A Work-Friendly Nail Color for Spring

Apr 2, 2018

Let’s face it, the beauty editors have lost their minds if they think I can wear sunny yellow, baby blue, or sea green nail polish.  These may be the hot trends blowing in from a catwalk in New York, but they’re not exactly suited for the workplace.  But there is one trendy spring hue that actually works, literally.

I’ve been singing mauves praises for a bit now, but I really do believe that this hue is perfect for work.  There are darker shades or lighter shades.  You can choose one that’s more purple, more pink, more neutral.  Whichever mauve you choose, it’s certainly better than whatever Crayola shade Vogue cooked up.

Pale Mauves.  Sally Hansen’s Insta-Dri in Making Mauves is a nice pale mauve, with a hint of shimmer.  It’s a nice alternative the baby pinks we’ve all been wearing for years.  I also like OPI Tickle My France-y and Zoya Pandora.

Medium Mauves.  My favorite mauve polish is, and more forever be, Deborrah Lippmann Modern Love.  I know, I know, broken record, but I love it.  It’s a polish that feels light and pretty without being fussy or distracting.

Other hues in this middle range include Essie Ladylike, a pretty polish with a bit more purple in it.  If you like a hint of shimmer, try OPI’s Reykjavik Has All the Hotspots.

Dark Mauves. These shades have more oomph to them but still bend toward work appropriate.  OPI’s You Sustain Me is a warmer mauve with a hint of cocoa in it.  China Glaze’s My Lodge or Yours has more of a neutral feel.  For something really dark, Burberry’s Mauve polish is very purple and deeply dramatic.

Whichever mauve you choose, this polish works in any season.  Later in the spring, we’ll talk about corals and reds, hot pinks and tangerines.  But for right now, I’m just not ready for sandal-season brights.

{image; this post contains affiliate links that may generate commission for the author}

SaveSave

SaveSave

Style

share this post

Leave a Reply to Caitlin Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  1. Mary says:

    Love Zoya Pandora. Zoya Jill is a medium mauve and Odette is darker and more purple. The Sally Hansen insta- dry is great when you need to get out the door.

  2. Felicity says:

    Dark mauve has been my go-to colour for a year or so now. I just feel like it has a classic look to it, while being trendy!

    Felicity | https://oliverandmoose.com

  3. Elizabeth says:

    My favorite work appropriate polish is Deborah Lippman’s “Dirty Little Secret.” Not a mauve, but just darker than (my) skin tone greige with a shimmer– that happens to be holographic! You can’t see the holographic shimmer unless you’re looking for it, it just looks shimmery at first glance. But, the holographic shimmer makes me feel just a smidge subversive for work (for someone in their mid-40s). LOVE this shade.

  4. Holly says:

    So many friends and I swear by Essie’s Ladylike!

  5. Caitlin says:

    FWIW I’ve gotten away with baby blue before, but I am also extremely pale so there’s not as much contrast… the sea green would also work if it was more muted.

Join The List

Stay up to date on the latest from Capitol Hill Style!

sUBSCRIBE

The Range: All the Pretty (Work) Dresses

Sometimes, you just want to wear something pretty to the office. Something that makes you feel good. A dress that makes your whole day better. These are those dresses.

2

READ MORE 

Recent Posts

Solving The Skinny Jeans Conundrum

Depending on who you ask, Gen Z has cancelled skinny jeans or perhaps they are back? Trends change, and we should change with them. But what do you do when you have a closet full of skinny jeans in a wide leg world?

7

READ MORE 

The Find: An Affordable Work Dress

This winter was particularly hard on my psyche, on my self-esteem, and on my waistline. As we move into spring, I need to make a plan for how I am going to dress this additional weight over the months of work that it will likely take to shed it. So I was so glad to […]

3

READ MORE 

VIEW ALL POSTS

Career Style, Style, Top Posts, Work | April 16, 2024

The Range: All the Pretty (Work) Dresses

Sometimes, you just want to wear something pretty to the office. Something that makes you feel good. A dress that makes your whole day better. These are those dresses.

2

READ MORE 

Posts, Style, Style Translator | April 11, 2024

Solving The Skinny Jeans Conundrum

Depending on who you ask, Gen Z has cancelled skinny jeans or perhaps they are back? Trends change, and we should change with them. But what do you do when you have a closet full of skinny jeans in a wide leg world?

7

READ MORE 

Fantastic Finds, Posts, Style | April 11, 2024

The Find: An Affordable Work Dress

This winter was particularly hard on my psyche, on my self-esteem, and on my waistline. As we move into spring, I need to make a plan for how I am going to dress this additional weight over the months of work that it will likely take to shed it. So I was so glad to […]

3

READ MORE 

Ask the Edit, Posts, Style | April 10, 2024

Ask the Editor: Vol. IV, No. Seventeen

This week, I returned from my trip to Montana completely exhausted. So it’s time to reach into the reader mail bag to answer a few questions. Let’s start.

6

READ MORE 

RECENT POSTS

©2023 CAPITOL HILL STYLE | SITE BY LEIGH THE STUDIO