Yellow Flowers by Mr.Thomas

I am not a fan of neon colors, they’re way too glaring for me. And I’m not a SUPER fan of all pastels, because I don’t want to live or look like a giant Easter Egg. But somewhere inbetween those extremes lie some great colors. And I’m searching like a scuba diver in those depths for yellow nail polishes that are flattering without looking ridiculous. It’s VERA VERA tricky, because depending on your skin tone the yellow could fade right into your skin and not look like anything.

Yellow Shoes by stevendepolo on Flickr

The color I mean is kind of a buttercream, but infused with more light than that. It’s the color of early spring crocuses that pop up while patches of snow lay beside it (is this happening where you live?), the color of that familiar blue-lined steno paper, the color of light that comes through a window at high noon and lands on a sweet, sunny spot on the floor for Shopcat. I mean, it’s hard to really and truly describe. …THE COLOR OF CUSTARD, maybe! Anyway, since I’m not in the business of making my own nail polishes, I have to rely on what is out there.

Yellow by Kirainet onFlickr

And before you ask, I don’t know if yellow nail polish is a trend right now. And I sorta don’t care. (But if you do care, Rhianna has worn yellow nail polish, and Nylon magazine said that even though they don’t like MTV’s show “The City” they like the yellow nail polish that one of the girls wears. And she didn’t wear it because it was a trend, she wore it just because she liked it! At least, I’m guessing/hope!) The entire point is to be the unique and (maybe) mysterious girl who wears sundresses and wanders bookstores on her lunch break, or who keeps a chalkboard in her kitchen and writes recipes on it while she taps her bare feet to the sound of old R.E.M. songs. It’s a risk, because I doubt most of you have worn yellow nail polish before (I never have) but I think it’s time we all did. Just to try it. Just because we CAN.

I have tried to feature yellow polishes that walk the fine line between being too electric, too sheer, or too pale.

• Nicole by OPI Nail Lacquer 2010 Colors $8
• China Glaze Nail Polish / Lacquer E collection Solar Power $3
• Piggy Polish Lemonade 5 Cents Nail Polish $7
• Sally Hansen Mellow Yellow (Available at your local CVS for $3) I have particularly heard good things about this one from my friend.
• Rescue Beauty Lounge – Square Pants Nail Polish $18
• Rescue Beauty Yellow Fever Nail Polish $18
• Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Lightening Yellow Nail Polish (I was unable to find it for sale online, but I bet you it’s at a local drugstore. You can see pictures of it swatched on @ Stephs Closet. And she is a major fan of it.)

BEWARE of this yellow: New York Color Long-Wearing Nail Enamel in Taxi Yellow. It’s cheap so it’s easy to think you could buy this and try it, but it’s renoun for being a horrible pick!

Cha, cha, cha. Ah, all of this yellow is already putting me in a better mood!

Remember: She shops smart – she’s YOU.