Unpainted toe-nails like going out in your underwear?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
What does "upper class" mean? Is this in reference to education, type of profession, blue blood/non-blue blood?

This is the PP who wrote this. I don't think it's easy to define "classes" in the U.S., which is a good thing. People who come from modest childhoods end up in the "upper" based on any measure you want, but there remains a cultural style to that group. It's also regional, I think. West coast, east coast differences plus northern and southern. Like any group of people there are still trends and styles. Highly educated, professional, East coast women are less likely to wear polish. That's kind of a "so what?" but my point was just that no one should make you feel dirty or unkempt for not wearing polish.

Went to dinner last night with 3 friends -- we're all East Coasters, all Connecticut and New York natives, all educated at Ivy or Seven Sisters schools, all with graduate or professional degrees from top schools, all from "comfortable" families of origin, all doing well financially now. For you sociology fans out there, one of us is old-line WASPY, one Jewish, and two RCs, one Irish and one Italian. Three of us went to good suburban public high school and one went to boarding school. Oh, and, we all live in close-in DC suburbs -- in MoCo. Three of the four have children in MCPS, one has children in independent schools. Three of us work part-time, one is returning to school for a second master's degree.

All of us had pretty toes.

I do agree, though, that I would never consider someone "dirty or unkempt" for not wearing polish.

[Anonymous]

I didn't read the rest of the posts, but I NEVER paint my toenails. Honestly, I don't give my toenails much thought at all and I do wear sandals in the summer.

I can't afford pedicures, don't have time and don't have the motivation to do them for myself.

I'm normally a reasonably considerate person, but how does it effect anybody else whether or not my toenails are well-kept? They don't smell or anything.

If it bugs people, I just say MYOB and worry about your own feet.

[Anonymous]

Nail polish was a sign of a whore 50 years ago.

Sometimes I wear it, sometimes I don't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nail polish was a sign of a whore 50 years ago.

Sometimes I wear it, sometimes I don't.

You know what else was a pretty good tipoff that someone was a prostitute? Visible undergarments.

[Anonymous]

To 23:41 = ah, but the paychecks are quite pleasant. No one goes into BigLaw for the work atmosphere, lol.

[Anonymous]

wow, I wish I had never read this. I, for one, hate HATE toe nail polish and pedicures. I wear sandals all the time (never to work) and never thought people paid this much attention to my feet. Now I'm feeling very self conscious!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To 23:41 = ah, but the paychecks are quite pleasant. No one goes into BigLaw for the work atmosphere, lol.

I don't doubt it. It's just me - I tried the corporate life but couldn't handle the unpleasant atmosphere and co-workers. Thought money alone would be enough to motivate me, but it really wasn't. I like working with friendly people in an office I look forward to going to every morning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:wow, I wish I had never read this. I, for one, hate HATE toe nail polish and pedicures. I wear sandals all the time (never to work) and never thought people paid this much attention to my feet. Now I'm feeling very self conscious!

I am no-nonsense when it comes to my hands...can't stand polish or long nails...kept clean and short. I worked in labs for years (school and first job)...all that hand-washing made it impossible to keep a manicure. Then--afer kids..chipped too easily.

However, I LOVE pedicures. It is my guilty pleasure. When all else is coming unglued I can look down and be happy with my pretty feet...an hour in the massage chairs reading a mag while somebody works on them and offers me drinks is also very nice.

[Anonymous]

To 13:01 - so what type of place do you work? A non profit? Fed govt?

[Anonymous]

This is definitely a regional thing. Southern women are all about fun, colorful sandals and painted toe nails. Makes sense because they can typically wear sandals about 8+ months out of the year and it is too darn hot in the summer to wear closed-toe shoes.

My no-nonsense, East Coast friends are much less about make up, jewelry, nail polish in general. I honestly think it is fine either way.

Personally, I feel naked walking out of the house without earrings and would feel bashful if my toes weren't painted and were showing. Part of that is covering up my old ballet feet and trying to make them look a bit nicer. And a good pedicure can last you at least a month to 6 weeks if you start off super-short and they use good products.

[Anonymous]

I don't feel naked with unpainted nails, but I do feel that I'm not quite put together. It feels like when I realize I've forgotten earrings, or when I realize that something I'm wearing doesn't fit right. Not a big deal, but a bit unnerving.

[Anonymous]

Oh wow, 6 pages about toes and nailpolish. Dizzamn!

I get what the fuss is about and personally sometimes do feel a bit nude without toe nail polish but it's pretty crazy to worry about someone else's toes. I mean, yeah, there are plenty of toes I'd rather not see -- but frankly I'm more freaked by corns, bunions (which I'm getting BTW, so there's karma getting me already) and hammertoe. And heel spurs. And chicks with huge blisters visible on heels or tops of feet or whatever from their LAST pair of ill fitting shoes. I could go on, but we're talking nail polish on toes.

Personally, I think toenails that are nicely clipped, very clean, and buffed, look just as nice as painted toenails. Since I've recently started thinking more about the chemicals I put on and into my body, this is a good thing! Then again my toes ARE painted right now.

[Anonymous]

What about men's ugly hairy feet with horn-like toenails and dead skin? *Shudder* They don't seem to worry about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When I see a woman wearing colored toenail polish, I think white trash.

When I see a post like this one, I think ill-mannered bitch.


Agree with the PPs who said it's the long toenails that are most disturbing, esp. the "french pedicure". Give me unpainted and short anyday over that!

White trash whores always hate being called out. Enjoy the pedi and the herps, hon!

[Anonymous]

I am now completely confused. Not painting your toenails is unacceptable but painting your toenails a color or french is also not acceptable? I guess the only other option is clear but then how do you know whether someone has painted their toenails? I hope you are not feeling a strangers toes to check.

As a person who like simplicity, I don't wear sandals other than to the pool or around the backyard and I never paint my toenails. I don't paint my fingernails either so I am very much at a loss at what this is all about on this thread.