Fanatic Feedback – Men Wearing Nail Polish?
 The age of the metrosexual has come and gone. The term “ubersexual” has become the way to describe a macho, stylish, well groomed man. Yet even in a time when it’s become acceptable to find shelves full of product in a man’s medicine cabinet, when it comes to male nails, the evolution has come to a standstill. |
 Yes, there are exceptions to that. I mean, who hasn’t drooled over Dave Navarro (pictured right with Zac Efron) and his black painted nails at some point? But outside the rock world, is nail polish acceptable for a man?
I remember the first time I came across a boy wearing any form of nail polish was during my summer break from college. I worked at an amusement park on Lake Erie called Cedar Point. And for those of you not in the know, it’s kind of a Midwest mecca for young gay men. One of my buddies there, who was very “out” and comfortable with himself, wore clear nail polish and while it didn’t totally stand out, it was considered “different” for the time. Since I thought he was a big ball of fabulous, I never really gave it a second thought. |
 Flash forward to 2007. When one of my male friends found out about my blog and discovered my affection for polish, he jokingly asked me to paint his toes silver. Little did I know, he was serious. In fact, this past summer he borrowed polish from me twice to give himself a pedicure (once while drunk after a long day of wine tasting). Both times he chose dark, grungy “masculine” shades; a gunmetal gray from Sleek UK and Sally Hansen Stormy Blue (pictured left). And while it might not have been his intention to use the polish as a chick magnet, it certainly did get girls talking to him. |
Then a few weeks back, Darren Garnick, a reporter for the Boston Herald, contacted me about his experience getting a fish pedicure, wanting my feedback on his choice of polish (pictured left). As I told him for his follow up humor essay, he certainly didn’t half ass it when he chose OPI Osaka-To-Me Orange for his pedicure shade. Not necessarily fall appropriate, he would have been totally “in” this past summer when bright orange was all the rage.
Coincidentally, since hearing from Darren I’ve also received quite a few emails from men that enjoy wearing polish on their toes. The consensus seems to be that for most of those men, they wear the polish only for their mate, not in public. That it’s a bonding thing for them and their partner but that they’d be embarrassed to wear color in public.
So while it’s become perfectly acceptable to see a man getting a manicure or pedicure with no polish, color seems to be taboo. What do you think fanatics? Can men wear lacquer? When is it OK? What guys can pull it off? Does it only work in the rock scene? Can they wear any color or only black and gray? I’m sure there are some lurking male readers that would love to hear your thoughts.
images: AllLacqueredUp.com, WireImage, BostonHerald
I am a 48 yr. old, straight male who enjoys wearing nail polish. I am curious where it is said that only women can paint their nails? The stereotypical world has put certain things in our head during the aging process that makes people acquiesce to certain domains … thus, we get discrimination at many levels. Myself … I tend to think outside the box and to hell with what the world thinks! I wear orange, blue, purple, pink, green … etc, etc. Society is so damn closed minded on so many subjects that it takes people like me, and others, to affect change.
I, too, am 48 yrs. old and cowboy’d all my life. I grew up on a 500 acre ranch, herded cattle, broke horses, mended fences and became a licensed, professional a/c, heating, electrician and plumber. At 47 yrs. old I was declared legally blind and couldn’t work. Out of shear boredom I began painting my nails, fingers and toes, and realized I like the way they look. So WHY is it only for women? It appears that the world thrives on closed-minded degenerates and their lackadaisical opinions!
I must say that I am rather impressed at some of the comments made here, especially by other men. There is some wisdom in them I believe. I must confess to you all that I am a 35 year old married male who has been from one extreme to the next in my life and my wife has stuck with me through a lot of it. To make a long story short, I found a huge interest in women’s pantyhose at age 10 which led to full blown crossdressing by 18-20. I brought it with me when I was married, thankfully my wife stuck with me. After heavy struggle, I came to the realization that I had no desire to be or look or mimick a woman. I only wanted my right to wear things that are normally associated with their gender now. I found that I do not have to dress as a woman to get my right to wear those articles of clothing back. If anyone wants to hear more you can email me at abburke51@yahoo.com. Anyway, men used to wear skirts or robes and actually it is healthier for them in their groin department as it helps the temperature for maximum fertility. Men used to wear hosiery, paint their nails, makeup, heels and lace, etc. as posted here. Someone asked, what makes people think only certain things are reserved for either sex. Most of it is the pressure of society and not sound authority. I became a real question a few years ago which makes God and His Word the ultimate authority in my life (which for those of you who say you don’t believe, God is still your final authority, you just do not realize it) so I am subject to Him. What does God say of these things? The only thing I can find that is remotely relevant is Deuteronomy 22:5 and the talk of vanity in Ecclesiastes. I am trying to be short here so you can read that for yourself. I seriously do not see that God has a problem with it unless it becomes a priority higher than Him or what He commands you. Now, for those who choose not to believe, think of this logically. I know it is hard for Americans to think or read sometimes but bear with me. Nail polish really got popular again in the early 1900′s. It is basically paint, just like you might paint the walls of your house with, only slightly modified. Ladies, is the surface of your nail really any different from a male? Males is yours? Can you not both apply this paint to one just as easily as the other? At what point does it become masculine or feminine? What is the difference between masculine and feminine? I am thinking reproductive organs and hormones mostly, which also controls the shape of the body.
As with all things, some items look better or worse depending on preference, shape, size, etc. There is no such thing as gender when it comes to color. I have seen some very “manly” guys wear pink shirts and it looks good. I personally still wear polish, especially on my feet and found that a french style with white tips and a nude shade over the nail bed seems to be the most flattering. I know I have received many compliments from women. I had one woman give me a sort of negative response and I believe it was simply because she was jealous that my feet looked better than hers which she told me. I love colored polish, especially black, browns and blues yet doesn’t seem as flattering on my feet but like it on my finger nails. However I do not wear colors in public out of respect for my wife. People tend to be very social and only do what the herd allows, which I think is a tragedy. Someday she will learn this in time. From my experience, most women do not like it because of jealousy or it is not socially accepted. The rest do not like it simply because it is not their preference and that is fine.
One more thing and I will go. This is for all the men and the women who think that they should follow the typical male stereotype. Most men follow the stereotype that they should be manly and rugged, never groom themselves, dress like a slouch, interest themselves only in sports, hunting and drinking. While there is nothing wrong with sports, hunting or drinking if all in moderation, there are better things to occupy your time. While you are indulging in such things, you are missing the fact that you are probably neglecting your wife or girlfriend, your civic duties, and being robbed blind. I consider a real man as one who reads a lot to educate himself in important matters such as spirituality, government, world events, etc. Because you are not concerning yourself with important subjects, men who are and have found themselves in power are stealing from you, even your rights to wear nail polish if you like. Also, if you think women should have to dress up, wear makeup, etc to impress you then why shouldn’t you do the same? I am sure women are tired of guys running around in old t-shirts with baggy pants or shorts and tennis shoes. If you have long hair then take care of it for God’s sake. I once read that the last thing to go in a free and open society is the art. I think nail painting is also art and expression. We all know the world is getting bad and one can see a pattern even in fashion. Systematically in the past couple hundred years men and women have been taught that men have to be very ‘manly’ in that they have to dress and be rugged, not groom themselves or express themselves, stay tight lipped and even be violent. This is not healthy spiritually or physically for men. Such ways I believe are agitating men whether they admit it or not, causing more unrest and uncertainty. Do not be social but rather individual. Does not even nature teach you that males are very expressive, colorful and creative? I urge you to be real men, creative, inventive, thoughtful, read, study, learn, take care of your household and your body, be individual. It is OK to hunt or watch sports. It is OK not to as well.
I am sorry for the long post but so much more could be said. If you want to paint your nails then just do it.
I know I commented once already, but I’ve been fascinated and thrilled with the discourse that has taken place in the comments on this post. And I can no longer hold this back:
“I would just like to say
that it is my conviction
that longer hair and other flamboyant
affectations of appearance are nothing more
than the male’s emergence
from his drab camouflage
into the gaudy plumage
which is the birthright of his sex.
There is a peculiar notion that elegant plumage
and fine feathers are not proper for the male,
when actually
that it the way things are in most species.”
Maybe the average man in the street could get away with a bit of clear polish but it also depends on the length of your nails and the environment to which you work in.
I’m a 15 year old black gay guy and I sometimes paint my nails clear I have tried black yet but I want to. I remember being at the dollar store once over the summer and a white guy in his late 30′s early 40 came in he was wearing shorts and flip flops and his toe nails were painted like the American Flag. I like in Akron, Ohio btw
I’m a 35 old italian guy, married, straight and liberal…usually in summertime i love painting my toenails.
My fav color is black, but sometimes i wear blue, burgundy or brown…depending on the match with my clothes and my flip flops
My wife is a very supportive girl and consider this a normal practice.
Somebody looking me like an alien or a gay, especially in Italy…but i don’t understand why we need a trademark…
When i’m on holiday in Spain or Greece…i’m totally free..
I love my appearance and my body..and i think this is a sign of freedom…why not?
I'm 38, and have been wearing dark polish on and off for about 10 years now. Women seem to notice it and approve, and other guys just look at it strangely. Living in Chicago it's not too uncommon to see a heavy metal dude like me wearing it even though we look really, really roughneck sometimes.
The only time polish looks crummy on dudes is when they intentionally scratch some of it off. I think if you're going to bother with it at all, make it look decent.
My preferred colors are both OPI, 'Light My Sapphire" & "Midnight In Moscow", since they both look totally black, but are blue and red, respectively. Very cool stuff, but you probably already know that.
Men who have an open mind enough to wear nail polish on their toes are much more attractive and mature than those who are afraid to show a little style and creativity IMHO.
I love a guy wearing a pair of nice leather sandals and his toes polished with a nice deep color.
