How To Apply Pressure With Your Nails This Fall
Summer ends on September 22, and while we aren’t ready to say goodbye to summer just yet, we can’t wait for all the joy that fall brings. And that includes our fingertips. We are starting to add fall staples to our carts, so it’s only right that we apply that same energy to our nail game.
We had to hit up our good sis, Melissa Samuel, the owner of FinesseYourClaws, to really understand the assignment for the upcoming season. The London native has always had a passion for art and started nail artistry over a decade ago. After moving to New York, Melissa was inspired by the culture, street style, and fashion. Like the artist she is, she cultivated her own nail style, matching different prints, textures and hardware.
From campaigns with Moschino, Brandon Blackwood, MCM, and more, she’s proven to be THAT nail girl. She also has a celebrity clientele that includes SZA, Justine Skye, and Lil Yachty.
“The thing I love most about being a nail artist is getting to create every day. Whether a client provides inspiration or not, I design nails for them, inspired by them,” Melissa tells xoNecole. “Each set is unique and different, one of one. I'm fortunate to have an eclectic group of clients that allow me to push the envelope daily, it's my passion and I love it!”
Craving some nail inspo for fall? Keep scrolling!
Get Ready for Fall With These Nail Trends:
1. Prints
Courtesy of Melissa Samuel
“Fall nails are often inspired by Fashion Week, where prints are prevalent. Think tweed, plaid, monochrome," Melissa explains.
2. Texture
Courtesy of Melissa Samuel
“3D nails add dimension to a blank canvas; as color becomes more muted, the texture still gives it a stylish edge.”
3. Chrome
Courtesy of Melissa Samuel
“Metallic nails will definitely be trending for fall, fashion is having a futuristic wave. Think Balenciaga and Schiaparelli, silver and gold finishes.”
4. Hardware
Courtesy of Melissa Samuel
“Gems and jewels make great accent nails, and adornments with prints really pop," Melissa says. "They can be bigger if you're flashy or smaller for a more elegant look.”
5. Matte Nails
Courtesy of Melissa Samuel
Melissa says that matte nails are "always chic and a great way to mute bright colors. By removing the gloss, it really makes bold prints pop.”
6. Coffin Nails
Courtesy of Melissa Samuel
“Coffin nails are also very chic," Melissa tells us. "The tapered tip stops them from being obnoxious even if they're long and over the top. This shape elongates the fingers, making them more elegant.”
7. Square Nails
Courtesy of Melissa Samuel
“The square shape is popular, whether long or short. It provides more of a canvas for art and makes a bold statement. This is for the 'it' girls, very NYC!”
For anyone struggling with nail art ideas, Melissa’s advice is simple: Don't overthink it. “Do what feels natural and authentic for you. Even if you start with a dot on each nail and work your way up from there. Art is open to interpretation and a form of your own expression. Have fun with it!”
As a nail artist herself, Melissa is inspired by everything and everyone. She loves texture, water, prints, murals, food, and couture. The list is endless. “It's important for me to think outside the box, to keep my art fresh and feel inspired.” Because she’s always liked to stand out and be different, she believes it’s best to ignore the styles that trend on social media. Ultimately, Melissa’s mantra is, “Become the trendsetter. Start your own wave!”
Courtesy of Melissa Samuel
If you want to recreate some of Melissa's famed manicures at home, the boss babe just released a line of press-on nails on Aug. 26. You can snag a few sets from FinesseYourClaws.com.
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Featured image by Prostock-Studio/Getty Images
Joce Blake is a womanist who loves fashion, Beyonce and Hot Cheetos. The sophistiratchet enthusiast is based in Brooklyn, NY but has southern belle roots as she was born and raised in Memphis, TN. Keep up with her on Instagram @joce_blake and on Twitter @SaraJessicaBee.
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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Sheila Rashid's Androgynous Approach To Unisex Clothing Is A Lesson In Embracing Individuality
The ItGirl 100 List is a celebration of 100 Black women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table.
For Sheila Rashid, it all started with some free-hand drawings and a few strokes of paint.
The Chicago-based clothing designer and creative director of Sheila Rashid Brand recalls using her spare time in high school to hand paint designs on t-shirts and distressed hoodies, distributing them to classmates as walking billboards for her art.
Rashid sought to pursue fashion design at Columbia College in Chicago but eventually took the self-taught route to build upon her knack for crafting one-of-a-kind, androgynous pieces.
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Thanks to the mentorship of local designers taking her under their wings, Rashid was able to gain valuable experience in putting together collections and creating patterns; equipping her with them with the necessary skills to pursue her own collections.
After two years of living in New York, Rashid returned home to the Chi and uncovered the unique flair she could offer the city. “I moved to New York after that because I wanted to be in the fashion capital world,” she tells xoNecole. “That's when I really got a leg up. I found myself when I moved back to Chicago after moving to New York.”
For the Midwest native, inspiration comes from her time around creative peers and the city’s notorious winters — known to be a main character in many Chicagoans stories. “It's a different perspective and mindset when I'm making stuff because of the weather here,” she explains. “When we get summer, it’s ‘Summertime Chi’ — it's amazing. It's beautiful. Still, I find myself always making clothes that cater to the winter.”
"I moved to New York after that because I wanted to be in the fashion capital world. That's when I really got a leg up. I found myself when I moved back to Chicago after moving to New York.”
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Many designers have a signature aesthetic or theme in their creations. In Rashid’s design story, dancing between the lines of femininity and masculinity is how she’s been able to distinguish herself within the industry. Her androgynous clothing has garnered the eye of celebrities like Zendaya, Chance the Rapper, WNBA star Sydney Colson, and more — showing her range and approach to designs with inclusivity in mind.
“I think I do reflect my own style,” she says. “When I do make pieces, I'm very tomboyish, androgynous. My work is unisex because I feel like everybody can wear it. I cater to everybody and that's how I try to approach my clothes.” From denim to overalls, and color-drenched outerwear, Rashid has mastered the structure of statement pieces that tell a story.
“Each collection, I never know what's going to be the thing I'm going to focus on. I try to reflect my own style and have fun with the storytelling,” she shares. “I look at it more like it's my art in this small way of expressing myself, so it's not that calculated.”
"My work is unisex because I feel like everybody can wear it. I cater to everybody and that's how I try to approach my clothes."
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Still, if you were able to add up all the moments within Rashid’s 20-year career in design, one theme that has multiplied her into becoming an “ItGirl” is her confidence to take up space within the fashion industry as a queer, Black woman. “Being an ItGirl is about being yourself, loving what you do, finding your niche, and mastering that,” she says.
No matter where you are on your ItGirl journey, Rashid says to always remain persistent and never hesitate to share your art with the world. “Don’t give up. Even if it's something small, finish it and don't be afraid to put it out,” she says, “It's about tackling your own fear of feeling like you have to please everybody, but just please yourself, and that's good enough.”
To learn more about the ItGirl 100 List, view the full list here.
Featured image Courtesy