell yeah! I'm not coming in with F-U on my nails!! hahaha!! Just have a neat polished mani and you're good to go. I wish I had my own business. I'd have a code that you had to come in with a polish everyday! Neons, glitters, Konad! I'd have a nail break room for mani's instead of lunch! Oh, if I ruled the world.

    Kim - I love cruisin! So bright! But I'd hope no one would stop you from wearing that!! I hate chipped manis too. Get it off!! It's fun to paint! It's just an excuse to do it!
    I can understand no polish for health reasons. My friend's boat just doesn't want her to wear brights and stuff though. She can have polish as long as it's neutral. Makes me want to go down there right now and put them in their place!

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  12. My work doesn't care. I didn't even consider it as an issue since they don't seem to care about my visible tattoos or nose ring.

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  13. Great post! All your pics look great, definitely work appropriate (I think ;) ). I am a secretary and while my old work place was fairly strict about polish colours. I now work somewhere where they don't seem to mind at all! Today I am blinding them with China Glaze's Japanese Koi and discovered that they have noticed my nails - finally! LOL!

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  14. Nosaby - HAHA! If they don't care about that then I'd hope they wouldn't worry about polish! Could you imagine?!

    Danielle - Thank you! They would have to notice Japanese Koi! If it took that blinding of a color to even notice your nails, it must not be a big deal!

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  15. I'm a student right now, so my job is retail! As far as they are concerned, anything goes as long as it's applied neatly! Love that. In fact, my associate manager and I always compare polishes and talk about new collections!!!

    When I graduate I'm going to become a teacher. Aside from worrying about constant polish chippage, (darn you, chalkboard!), I can rock whatever colour I want!

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  16. skeri - I wish I had some female polishers here! I work with dudes! :c(

    Your students will probably love to look in awe at the pretty colors on your nails!

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  17. You should wear every polish you want! In my opinion people shoulde not support if people acting weird or whatever just because you are wearing colorful nail polish. thats intolerant! :(

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