Why don’t more men try this? Are they afraid of something, what a few closed-minded people might think? C’mon guys, we are living in a time where anyone can show their creative side and be expressive.
We all know how poorly most men’s feet are cared for, so why not go get a pedicure and add a little color too?
I am all for it!!
With the increasing popularity of men wearing sandals lately, I have begun to notice the generally poor condition most guy’s feet are in. Men should definitely take more care and pride in how their feet look if they are showing them openly!
It would not hurt for them to go get a pedicure and get those ugly nails trimmed and callouses smoothed down so they look at least acceptable.
As far as men wearing polish on their toes, I think it can work. I have never really liked black or other very dark colors on women’s feet anyway. I think it makes our feet look heavy and less feminine.
A guy with polished toes might be a nice improvement!
I’m definitely a fan of men wearing their nails polished! I know a few guys who wear it from time to time and I think it’s ‘hot’! I especially like the look of a guy with his toenails polished a deep color, like black, dark blue or dark maroon. Oh yeah!!!
C-mon people, nail polish, or ‘paint’ is certainly not going to change a person’s sexual orientation! If a guy is interested in having his nails painted, then he should have every right to do it. Maybe it’s just an experiment for him to see how it feels/looks, or maybe he’s just more creative/expressive than most guys. I think it’s great that more men are breaking free of the ‘grunge’ look and taking steps to be more ‘colorful’!
sent from: fav.or.it
I receive pedicures and manicures every two weeks. Love the feel of the pampering that you receive and I always finish off with a nice colored polish.
I am part-owner in a nail salon located in the upper Midwest. My partner and I recently decided to attract male clientele because we see it as a very important part of our growing business. Men can certainly benefit from well cared-for nails, it helps improve their image and level of professionalism.
And yes, men can and do wear nail polish. Clear is more common on men’s fingers, but we have had requests for pretty much any color by men on their feet. I don’t know whether they wear is openly or just privately, but it is no longer a surprise or ‘odd’ that a man will have their toenails polished with color, usually a darker color in our experience.
For those who do not care for this, I would only say that the trend for men to remain the unkempt and grungy of the sexes is changing in small increments. Polished toes and sandals for men is becoming more common.
sent from: fav.or.it
I guess I had been intrigued by the look of nail polishes from way back. And I even experimented with it off and on like many others. But it wasn’t until my wife suggested I try it that I really got hooked. She knew I liked it, so she thought what better way to see if it ‘worked’ for me than to give it a whirl.
So, I now wear my toes painted pretty much all of the time. I pretty much stick to colors that I consider to be more masculine looking, and so it works for me. My wife likes it and I receive positive comments from others too, so I don’t really feel there is anything odd about it at all.
sent from: fav.or.it
Dig It! Cool article. I don’t know why some people still freak out over a dude wearing nail polish. I’ve seen the rockers doing for going on 20 years now (like when the dudes in Motley Crue were doing it, like Tommy Lee and Nikkie Sixx) – and now, even the extreme sports people are into it – the ultimate fighter Chuck Liddell does it!
I’ve been wearing the stuff ever since I’ve been ten or so, and fully intend on doing so forever. I think it’s very cool, and so does my fiance. It’s really all about a freedom issue – I dig it – I don’t care if anyone else does or not – I’ll be damned if I’ll let some snively-assed-critical-whiny people try to sway me – my self-confidence doesn’t need any propping-up from anyone. I like it. If some don’t – tough. Nail polish for dudes is here to stay!
posted by ‘SlayerRocks’
Not such a big deal. I surpised my wife with a pedicure, scheduled during her lunchbreak a few days ago, just because I love her and wanted to do something nice. Anyway I’m at the spa setting up her appointment and while talking with the owners we (myself and them) talked me into a pedicure. A few years ago I picked up a wicked case of athletes foot from my martial arts class, and my feet have never been the same since. At the end of the pedicure I was offered clear or color. My response, “Ummm….” She says, “You’d look good with color.” BAM “burgundy frost” toes. At the time I was wearing my sandals, I’m across town and had errands to run – I’m in public with painted toes.
The first person that I saw who noticed was the guy at Home Depot that was helping me get stuff to fix my sink. He looked down at the bottom shelf saw my toes, immediately looked back up at me, looked down again, looked back up, paused for a moment and then continued talking like nothing happened. I found that pretty amusing.
The next person was the mother of my daughters best friend. I was picking up my daughter from school and of course best friends come out together. While the kids were exchanging pleasantries, mom and I were as well. Of course we have to look down at the kids, and I saw her notice. There was this pause then she says, “Who painted your toes?” I tell her the story, and she gripes the only way she got her boyfriend to go with her for a pedicure was to pay for both of them, and he wouldn’t even get clear polish.
Anyway, after the pedicure, I went to my wife’s job (to tell her what she was doing for lunch – pedicure), Wal-Mart, Home Depot, the post office, tax preparers office (to pick up paper copies of our taxes), dry cleaners, daughter’s school and a gas station (which I had to enter, because the credit card reader on the pumps didn’t work).
