I’ll admit it: Three years ago, when nail art first made a break for respectable popularity, I wasn’t just resistant—I was annoyed. I’m an aesthetic minimalist, and nail art is the obvious antithesis of understated beauty; it doesn’t just call for attention—it begs for it shamelessly. I don’t want your glitter or pom-poms or gemstones or bright colors anywhere near my fingertips. Accoutrements are not welcome here. You get the picture.
I waited years for nail art to join the ranks of acrylic French tips and die a slow, permanent death, so you could imagine my surprise when, late last summer, I found myself sitting across from Misleidys, a nail tech at Valley salon in NYC, agreeing to let her draw something on my nails. Well, more accurately, I let her draw something on half of my nail, thereby making it a negative space manicure. The trend, which often takes on a geometric or graphic vibe, manages to look sophisticated and playful at the same time. To prove it, I found 50 negative space nail designs that won’t scare even the most minimal among us. Check them out ahead.