Fall 2011 Nail Polish Trend – Real F*cking Grey Is Back!
I don’t know about you but I am so sick of “greige” and “griolet” and every other bastardization of grey nail polish. To the point that it’s extremely refreshing to see the real deal re-emerge as a hot nail polish trend for Fall 2011. It’s not exactly like grey has been on hiatus for the past few years but it was feeling pretty tired post-2008 and I’m ecstatic to see it coming back.
During NYFW Teen Vogue’s Eva Chen tweeted from backstage at Rag & Bone about the Revlon Stormy Canvas nail color Manicurist Jin Soon Choi used. Jin was quoted as saying, “I love this color because it’s a true grey. I’m sick of greige,” and upon reading that all I could say was, “Yes! Real f*cking grey is back!” Sorry, I’m just not the type to use “effing” in my everyday vernacular. The boyfriend, who I constantly embarrass with my ill-timed, foul-mouthed outbursts, would concur.
Black and grey are pretty much staple colors in most fall wardrobes but it wasn’t until 2007/8 that grey really became a staple in nail world. Before brands like Rescue Beauty Lounge and China Glaze started producing hot greys, we were left to franken our own. I still remember, with longing, the dove grey CND previewed at the Fall ’08 shows that was slated to go into production before they overhauled their polish line. Now, we have so many grey nail polish options it would make Rachel Zoe proud.
Grey is the new Grey (Fall 2011 Release) – all polishes are shown using two coats
From left to right - Pop Beauty Foggy (laying down), Zoya Tao, Deborah Lippmann Stormy Weather, Nails Inc Paddington, Finger Paints Stunning Stiletto (laying across), Essie Power Clutch, Sally Hansen Dorien Gray, China Glaze Concrete Catwalk
China Glaze Concrete Catwalk ($3, Head2ToeBeauty, TransDesign. $6, Sally Beauty) is a blue-based wet cement creme. It’s the moody, blackened older sister of fan fave China Glaze Recycle.
Deborah Lippmann Stormy Weather ($16, DeborahLippmann.com, Barneys, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom) is a deep granite creme that was created with Narciso Rodriguez for his Fall 2011 collection. It doesn’t bear any resemblance to that other “Stormy” grey we all know so well (see below). It’s much darker and moodier and blue-based as opposed to green.
Essie Power Clutch ($8, Essie.com for locations and online shopping) I feel completely colorblind when it comes to this color. It’s described by Essie as “green” and yet I’ve been wearing it for over a week and do not see it as green, no matter the lighting. Yes, it has a green base but I would never file this away in my green Helmer drawer.
Finger Paints Stunning Stilettos ($4.99, SallyBeauty.com) really would make a “stunning” shoe color. I’d probably scuff the heck out of them in a week this blue-based mid-tone grey would pair perfectly with any ensemble.
Nails Inc Paddington ($9.50, Sephora.com) is knocking on the door of “almost black” territory so this green-based grey is great for all the vampy nail polish lovers out there.
Pop Beauty Foggy ($10, PopBeautyCosmetics.com, ULTA) isn’t really a fall collection release but it’s relatively new enough for me to include. It has a neutral, rubbery base color that’s been glammed up with silvery shimmer and micro-glitter. I dig that they didn’t pack in so much sparkle that it messed with the integrity of the color. It’s still a grey at its core.
Sally Hansen Dorien Grey ($7.99 at drugstores and mass retailers nationwide) is the palest of the new greys and has that fresh and clean feeling that I love about dove hues. It’s work safe for even the most conservative offices but still on trend.
Zoya Tao ($8, Zoya.com) is unique in that it’s a medium grey with shimmer that doesn’t venture into the more traditional gunmetal territory. It’s softer and more feminine while maintaining that urban edge normally associated with grey. Think uptown meets downtown.
The OG’s – The “Original Greys” in my stash
Not all of these shades are still available but if you have them in your nail wardrobe, now is the time to rock ‘em.
Click the names to view swatches: Illamasqua DWS, RGB Steel (laying across), Orly Mirror Mirror, ULTA Concrete Evidence (bottom), Zoya Dove (top), Rescue Beauty Lounge Stormy (laying down), China Glaze Pelican Gray.
CND Asphalt, American Apparel Factory Grey (laying down), Barry M Grey, Essence Movie Star, China Glaze Recycle, Barielle U-Concrete-Me (laying across), OCC Dangerous, Models Own Moody Grey.
Best colors to pair with Grey – Teal, eggplant, sapphire, plum
Thoughts on the Real Grey nail color trend? Are you happy to see it make a comeback? Or did you never stop wearing it? Are you over “greige” as much as I am? Which new colors do you plan to pick up? What are your favorite grey nail polishes?
Disclosure: Product samples were provided by reps for China Glaze, Deborah Lippmann, Essie, Finger Paints, Nails Inc, Sally Hansen and Zoya. I purchased Pop Beauty Foggy. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.