All in all, it was a rather exhilarating day – the pedicure rocked, the guy at Home Depot was entertaining, daughter’s BFF mom was supportive, and who ever else noticed didn’t say anything (no pointing, gawking, laughter or fashion police raid), my wife and I LOVE the way my feet look and feel.
Women have kept this secret long enough, I’m a prison guard (on my feet all day) a monthly pedicure is now a must for me, color will definitely be an option.
Just wanted to share and encourage. Guys; it’s your life, your body – tattoo, piercing (pretty much permanent), toe color (change at will).
My BF just tried this for the first time – and it looks great! He and I never talked about it before, so I am not sure what moved him to do it, but he just said he thought it might look ‘cool’. He got them done with a gray-silver color and it totally looks just right on him.
This really works for guys!
My BF just tried this for the first time – and it looks great! He and I never talked about it before, so I am not sure what moved him to do it, but he just said he thought it might look ‘cool’. He got them done with a gray-silver color and it totally looks just right on him.
This really works for guys!
Wow is all I can say that this topic just seems to go on and on. I have been painting my nails for years and yes I use every color in the rainbow. For the last three years I have been going to a manicurist and have given her free reign on both my fingernails and toenails. I have had acrylic fingernails now for the three years and I do wear them rather long. I only have a clear gel coat on them but every once in a while she paints them in different colors. My toes on the other hand have been painted for the full three years now and she makes sure they are very well decorated. I have gone to wearing toe rings with them and an anklette. Feminine yes but I love the look. I am married and straight but I love the look.
I really don’t see, why guys can’t have their toes painted. I like to have my feet pampered sometimes. We enjoy it together with my wife, any colors go. It’s pure fun. Unfortunately, i still don’t have the guts to show it in open.
So, mates, don’t even hesitate, if you ever consider to paint your toenails.
right now i’m wearing vanilla bean color on my toes, it looks a lot better than nothing and i have sexy feet for a guy.
sent from: fav.or.it
I’m 42 and I’ve been getting a pedicure with polish every two weeks for about 4 years now.
The first time I did it, it was with a (female) friend who bought me a pedicure/facial/massage package at the local spa. The nail tech and I had a really great conversation and talked briefly about nail polish on men. At the end, blushing, I asked if she could put polish on my nails and she gave me a coat of super-sheer pink.
Since then, I’ve gone back to the same woman and gotten much more adventurous with my color selections. I’m heterosexual, but I have kind of a strong feminine side and getting pedicures feeds that. As a result, I tend to get fairly girly colors. I think it was at least a year before I got anything but sheer pinks. My selection is broader now.
I really like the experience of getting a pedicure almost as much as I like wearing the nail polish. My nail woman (the same one) is really a good conversationalist and she teases me about my girly nails, which is great
It also just feels good! In addition, I’ve always had problems with my feet.. toenails growing in weird directions, all kinds of crazy stuff.. and I haven’t had a single issue since I started getting pedicures, so there’s actually a significant comfort/medical benefit for me.
I’ve dated a few women since I started getting pedicures and the reactions have been neutral, to “that’s kind of cute”, to my current girlfriend’s view – she looooovvves it.
I have gone out in public showing my nails, but only rarely, and then just with really sheer pinks which you wouldn’t expect to get noticed generally. I kind of doubt I’d ever get to that level of comfort, especially since I have no interest at all in “masculine” colors like silvers or blacks – that’s just not what makes it fun for me. I work in a very manly-man environment, and have very manly-man friends. I doubt many of them would find bright pink toenails to be all that cool.
But I’d recommend trying it once to any guy, just for the humor factor if nothing else. Remember, life is about collecting as many diverse experiences as you can so you have something to think about when you’re 95, wetting your pants, and drinking carrot juice through a straw.
I have enjoyed coloring my toenails and have worn anything from pink to red to charcoal gray. I'm not afraid to show it and have even gone to church with sandals on. Obviously no one there would dare make a peep. God is watching! Taking care of my feet has been a joy and color has only made it better. So much better that I've even created a blog about it to help encourage men to try it. It's only paint. It journeys through my first clumsy attempts to the different colors that I've tried. If it's allowed to post it here, check it out at http://9prettypiggies.blogspot.com.
Personally, i think it depends what kind of guy it's on. if it's on some big, old macho dude then no, especially if theyre old. but i'm only fifteen and quite skinny, and i paint my finger nails bright blue, green or black. i guesse i can get away with it because i'm young and what not, but from reading the other comments, i can see this whole "gender roles" manly stereotype thing is still there from the male counterpart, even though it's acceptable for a female to go around dressed like a boy ? well, i could argue about this all day, but i wont.
This is a good point. We see girls in blue jeans and t-shirts every day and no one ever makes any fuss about it, so it is reasonable that it might work the other way. I myself like some deep green polish.
I am a straight male that wear nail polish on my toes all the time. used to be, i didn't let anyone see. Now I don't care. I never wear the "manly" or dark colors. Reds, pinks, berry and lighter purple is about it. When I am on the beach, I get a few looks. In town a few looks and yest no one has tried to be disrespectful to me. A few have looked at them with disgust and some may have wanted to say something, but hey, they didn't. The ladies seem to like it and the nail tech says she is thrilled that I get them done. She wishes it would catch on soon. Most nail people are not used to it but know that it is more popular in other parts of the country. Maybe someday, everywhere…kind of like the ear ring in the 80's.
I've honestly thought about this for years. During the fall there are a lot of holidays where a masquerade party can be a great excuse to get everything done, even if only for a weekend. But the rest of the year it's just the standard manicure & pedicure with no color on either fingers or toe, just a low-gloss clear polish.
Since my my right thumb splits from the tip back toward the nail bed, I'm about ready to go for gel to make it stronger. If it works I'll get gel on all of them.
As for the toes, at next pedicure I'll let the tech do them in a medium/dark blue. Actually, some of the OPI colors are VERY interesting.
And BTW, I'm just a regular guy with a techie engineering job.
I'm almost 40 and I'm just starting to wear a shade of nail polish other than the clear coat. I have a cute face and am looking to wear braids again. I'm going for an androgynous–or even a feminine–look, but I'm straight, and that's the way I'm gonna stay. My wife didn't seem to mind it. If she did, she would've said something about it by now. I say if a guy wants to do it, do it! I'm no less of a man for doing it. Besides, I'm getting too old to worry about what other people think, because, at the end of the day, I gotta be myself.
I have a great respect for women who are confident enough in themselves that they do not feel their femininity diminished by a man who chooses to wear nail polish or make-up. This response however, is aimed mostly at those women who feel it's not 'manly' for a guy to wear nail polish or make-up. For context though: I have an outtie, I'm straight, and I regularly wear both nail polish and mascara. I'm also told that the overall effect is quite masculine.
I have to point out something which I feel is of vital relevance to this discussion: The Feminist Movement. Put simply, the feminist movement was/is about women wanting to be free to choose the course of their life for themselves. Ie: The right of a woman to work if she wishes; To marry when and who she chooses, or not marry at all if she prefers; To have children only when she wants them; And to have equal rights, equal freedoms, and equal opportunities to those that men have. I believe that as people, women deserve that kind of freedom, and I believe that a woman's choice to excercise that freedom doesn't make her any less of a woman in the eyes of a well-adjusted male.
Something else I believe, is that men deserve that kind of freedom too. I also believe that a man's ability to exercise that freedom in what is an essentially homophobic, masculine-centric culture, is a sign of his inner strength and confidence. What I cannot believe, is that any truly well-adjusted woman could consider such a man to be anything other than 'manly', whilst simultaneously exercising her right to choose the life of anything other than a subservient housewife. To maintain such a view would be hypocritical.
There's no justifiable reason why women should be allowed to wear makeup and nail polish, and men should not. It's not 'equal freedom' if the choices of one gender are more limited than the choices of another gender. I'm sorry ladies, but if you want to exercise your equality and still be considered women, then you have to be willing to let guys exercise their equality too, without attaching your personal judgements to their choices. Of course, I'm not saying you have to like it, either. But in light of the ideology that has given you the so-called 'equal freedom' you now enjoy, such double standards are simply not acceptable.
I have been getting pedicures for a couple of years. I never got polish until recently. I was sitting in a chair next to a woman that was getting a French Pedi. I thought it looked great. I told my tail girl to give me a French Pedi also. I have gotten several French pedis since and love the way my toes look. My wife also loves my new look
I wear nail polish and my girlfriend loves it, i think its more acceptable in the younger adults 18-30. there is no reason why men shouldnt wear nail polish, unless they cut their nails too short or something like that.
Wow TJ, your comment really hits the mark!
Thank you for saying what I and I'm sure other men feel about this, but we could not say it as eloquently as you have!
From my teens to 32, I hid my affinity to wear acrylics and nail polish. Mostly because I wasn't sure of the outcome if people saw me, all lacquered up. From 32 on, I've worn acrylic nails and toes full time, usually polished in shades of red, pink or purple. I just turned 41. Do people stare? Sure. Many of them point, crack jokes, giggle, etc. Do I care? Now, I don't, because I came to the conclusion that life is too short. I wish I found the courage to do this in my twenties. I have a steady job, lots of great friends, I'm getting married in a few weeks, and everyone who meets me, never forgets me. Right now my nails are Tammy Taylor pink and white, (with deep smile lines) and my toenails are longer than most, polished bright orange. (I just returned from the Bahamas) My nail tech tells me I'm her only male client who wears acrylics, and she takes extra special care in making sure my nails look fabulous 24/7. So if you're a guy out there, and you want to flaunt your colors, just do it! Honestly, no one cares, and once you get over your insecurity, LIFE is a joy!
