Should Your Manicure and Pedicure Match? – 3 Ways to Coordinate Your Nail Art

I don’t know about you, but the never-ending question for me as soon as I get my nails done is “What do I do with my toes now”? People usually have varied opinions on the whole mani-pedi topic. Some think they must match your nails by all means, while others have a completely opposing viewpoint, saying that mismatched manicures and pedicures are much more fun. I personally think that there is a middle ground and anything above and beyond that looks simply absurd, but that’s just my perfectionism speaking. Truth be told, there’s no rule that states whether you should match your mani to your pedi, or not. However, we’re going to take a look at some examples of nail and toe polish combinations and let you decide for yourself where you stand on the matter.

Matching Manicure and Pedicure – Is it Outdated?

Oddly enough, there used to be some sort of unspoken rule in the past about matching manicures and pedicures. Whether it was conservatism, lack of diversity, or simply aesthetics of the time, matching the color of your fingernails and toenails was a must. I can’t deny, there’s something about the coordinated mani-pedis that makes you feel and look really put-together – kind of like when you’re wearing matching lingerie. However, currently, nail design trends are changing at the speed of light, so if you’re someone who likes to experiment with their manicure a lot, matching your pedicure to it can turn into a tedious, unnecessarily time-consuming task.

Coordinated, but not Identical – Is This the Mani-Pedi Golden Mean?

Indeed, there are much more color options nowadays which makes it more fun to experiment with the color combinations of your manicure and pedicure. If you’re someone who knows their way around color matching you can even take it a step further and experiment with opposing and complementing ranges for a more contemporary appearance. Of course, you can stay on familiar ground and just pick colors of the same shade, like these cobalt blue toenails and azure French tips.

Mix & Match Monochromatic Nails

Another interesting way to go about this nail-polishing approach is by mismatching two contrasting colors on each hand and foot. This monochromatic black-and-white mani-pedi set is a great example of how you can create balance through opposites. Once you’ve laid down the base colors you can do more intricate nail art on your manicure to add some quirkiness to your appearance – it won’t break the balance with your pedicure.

Color Picker Manicure and Pedicure

If you’ve gotten a manicure that incorporates more than one color, you can easily choose the nail polish for your toes by picking one of the colors from your nails. In this case, we see a dark brown manicure with accent animal print nails created by painting a striped pattern with white varnish. Whether you decide to paint your toes brown or white, it would be in perfect harmony with the color of your fingernails as both shades are present in the nail art design.

Make a Statement with Contrasting Nail Designs

Party on the fingers and business on the toes, or the opposite? Here’s a prominent example of how to do just that! Undeniably, one of our favorite trends of the year are the holographic and chrome nails which in this case are combined with a set of pastel peachy pink pedicure. Is this something I would’ve possibly thought about trying out? Absolutely not! However, I must admit, when it comes to toenails I am a big fan of nude colors – they just seem to naturally go with everything! This is definitely a few shades off the nude, but also a great alternative for the open-toe summer season when we’re all opting for brighter colors. Since the holographic manicure reflects pretty much every color of the rainbow, I am positive that they would go with any toenail varnish.

What’s Our Verdict?

You do you! There is absolutely no reason why you should feel any restrictions and follow unspoken rules when it comes to your self-expression. In beauty and fashion, there is no such thing as one size fits all. Everybody’s personal taste and sense of aesthetics set that person’s own rules which are applicable only to themselves. If you’re into classics, by all means, match your manicure to your pedicure – no judgment here! We most certainly won’t think you’re outdated. Neither will we consider someone an eccentric weirdo if they decide to opt for flower designs for their fingernails and rock animal prints on their toes at the same time. You have all the leeway to experiment and bring to light your exciting, colorful personality in whichever way you find fitting. Personally, I’m going to stick to my nudes out of convenience and lack of imagination, however, I’m looking forward to finding inspiration through your artistic imagination and interpretations.

Read also: Here’s Why You Should Avoid Getting Gel Pedicures in the Winter!