Steve Granitz/WireImageA less-is-more movement is sweeping fashion and beauty, in which makeup is a bit softer (if not non-existent) and fashion is more streamlined (with celebs like Jessica Alba and Blake Lively recently wearing monochromatic looks). And the latest celebrity nail looks are following suit.
Artsy expressions are still being worn but in a more understated way. Full-on, patterned neon gives way to negative space designs, and loud hues are replaced with creamy pastel shades decked with metallic accents. As fashion-forward stars know, this wave of styling isn't about going normcore—it's about playing up nails while simultaneously going softer.
Take Rita Ora's mani at the MTV Movie Awards. She kept her nails in a fierce, sharpened shape, but painted them a tranquil robin's egg blue and added singular diamond-shaped studs on the middle fingers only.
Olivia Wilde let her dress do the talking at the Tumbledown premiere and matched its graphic print with on-trend nude nails. My fellow E! Style Collective member Whitney Port had a similar idea when attending a Los Angeles event for her line, Whitney Eve, by pairing a washed-out manicure with a collection of bling-y rings.
And Debi Mazar stepped out in Soho last week with a gold-tipped negative-space mani to accentuate her all-cream outfit and color-saturated bag.
To get in on the trend, swap high-gloss gels for a matte finish or try creamy pastel shades, pretty nudes and peach for a splash of color.
Go forth and paint nails softly—when paired with metallic accents, stacks of rings or bright clothes and bags, your mani can make just as strong a statement as last season's intricately-drawn and powerfully-pigmented nail art.