TJ – your comment is almost 100% on the mark! Equality is and should be for *everyone*.
I do take a bit of umbrage, however, to your comment about a woman choosing to be "anything other than a subservient housewife".
I'm a pretty hardcore feminist. And a (college-educated) housewife. My husband and I came to the decision for me to take this path *together*, because it suits my peculiar sleep schedule (I'm nocturnal) and interests, and because my taking this role allows him to excel in a career he cares far more about than I did my previous "work".
Nothing about what I do is subservient, except that I am "serving" my needs and my husband's. If anything, it is far more liberating than any work I ever did outside the home. And if someday my husband wants to switch roles, I will not begrudge him the experience.
All that aside, I paint my 4-year-old nephew's nails (mani and pedi) whenever he wishes. And I let him and his sister know as often as the subject comes up that they are free to express themselves however they want in my presence, barring screaming fits and brattiness. I wish more women could feel confident enough in themselves as people that they didn't feel the need to exclude men from areas of potential common interest.
My nephew is just as deserving of being allowed to enjoy nail polish unjudged as any woman is to live her life as she pleases. And I dare ANYone to try and tell me otherwise.
So tell me, what colours does your nephew prefer?
I’ve been wearing mainly reds since I was about 12,(about 40 years).
I wish you had been my aunt, your open mindedness
is most refreshing.
Trina said…
‘TJ – your comment is almost 100% on the mark! Equality is and should be for *everyone*. I do take a bit of umbrage, however, to your comment about a woman choosing to be “anything other than a subservient housewife”. I’m a pretty hardcore feminist. And a (college-educated) housewife.’
Thanks for your response Trina! I enjoy discussion on these and similar issues, and appreciate the opinions of those who can share their views respectfully. I also think it’s great that you’re encouraging self-expression with your niece and nephew, particularly at such an important stage of their psychological development.
There is one thing I would like to note, however.
Please don’t mistake my use of the term ‘subservient housewife’ as an indicator of my personal value system. I actually dislike the term itself, as it tends to convey latent assumptions about perceptions of power disparity between the commonly accepted gender constructs of ‘man’ and ‘woman’; assumptions which I do not personally make, hold or share. However, despite my personal dislike for the term, I also felt it provided an appropriate context for my argument, within which I could illustrate the hypocrisy displayed by those who claim to hold feminist values, yet whom also expect males to adhere to the outmoded societal gender norms that they themselves have rejected. Thus, I rather deliberately made use of the term to point out this hypocrisy to those who blindly toot on the feminist horn, in the hopes it will compel some of them to educate themselves about the limitations of the more popularised versions of feminism.
That said, I must admit that my own understanding of modern feminist theory is somewhat limited – owing mostly to the incongruence I have observed between the apparent self-concepts of certain people in my life who identify as feminist, the lifestyle values they seem to espouse in their day-to-day lives, and the various feminist ideologies they claim to base their values on. I certainly don’t begrudge the right of anyone to identify as a feminist, but at the same time I find it difficult to take anyone seriously when they cling with chauvanistic fervor to an ideology which has been bent, spun, twisted and mangled into little more than a justification for those seeking personal gratification at the expense of others, no matter how noble the origins of that ideology. In this regard, many feminists even today seem to hold values that are more or less equivalent to the values of the patriarchal system they are in the process of deposing; values still based entirely on perceptions of the innate worth of each sex, with the only notable difference being a reversal of polarity of that perceived worth.
On that note, I do find it interesting that as a person who claims to hold values of equality, you would choose to take offence at the satirical use of an outdated male chauvinistic term to highlight a modern female chauvinistic attitude. Granted, the term is a loaded one in feminist circles, but as I mentioned above, its purpose was to illustrate a blatantly hypocritical belief commonly accepted as ultimate truth by many members of the mainstream feminist movement. In that sense I was using the word ‘subservient’ as an adjective to qualify the more general concept of ‘housewife’, not to imply that housewives are or should be subservient. Thus, my use of the term ‘subservient housewife’ was intended to describe a certain kind of housewife.
The circumstances you specified that led to your own current marital situation are a product of mutual agreement stand in direct contrast to the role concept I was referring to. Your circumstances have resulted from the respectful negotiation of roles between yourself and your husband, and you expressly state that these role choices meet the needs of both yourself and your partner. Your tone suggests that factors of dominance and subservience did not enter into the equation; that your mutual decision was born primarily out of collaboration rather than from conflict. In that context, the term I used does not and was never intended to apply to you, nor does it apply to others in a similar situation.
It saddens me that after so many decades of active development of feminist theory, this still has to be explained. I hope it clears up any misunderstandings about my position regarding this topic though.
Wow, awesome attitude Trina. I sincerely wish there were more women who thought like you!
