There are some parts of our biological male selves we can’t avoid when we dress. Broad shoulders are one example. Another is our hands. Trying to feminize our hands can often be a struggle as they’re not exactly something we can cover up. There are many ways to shape and manicure your nails that will work for just about any level of crossdresser. So whether you are living every day in femme mode or you’re a once a month girl, you can find a shape and style that works for you.
WHY WORRY ABOUT YOUR NAILS
You may wonder why you should worry about your nails. Or you may feel you don’t have enough time in femme mode to add nail care to your long list of to-dos. One positive of nicely manicured nails is that as it feminizes your hands, it will make you more confident in your femme look. If you are dressing for drag shows, for example, the way your nails look is imperative to your overall presentation. Plus, with so many colors, shapes, and add-ons that you can do, you can really show some of your personality right on your nails.
HOW TO CHOOSE A NAIL SHAPE
Trying to compliment your fingers with the right shape depends on your fingers and nail beds. It pays to work with the shape of your hands, fingers and nail bed to really make your nails look dynamite. We recommend using our guide below to give you a little help on matching your fingers to some nail shapes that will work for you.
Round
For most of us that don’t have the ability to really have long nails, the round style works great. It’s a subtle look that will give off the look of elongated fingers due to the naturally curved shape. Many men will get manicures with clear polish when in guy mode and when in femme mode, choose a color that works for them. This is really the best of both worlds if you are in stealth femme mode. This is a great style for those of you with short fingers and short or narrow nail beds. Plus this style goes great with any color polish and is a simple style for a beginner as the maintenance on them is quite low.
Almond
Almond shaped nails have slim sides and a rounded tip. This shape will slim fingers, giving your hands an overall slimmer look. This is a good shape for long and thin nail beds. A nude or neutral color works best with this shape as well as a metallic or shiny look. This is also a great feminine look, so you can add a little extra femme to your femme.
Oval
Also known as the U Shaped nail, an Oval nail is great for shorter fingers or hands with short nail beds. It’s a classic look and is one of the most popular shapes for those that want to have longer nails. Like the Almond shape, the Oval also helps wider fingers look thinner and short fingers look longer. This is a great style for those that enjoy having nail art on their nails.
Square
The Square is one of the most popular shapes and offers a bit of elegance for those classy girls out there. This shape also gives off a widening effect on your fingers and hands, so if you already have larger hands this may not be the style for you. Square nails work for long and narrow nailbeds and is a low maintenance shape so if you can grow your nails out and want easy upkeep, the square is for you. A bright and bold color or a high shine polish looks great on square nails.
Pointed (Stiletto)
Pointed nails are not for everyone but can really vamp up your look. Rihanna and Adele are famous for their Stiletto nails. These take a lot of upkeep to keep the shape right. This will elongate your hands and give them a slender look. You will need to have strong long nails to pull this off. This is the ‘Hey look at me!” nail shape and is often a favorite shape for Drag Queen nails. If you do not want pointed nails, but want a long shape, an offshoot of this is the coffin/ballerina shape which instead of having a sharp tip is flat on top. Elaborate colors or designs will ramp this style up even more.
GETTING NICER NAILS
If you are trying to grow your nails out, it’s important to take care of them on a regular basis. First and foremost, don’t bite or pick at your nails. Besides it being a nasty habit, it won’t help your nails get any shape or good growth. Try using a nail file as it will also start you down the path of shaping your nails. If you are a nail biter, a good way to avoid it is to go to a salon for a manicure. This way they can keep your nails looking nice with or without any polish and as I said earlier, these days it is very common for a man to go into a salon for a mani/pedi. Clear polish is a great way to avoid biting your nails as I don’t think it would taste very good.
If all else fails, you can always get some false nails. False Crossdresser nails are a great fix as you can still shape them. This way you can even try out different shapes to see which suits you best. If you don’t know how to do nails as far as upkeep and trimming/shaping this is also great practice since with false nails you can just replace them and start over.
LOOKING AFTER YOUR NAILS
There are a few factors in nail care once you decide to grow and shape them. One major thing to consider is your profession. If you use your hands a lot, the longer styles may not work for you, aside from that if you are not used to having long nails prior to now, it may take some getting used to as far as using a keyboard or a cell phone. Another factor is the cost of upkeep. If you are just working on your nails at home, it’s one thing, but if you plan on visiting a salon each week for manicures and upkeep, that will add weekly expenses that you should plan for. Lastly, be sure that the look you choose (shape and/or colors) work in the way you want them too. For example, if you are not a flashy person, stay away from stiletto or coffin shaped nails. If you need to stay in stealth femme mode, keep the rounded look as you can go from guy to girl pretty seamlessly with that shape.
When caring for your nails at home, a good rule of thumb is to soak your nails in water first as it will soften the calcified growths. Dry them off and start with a nail clipper or manicure scissors (this is totally your preference). Keep in mind it could take 3-6 months to get a decently long nail, so the more you trim, the longer it can take. When cutting, try and cut the nails straight across and then round them on the sides. Your next step would be to file your nails after cutting. That will smooth any sharp edges from the cuts as well as help you to shape your nails to the style you want. For this step, your nails must be dry or you can still be left with some sharp edges.
We’ll often get asked about nail polish and what finishes work best. Regular nail polish will start to chip within a day or two but is also easy to remove, making it an easy choice for those of you that only dress occasionally. If you go with gel polish, it will last a couple of weeks, which is a plus but takes more time and effort to remove on your own. There are home removal kits available online or at most retailers or you can have the gel removed at a salon. If you are doing at home manicures with regular nail polish, use a base coat and a top coat as having three layers of nail polish will help the longevity of your nails and protect them as well. You can get base and top coat nail polish at any major retailer as well.
If you really want to take your femme lifestyle a little further and have the ability to do so, having nicely manicured nails are a great way to add some femininity to your overall look. There is a style here for just about anyone, so depending on how often or secretly you dress, you can find one that suits you.
Glamour Boutique always loves to hear what our girls have to say. Let us know what nail shapes you wear or your favorite nail polish. Message us on our Facebook Page or email us at glambmarketing@gmail.com. For more beauty and fashion tips, be sure to head over to our blog.