I love all of the colors you presented (except maybe for the Pop Beauty Foggy) – thank you for sharing!
I’m going to have to see if I can find that Sally Hansen “Dorien Grey” ..it looks gorg, and I haven’t seen it anywhere yet!
I have not worn a grey polish–yet. I have Zoya’s matte Loredana on order, and will be ordering Tao in the future (though on my spoon it looked a bit more blue-y than grey).
But I LOVE grey as a color–my favorite sweatshirt/hoodie/turtleneck are all grey. SOFT lovely grey.
I think the word “greige” is just….weird.
God, I love greys, so happy this color is back!!!!
I like standard grey shades on other people, but I think it would fall flat on my very golden skin tone. However, Concrete Catwalk looks dark enough for me to pull off.
China Glaze Pelican Gray manicure WILL be done this weekend. Already thinking about how i’ll jazz it up with nail art…
Would be nice to see comparisons of the colours. I’m specially interested to see how Toa would Compare to Zoya Freja (I know they are not dupes but would like to see how they differ). Concrete Catwalk looks like a must buy to me!
I’m wearing Freja right now, but it would be interesting to compare them side by side. I would describe Freja as several shades darker with some dark blue-black thrown in. I’m really loving it. I wanted a shiny, not-quite-black, and this is great.
I love grey, Essie Power Clutch arrived about a fortnight ago and it has never been off my nails.
A fantastic grey with touches of green in certain light and it gets a lot of compliments.
My favorite new grey this fall is Sephora by OPI’s Frankly I Don’t Give A-Dam, because it’s such a TRUE grey! No green, purple, blue, anything. Just grey. Love it!
I didn’t know this color was out! I have Suzi Skies in the Pyrineese (sp) that is a dark charcoal grey that I absolutely love!
I still am a fan of the greige colors. Essie power clutch is one of my new favorites! It is so flattering and gorgeous!
Love the pop beauty foggy color, I need to get that!
Actually, I believe the Revlon nail polish is called Smoky Canvas, not Stormy Canvas. I just today had bought Revlon nail polish in Smoky Canvas and I absolutely LOVE it. I just put it on only a few moments ago and I think it is a beautiful grey against my skin tone.
VERY opaque with just one coat so it’s definitely one of my favorites now!
I’ve been looking for a good grey nail polish for a few months now! Definitely going to look for the China Glaze or Essie
I’m wearing Joe Fresh’s “Fog” right now and loving it. For $4(CAN), it’s well worth trying!
OW My Godness!!! Here, in Brazil we´ll be starting the spring and the most color used will be Orange, coral, etc. It´s nice see the colors for 2012! xOxO
: )
I’ve been really enjoying gray nail polishes shades for a few years. The lighter shades didn’t pair well with my skin tone (Silver Screen by Revlon), however it does pair really well with cocktail rings. So the lighter shade stays! : ) Isn’t just incredible what a simple accessory can change the mood like this? *snaps fingers*
So far I still love the “greige” looks. Well, my fav gray polishes: Power Clutch (essie), Steel Her Heart (Revlon), Gunmetal (Sally Hansen),Black Platimum by Sally Hansen (like the name suggests black, but there are hints of gray, or blame it on my eyes hehehehe)
Best,
Bibi
I’ve always been in love with grey as a nailcolor and though I don’t much care about what is “in” and “out” when it comes to my beloved polish colors *g*, I still do like it when “my” colors become trendy *gg*
My favorites are the bunch of Nubar’s Fortress Collection, along with Zoya Dove and China Glaze Concrete Walk. They’re just so versatile and suit almost all of my clothes
I LOVE gray. I never stopped wearing it. True classics never go out of style. It is a staple for me.
I’m still lamenting the loss of “Concrete Jungle” (my favorite light gray) from RBL’s lineup.
Oh, and I seriously want that POP Beauty Foggy! Great subtle shimmer!
CND Asphalt is stunning, and it now comes in Shellac too! Love it!
thank god because I hold true to this grey I have from CND.
I’m so over the greige. I just bought what I thought would be a light army green with slight grey undertones. On my nail it’s grey with green undertone… ugh.
[...] Beauty, $10.00 (above photo is from All Lacquered Up. See her fabulous post on gray nail polishes here for a multitude of great options) J Crew Scarf that I picked up in-store, on sale for $19.95 (- an [...]
Gray is not my color…
OPI Skull and Glossbones?
I can’t find Dorien Gray anywhere! It looked like there was a space for one at my local CVS but it was no where to be found!
I love these grey shades >_
I’m quite a fan of “Frankly, I Don’t Give A-Dam” by Sephora O.P.I.. It’s a really pretty grey on the the lighter side, but still very opaque.
I just bought “cocktail bling” by Essie today and I love it!