Hey folks, just passing through… I'm still getting pedis with polish, wife still thinks it's cool, I'm still straight, I'm still watching inmates in prison… I've had nothing but positive comments from everyone I've met except for a couple of "hood rats" I encountered while at the museum with my kids. I stared'em down New York style and continued having fun with my kids. I've had women approach me at parties and tell me they were jealous of my feet (I honestly only agree with one, the others all looked way better than me)… Shopping for my wife today, had the manager at a beauty supply store tell me she felt bad that my feet looked better than hers (she had on boots, couldn't tell you how her feet looked). How real is this trend? BB Couture has created a line of polish "Just For Men". If you're looking to see the colors or pick some up, visit http://www.overallbeauty.com and tell'em I sent ya.
I'm a 29 year old male and Ive been painting my toenails with dark colors for years. I've never worn it in public, just because of what others think. I'm glad I've come across this site because it really opened my eyes. I know I shouldn't care what others think, but that's hard sometimes. What really matters is what I think, and I think it looks badass! So I'll be sporting it out this week!
I am SO pleased I found this site. I thought it was just me!
Like so many here, I’m Straight and married. A couple of years ago, my wife painted my toenails when I was asleep and when I woke up, I loved the look. She did it a few times then got uncomfortable with it – she was worried I was going to end up wanting to become a woman!
We’ve enjoyed going to spas etc throughout our relationship of 7 years and over the past year we have started exploring this stuff again. Sweaty armpits caused me to start getting them waxed. I love it. I get my back done too. As soon as I can find someone to do it, I want to go for a “back sack and crack”.
At a recent trip to the spa, she surprised me by booking me a pedicure and when I had it, the therapist was almost apologetic that she wanted to put on some clear polish. I just wanted to shout that I wanted coloured, but chickened out! Then, on a recent trip to the US, I popped into a 20-minute spa at the airport and had a manicure and pedicure. Clear on both and the therapist didn’t bat an eyelid.
That’s where I am now. Next, I want to start having my toes painted in a fairly pale colour. The fingers are gonna have to stay clear due to work, though.
I find myself wanting to be a girl. I don’t mean I want a sex change, or even to try and pass as female, but just to experience the whole female pampering thing. Like Aaron above, I want to get in on this. I want the right to take care of my skin. I’d love to wear (very subtle) makeup and to really take care of my skin. Unfortunately, at 44 I think I’ve missed the whole “manscara” and “guyliner” thing – I just look silly (I have tried!) My job means I couldn’t get away with it at work anyway. I also wouldn’t want to worry my wife – I love her too much to hurt her and whilst she can cope with the polish, sharing her whole makeup bag would probably be a bit too much.
Oh well, I can dream.
I’m 34 straight and have a gf who i have been with for 10 years.I’ve been wearing nail polish on my toes & fingers since I was 16 and the clours have mostly been bright red or dark red, but have worn black,dark pink, british racing green,blues or choclate brown and my finger nails are quite long. But I don’t just wear polish out in public with sandles, but with high heels and girlie jewlery and my gf loves the look. I do it all th time as every day fasion and get all kinds of reactions good and bad but not worried about the comments as it is what I like to do and my gf don’t mind and thats fine by me. so if you wont to do it…then go on do it.male and female are not alound any more to be sexist in the work place so why should it be sexist in the fasion world.
Love To All XXX
Aaron, I love what you said. I wear bright red on my fingers. I just had a mani yesterday and I love it. I do it every 2-3 weeks. I am 48 straight male that just love the fem side of life.
I’m heterosexual and I paint my toenails/fingernails. I like to stick to a certain blue that I like or a metallic light pink. I have just recently started to wear them out in public and have had some really positive reactions and some odd reactions (generally from uneducated people who look funnier to me than I do to them I’m sure). I just stopped caring one day and hit the road with my toenails painted and pedicured. I go just about everywhere I can wear flip flops to, with my toenails painted. You can see a pic of my toenails on my blog: http://tonisargent.blogspot.com
My guy and I finally went in and had a spa pedicure together. What a difference it made, I don’t know why I waited so long to convince him that he (we) really needed this. I can even snuggle him in bed now and I don’t get all scratched by his rough skin. I encouraged him to try polish too and so he got a dark silvery-gray color applied. Wow, did his feet look sexy afterwards!
That was one of the first things my wife noticed (after the color of course) NO ROUGH, SRATCHY FEET IN BED!!! She loves it.
i wear nail polish on my toes.most of the time.pink and dark reds mostly,i wish i was brave enoght to go get a set of acrylics nails done on my fingers i love to wear femine things.sould i go for it?
yes go 4 it it would be great with acrylics, all though i don’t wear acrylics as i grow my own nails and my gf shapes and paints my longish nails.
wear high heels to with peep toe so u can show your polish of more sexy.
