Work Appropriate Nail Polish

[Ashleybubbles83]

My job just issued a "grooming standards" handbook with guidelines for our work appearance. The biggest issue discussed was nail color. I was used to having all kinds of fun colors and designs, but now I am limited to solid colors (no more designs, no konading)- red, pink, peach, mauve, white, ivory and clear. Not the best colors, i know, but I'm quite thankful for the red and pink! As as far as glitter, the only way i can wear glitter on my nails is if its the same color as the polish. Right now I'm wearing a red polish that has red glitter, and i'm ok, but i have a flower and 1 rhinestone on two nails and my boss was all agitated about it! I can't even be festive for the holidays coming up! Anyone have suggestions for me on good shades of the colors listed? I'm having trouble because I wanna get the black nails for halloween but I also don't want to get written up at work!

 

[Daph_]

Aw that sucks! If there are no designs allowed I don't know how you could incorporate halloween nails; maybe add a polish that lights up under blacklight? lol! (I have to say that I think it's pretty weird to allow white polish while greens and blues for example are off limits.. White can be so stark!) How about browns? Do you think they would allow that? Or taupes?

What kinda job do you have?

Some color recommendations:
Red:
- China Glaze Ruby Pumps
- OPI Smitten With Mittens (same feel as Ruby Pumps)
- China Glaze Short n Sassy
- Essie Scarlet O'Hara
- Essie After Sex
- Zoya Nidhi
- Chanel Gondola
- RBL Bruised
- Barielle Pin Up
- MAC Concubine
- Misa Cherry Glazed

There are some red flakies as well, Nfu Oh 059 and 060 have red tones in them so they might be able to spice your mani up as well..

Pink:
- China Glaze Something Sweet
- OPI Princesses Rule! (can work as a topcoat as well)
- OPI Mediterranean Moonlight (more peachy tho, but it's one of my fave 'workappropriates')
- Zoya Gilda
- Zoya Bebe
- Ciaté Mainstage
- Orly Lollipop (It's more of a lavender kinda color, but it has great pigmentation and is just an awesome color )
- China Glaze Heli-Yum (this one is kinda really bright lol)
- Essie Can't Filmfest

Mauve:
- Barielle Get Mauve-ing


White/Ivory:
- OPI Pearl of Wisdom
- OPI I'm Yours
- Zoya Daphne

Some other colors that don't really fit in the categories above but I think they will be allowed since they're red/pinkish/purple-ish (based):
- Orly Happily Ever After
- Nubar Vital
- OPI DS Extravagance

Also I would recommend some CND Effects, they can transform your polish a bit.. If you're bored of the cremes you have a shimmer/glitter polish in a minute and I love how versatile these are. If you can get your hands on them, I'd go for it!

Hope this helps!

 

[Ashleybubbles83]

omg thank you! your suggestions are awesome! i work at a theme park (not disneyland, think south, wayyy down south lol), and i work in the gift shops, i'm an interim supervisor until my boss gets back from maternity leave. i know browns are definitely not accepted, and im not sure about taupes. my job just got extra conservative all of a sudden so its a little hard to just all of a sudden conform, but apparently they wont have a problem firing people if they dont, so i'll play along. oh and also, they have to be the basic shades of colors too, like i cant get blood red or a darker red or purple because it'll look too goth or too much like black...and with the white polish, i think thats for like french manis.

 

[Curly1908]

Man, that sucks! As long as one's nails are shorts, any color looks professional IMO except for neons and designs. I especially think dark colors look professional.

 

[StilettoXOXO]

My fav peachy pink for everyday is OPI Royal Flush Blush. It's a gorgeous frosty shade that looks good on everyone. It's fun and trendy without being crazy bright.

 

[nychick1384]

Orly Goin' to the Chapel is a really pretty light pinky/white color, but it kind of changes color a little bit. I guess the best way to describe it is that it reminds me of an opal the way the color changes.

I'm sorry to hear that your work place is getting so conservative. It really sucks when they all of a sudden change something like that