Last year, I lamented the aggressive nostalgic influence on many fashion and beauty trends — and make no mistake, I'm still tired of it (if not even more). I have been shocked and disappointed, though, that among all the resurgent trends, toenail art has yet to have its moment.
As a kid, I loved getting a cute design on my big toes at the nail salon, usually those abstract stripes that look like they could be a flower and feel distinctly tied to the '90s and '00s. It was fun to look down and see white lines mixed with smaller glittery ones on whatever bright polish adorned my toes. For my birthday in 2021, I decided it was time to indulge in having my toes decorated once again.
One thing you should know about me is that plain-and-simple manicures are not my style. I lean toward colorful, flashy designs on long nail extensions — the kind of nails that immediately catch the eye and get you compliments. Even if I'm painting my natural nails, I try to add some sort of accent nail (typically a glitter polish) or spruce them up with a textured finish (anyone remember crackled nail polish?).
But when I decided it was time to revive toenail art in my life, I was determined to walk out of the nail salon with some adornment on my toes, even if it was the most basic of swirls. I didn't want to ask for anything too wild and befuddle the nail artist, but it still needed to have enough pizazz to feed my love of nail art. I ended up with a few lines and dots in white and gold glitter polishes on my teal-painted big toes.
I started google searching for inspiration for future appointments, but I was left wanting. I rarely struggle to find inspo for my manicures (I've seen artists take inspiration from thermal heat imaging to auras to geodes and more), so why was it so hard to find something for my toenails?
After several failed google searches, I instead looked to Instagram and Tiktok, scrolling through hashtags like #toenaildesign and #pedicurenailart. I still struggled to find what I wanted, but Instagram was far more successful for me as I discovered artists who regularly do pedicure designs.
Hawaii-based nail artist Ayumi Hashiro's interpretation of toenail art includes marbled designs that look like pink quartz, rainbows that resemble freshly dyed Easter eggs, and florals rendered in several different styles. She tells Allure that many of her local clients request pedicure art because living in Hawaii means you're bound to show off your toes on the beach. However, she says, in comparison to folks in Japan, where she used to work, people in the United States are still most loyal to simple pedicures.
Then there's San Diego-based nail artist Raymeshia Williams, whose pièce de résistance is Homer Simpson's likeness on a big toe, also featuring sprinkle-doughnut accents. She's noticed pedicure nail art gaining in popularity in recent years, she tells Allure, largely due to social media and independent nail artists broadcasting their creative work. She's created pedicures with designs that range from classic white polish to holographic checkerboard patterns. But her love for bling might be my favorite part of her pedicures: She plays around with placement, adding gems to border a French tip or to a small sliver of the nail.
Maryland-based nail artist Alexis Johnson is all about the details. "It's fun putting art on a small canvas," she tells Allure. "It challenges me to do more detailed designs and to perfect my craft." She's done a zebra-print pedicure and added shimmery purple-marbled designs to the big toes of another. But some of her best work might be her adaptation of the trendy pop art manicure onto her client's toes in two different colors: one foot red, the other orange. Another favorite of mine is a graphic pedicure featuring random multicolored designs, including crosses, squiggles, and hearts, on each toe.
Clearly, these artists prove that if you dig a little deeper, there is innovative pedicure art out there. Still, I wonder why toenail art hasn't taken off in a big way. Could it be because photographing feet is hard and… kind of weird? As someone who has had many failed attempts in documenting her own pedicures, as evidenced below, I completely understand.
Or maybe it's because finding a nail artist who mostly, or often, does pedicure art isn't an easy task. For manicures, I tend to seek out artists via Instagram, scrolling through their page to see if their work aligns with what I want. When my feet need some extra love, I just go to a local nail salon that I've usually vetted based on cleanliness.
But as Y2K nostalgia continues to take hold of our Instagram feeds, my hope is that pedicure art will return to the forefront — and that other artists will take a cue from these talented nail techs who are creating the funky, bold pedicures I'm looking for. Maybe this article will even inspire some TikTokers to try an intricate design at home. In the meantime, I'll be making a special request for colorful swirls and glitter accents whenever I go to my local salon — because every trend has to start somewhere.
Read more stories about nail art:
- 27 Almond Nail Designs That Show Why It's a Go-To Shape for Manicurists
- Geode Nail Art Is Taking Off, and It's so Easy to Do at Home
- Fresh Nail Art Ideas From Manicurists Around the World
Now watch Anna Kendrick try nine things she's never done before:
