Are unpainted toenails a faux pas?

rae

I like to let my toes breathe without polish off and on. But now I want to wear sandals today! Would exposed, unpolished toes come across as ungroomed? The nails are nice and clean and manicured, just not polished.

11 years ago

Urgent

43 replies

Latest reply was from Irene

annagybe

(website)

Veteran

Considering I'm only sporting my second pedicure of the year I hope not. I think nice natural nails are far better than old chipped and grown out pedicures.

11 years ago

Mochi

Veteran

I say that if they're clipped/shaped neatly, you should not feel hostage to them, and let them breathe in sandals. Jeez, with what you see people wearing out in public, that should barely be a blip on the radar screen.

11 years ago

ManidipaM

Veteran

I sure hope not! I gave away all my polish!

11 years ago

MsMary

Veteran

No!

11 years ago

Anonymous

If your nails are clean and trimmed, there is no problem in my book.

11 years ago

Diana

Veteran

I think as long as they are nicely groomed, it's fine. Me personally, I prefer to keep mine painted but that's because my toenails (with the exception of the big toe) are so small and I keep them so short that I look like I don't have any if they are not polished.

11 years ago

Sara L.

Veteran

I like to let my nails breathe for a couple days in between polish too. I think they look fine as long as they are clipped nicely.

11 years ago

Raisin

Veteran

I hope not because mine are nude most of the time! I think it's fine as long as they're not gnarly!

11 years ago

Thistle

Veteran

As long as they are neat and well maintained, not a faux pas in my book.

11 years ago

milehighstyle (Linda)

Veteran

I've seen unpolished toes that look very nice.

11 years ago

Lovely Laura

Active Member

I have a strong opinion on this one! It is actually a big joke with all my loved ones. I have a little bit of the 'icky' factor when it comes to toes so the rule around me is that if toes are exposed they MUST have polish on them. I guess it is to pretty them up and make them look as girly and cute as possible. Now even if they do have polish on them and look pretty don't even consider putting them anywhere in my vicinity. I'll look at the colour of your polish . . . from a distance.

11 years ago

deb

Veteran

I hope not since I never paint mine.

11 years ago

Scarlet

Veteran

Not in my book, as long as your feet are cared for.

11 years ago

DeniseP

Active Member

Understand where you're coming from since at times I feel self-conscious about wearing sandals with unpainted toes.
Everyone seems to sport beautiful feet with polished toes, making mine look grubby in comparison.
BUT, several years ago, I noticed my toenails had turned a gruesome yellow color. I had always worn polish on my toes. So, thinking it was a fungus, went to dermatologist and was informed that wearing a constant red color of polish can cause yellowing nails.
Since then I've not worn nail polish and it has taken this long for my toenails to grow out, nice and white. And I want to keep them that way!

11 years ago

Anonymous

Not at all. I think it's good to let them breathe occasionally. As long as they are neat and well manicured I don't think it matters if there is any polish on them.

11 years ago

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Neat and well groomed is what counts!

But I have sometimes had the same question in summer. In winter I let mine go au naturelle!

11 years ago

Anonymous

Not at all. You nails are manicured. Unsightly toes with rough feet, perhaps yes, a little IMO.

11 years ago

Anonymous

... and for those with changing color on their nails due to polish, you should not be applying any high pigmented nail polish without a base coat. A base coat acts as a buffer within the nail and the pigment.

11 years ago

Helena

Veteran

I agree with the majority; it's the grooming that's key, not the polish.

11 years ago

MovingFashionForward

Active Member

For me, unpolished toenails are much more aesthetically pleasing. When I see polished toenails, especially if it is opaque polish, all I can think about is that the polish may be hiding fungal nail infections, which seems to me very gross. I almost never polish my toenails, and I walk around with my lovely healthy toenails fully exposed to the sunlight (and possibly shocked toenail polishers!), and as a result I have never ever had the dreaded yellow nail fungal issue I have seen in toenails kept better covered than mine.

If I were to have the dreaded yellow nail fungus issue, that would be all the more reason to expose my toenails to the sunlight, though perhaps only in the privacy of my own back garden! I think for some people it is a bit of a vicious circle: they paint their nails or wear closed-toe shoes to cover the nail fungus, which makes it worse. So I think your idea of letting your toenails breathe is actually a very good idea.

Sorry to be gross!

Sarah

11 years ago

rachylou

Veteran

No. But you may want to buff.

11 years ago

Gaylene

Veteran

Groomed, definitely yes; polished, optional. I actually prefer the look of buffed, natural-looking nails to brightly colored polish. I sometimes take a second look because it looks like someone has injured their foot when I see greens, yellows, and purple. I also have a real poisoned eye for sloppily applied, or chipped polish, on rough-looking feet.

11 years ago

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

I would much rather see nicely groomed, clean and neat natural toe nails than painted toe nails that have chipped and faded.

I also let mine breathe every so often and actually my podiatrist who I saw about my baby bunion, said you should go without polish every once in a while. It's healthier for the nail in the long run and keeps them from permanently turning yellow.

11 years ago

cciele

Veteran

No.

11 years ago

Cindy

Active Member

It looks like I am in the minority. I prefer polished toenails. Bare toenails are acceptable only with very casual outfits. Polished nails don't make me think a person is hiding nail fungus. I am more likely to suspect a problem with unpolished nails.

11 years ago

Marley

Veteran

I am also in the minority. I think that polished toenails are a must if you are wearing a shoe that exposes your toes. You don't have to wear a bright color on your toes - in fact, I prefer one that is more of taupe color because then it doesn't draw attention to my toes. (although right now I am wearing bright white on my toes!) I want my "pop" of color to be in other aspects of my outfit. BUT, I am very opinionated on the toenail polish issue - I don't think that (in general) toenails are all that attractive and so they need all the help they can get. I do sometimes give mine a breather - but I just make sure that I wear closed toe shoes during the breather! I tend to automatically think when I see someone wearing open toe shoes and no nail polish, that there must be something wrong with their nails (fungus?) and therefore they can't wear polish. You can take care of the yellowing that polish may cause on your toenails by wearing a really good base coat - and also, not using such dark colors on your toenails. My motto - "No polish on toes - then must wear shoes that are closed!"

11 years ago

(website)

Veteran

Team bare toes are just fine! I rarely have polished toes and I'm in sandals a lot in summer. But I have nice toes, if I do say so myself lol. I find that most polishes I might want to try only match with some of my clothing. I would hate to have a blue polish on one day with a grey, black and white outfit for instance and then want to wear red and white the next day, but have the clashing blue polish on. I'm way too lazy to change polish more than once a week, maybe even all month if it's on my toes!

11 years ago

Irene

Veteran

I like polished nails in the summer (I wear red shades, a coral red at the moment. No blues, greens or other non-flesh colors). Does that mean that non-polish is wrong? Not at all. As long as your feet are groomed you are fine. Some people can't wear polish for many different reasons and they still have the right to feel great in sandals.

As for fungus... it doesn't always mean the person doesn't take care of their feet. I know two women with fungus on their feet and both really take care of them. In fact, they take more care than healthy feet women would since they have a problem and feel uncomfortable about it. The truth is, some times you just can't do much about it. Fungus doesn't always go away. One of them used to take pills to eliminate them (and it would only last for one summer or even less). The pills would totally ruin her health, she would weaken and feel sick all the time. It was genetics, other family members had it too. Of course she painted her toe-nails all year-round. It's unfair to consider fungus disgusting, just like it is unfair to think people with psoriasis do not shower as often as they should.

11 years ago

MsMary

Veteran

I also don't appreciate the nasty, judgmental comments about toenail fungus.

I have toenail fungus in a couple of nails and I already felt pretty darned awful about it before reading this thread. And now I feel worse knowing that people are thinking such horrible thoughts about me and my nicely polished toenails. I've tried everything under the sun to get rid of it, with mixed results. I felt like I had to speak out because... really? Why on earth would you come here and call people "gross" when you do. not. know. the. first. thing. about. it.

11 years ago

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