I to get my nails done once a month. The manicurists not only files and buffs my nails but gives a hot lotion massage to my hands. It feels great. The massage lasts about 20 minutes per hand. After which she puts on a nail hardener. The last time she ask me if I wanted to try a new polish for men. She said it accents the nail bed but leaves the nail looking cleaner without the polished look. The polish was a translucent pink color. I allowed her to do it. Upon letting it dry I noticed that it actually looked like my nail beds could be seen but the color disappeared at the tips of the nails where light could penetrate. The nails actually looked healthier then they have ever looked prior. Even though there was a little gloss to them, I liked the way they looked. I showed them to my girlfriend who said they looked fantastic as oppose to what some guys had done with regular polish. A couple of my male friends went and had it done. Their girlfriends were also impressed. Have any of you had a similar experience with this type of nail polish. I don’t know the manufacturer or even if it is available on the open market. (I’ve Looked) She did give me a little in a plain bottle for touch ups, but I would like to buy it.
Well, this guy wore blue nail polish for a day and lived to tell about it:
http://overallbeauty.com/beauty-blog/2010/02/09/nails-tale-true-account-of-a-man-wearing-nail-polish-bb-couture-vise-on-his-hands/
This one is me
The “really tough job” is Corrections Officer (prison guard). Sometimes on my days off I do my fingernails too, but the toes are ALWAYS done.
http://overallbeauty.com/beauty-blog/2009/10/11/got-the-blues-military-blues-nail-polish-that-is/
I Am an 18 year old male and I proudly sport French tips with a lovely coat of clear…. total chick magnet nobody seems to have a problem with them and if they did I wouldn’t care
Hello i am a 27 year old man (straight) and i have been wearing Black Nail polish for about 8 months On and off.
I have a Girlfriend and she is find with me wearing it, She is even talking about doing Other colors like Blue etc etc =P
I just started painting my toes as well.
I really like the look of Nail polish and it’s nice to paint my nails when i am bored “gives me something to do” i don’t keep my nails that long but still try and keep them somewhat long so it’s easier to paint them, Really short nails are very hard to paint LOL.
I think it’s really, really sad that so many young people (I’m talking to you ladies) would be so brainwashed as to think that something as superficial as nail polish has anything to do with the masculinity of, much less the kind of person a man is just because he wears nail polish. Drag out your house dresses girls, put on your pearls and take your little sexist fannies back to the kitchen where you obviously belong. You make me embarrassed to be female and I’ve got 20-30 years on nearly all of you.
nice to have a laddie on r side,sandi great comment
I am a 57-year old married straight male who has dark metallic grey nail polish on my fingers and black nail polish on my toes.
I frequently wear sandals showing my toenails and a jean skirt. I have even worn them to my church’s choir practice, and when I wore the skirt I was the only one who had a skirt on at the time. (I sing bass). The reactions for the most part are very restrained.
The grey nail polish goes well with my grey suit (coat, shirt, pants, and tie) on Sunday morning.
So, guys, if painting your nails floats your boat, by all means, DO IT! We men sorely need to expand our wardrobe options!
I’m a 35 year old married straight man with kids. I wear clear polish on my feet, occasionally on my fingers too when I feel edgy
. I have a few other grooming behaviors that might be considered feminine by many, but I just consider it my right to feel clean and look nice. Why should men stay looking like cavemen to be normal?
I should note I also enjoy wearing shoes in public that are not always considered ‘mens’ shoes. I do it tastefully and blend it in well with my outfit so overall it appears androgynous and most don’t even notice any thing different. So I am told I do not in any way look flamboyant or outwardly feminine, I just feel men’s shoes are boring and I want to wear what I want. I don’t give a damn what others say.
I’m a 30 year gay male and sumbled on you blog by accident. I wear all sorts of colour nail polish when ever I want to. Colour needs to complement my clothes (or not)
I don’t care what other people think or say, there are fare more urgent matters in the world than my nails. If I don’t wear nail polish they are manicured.
Funny to know is that nail polish was invented for men. A lot of people don’t know that. Egyptian pharaos and Chinese Emperors were the first ever to wear nail polish. There is some debate though about who had it first, the Egyptians or Chinese. Matter of fact remains that they were still men.
I like to put in my comment. I never thought of putting on nail polish on my toes but that changed with the world champion ship soccer. I am Dutch, living in Canada for 36 yrs and I dressed up in orange for every soccer came the Dutch played. I told my wife that I wanted to go into the extreme and painted my toe nails also orange. It was weird for a moment but then it started to grow on me and began to like it and still use nail polish to this day, I use clear polish for my fingers. And so, there is not a specific dress code that says only female can walk around with painted nails, not us guys. Having that said I remember when the European Parliament in Strassbourg, issued a degree in the summer of 1966 that women where allowed to wear slacks and not a single person or group complained. We guys we almost have to bend over backwards in order to get some equality. All the above comments are corrects when they said we guys don’t look after our feet as we should and you don’t have to be gay, bi ( I am Bi ) and married or anything else but we are so quick to label a person which is totally wrong.
Thanks.
Tom
I since then backed off from wearing nail polish on my fingernails, after deciding that it was too feminine looking and was too high maintenance. I still have nail polish on my toenails.
If I didn’t have long hair, nor wore skirts, nore wore women’s sandals I think I could have nail polish on my fingernails but as it is it is just a bit much.