Several people have expressed interest in reading the final product of my 10 page (double-spaced) paper about nail polish that I wrote for my writing class this last term, and I thought it might work best to post it here. I did get an A on the paper, so hopefully it's not too embarrassing. xP
Anyway, here it is in its entirety:
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Nail Polish and Social Class
To
most people, nail polish is simply another cosmetic used to decorate the body.
However, the use of nail décor has evolved over the last four thousand years.
For the first couple thousand years, nail polish could be an important symbol
of social standing, or of one’s wealth and position in society. Yet the
invention of modern nail lacquer has demolished that purpose. People in today’s
era are lucky to think of nail polish as simply a cosmetic. Nail polish being
just a cosmetic is proof that we have moved beyond previous visual signifiers
of social class. Most people today would be outraged if the government were to
dictate the colour of people’s nails, which is a luxury that did not exist
until relatively recently. People today now have the freedom to use nail polish
as they wish. No longer is this outlet of beauty and individualism limited to
only the wealthy. Nail polish is a truly democratic cosmetic because
it is available to almost everyone without limits.
The
Egyptians may have been the first to decorate their nails. There is evidence as
early as 1400 BC that the ancient Egyptians would dye their nails using henna,
though the practice probably started even farther in the past (Miczak 97).
Mummies dating back to the 11th dynasty have been discovered with
hennaed nails (Miczak 98). The practice of hennaing nails may have started
because “henna has anti-fungal properties and has long been used on the nails
for such purposes,” since the ancient Egyptians had to battle many infections
(Miczak 99). Regardless of the original reason, the idea of hennaed nails
denoting beauty seems to have caught on. Not only did it catch on, but the
colour of one’s nails became a signifier of social class. The more saturated
the red of the nails, the higher the social class. For example, “during …
Nefretete’s era, only royal women could wear such bright colours on the nails,”
most likely since henna was expensive to buy if you couldn’t grow it yourself
(Miczak 97). Though eye kohl, which could double as an effective sunscreen, was
thought of as a necessity for all Egyptians, regardless of social class, henna
did not earn a similar place, regardless of its health effects (Hunt 2). This
idea that nail colour, but not other forms of cosmetics, reflected social class
is interesting. Perhaps because henna was more expensive than the materials for
other cosmetics, it arose out of a natural reflection of those being able to
afford more, could show it off more. Regardless of why, the Egyptians were not
alone in decorating their nails.
The Chinese also decorated their
nails. Ancient China was the first place to develop a nail lacquer, using “gum
Arabic, egg whites, gelatin and bees wax” (Hunt 4). The Chinese regularly
painted their nails, often focusing on the colours red, gold, silver, and black
(Miczak 99). However, nail polish was not available to everyone at this time. The
royalty regularly reserved a few colours that no one else was allowed to wear. The
Mandarins would gild their fingernails to show their higher social class
(Trumble 168). During the Chou dynasty in China, only royalty was allowed to
wear gold or silver (Toedt 49). During a later dynasty, royalty chose the
forbidden colours as red and black (Toedt 49). The lower classes were allowed
pale colours, and the lowest classes were forbidden from any nail colouring.
There is no note of their nail polish concoction being particularly expensive,
so the separation by social class was likely purely a visual one. The Ming
dynasty also kept their nails long, as a sign that they had high enough social
status that they did not need to touch anything (Grinberg). Nail polish emerged
as a subtle, but very present, method of distinguishing social classes, turning
what should be an ordinary cosmetic into a tool to further divide people.
The upper class
through much of time have been documented with manicured nails. There were
various powders or creams that could be buffed onto the nails for a subtle pink
colour or shine (Riordan 204). “Records from 17th- and
18th-century European royal courts document the appearance of shiny, varnished
nails” (Drahl). Manicured fingers were often a sign of wealth, since lower
class people could not afford the luxury of coloured finger nails (Miczak 100).
A working class person would have to use their hands too much to be able to
keep them beautifully groomed, as “beauty equals idleness” that most people
could not afford (Riordan 204). It is not an uncommon idea that one could
identify and upper class person from a lower class person by judging their
hands. Rough, calloused hands with chipped nails show that one had to work with
their hands, while smooth, gentle hands showed that they had no need to expend
their energies in such physical pursuits. One might say that the nails are
unique in that most everyone uses eyes or lips in the same way, so any cosmetic
application may be used in much the same way. However, only the royalty or high
upper class are allowed the luxury of not working with their hands. Specially
decorated nails emphasise the beauty of an idle hand. At this point, nail
polish was simply not a luxury everyone could enjoy.
The invention of liquid nail
polish in the twentieth century revolutionized nail décor. Shortly after the
automobile industry developed a quick-drying lacquer for cars, the inventors
realized that this enamel could also be used on fingernails (Riordan 207).
Cutex was the first company to be granted a patent for nail polish, in 1919
(Riordan 207). But it was Charles Revson, who founded Revlon, who really made
modern nail polish a popular item (Riordan 209). Now, nail polish was easily
accessible and not expensive. The formula of nail polish has not really changed
since then (Drahl). However, the popularity has certainly increased. A
combination of advertisements and fascination brought nail polish into the spot
light (Riordan 222). Women of all ages enjoy lacquered fingers. A survey of
teenagers in the 1950s revealed that “ninety percent had worn nail enamel since
they were fourteen” (Corson 535). So many people, and especially so many
ordinary young people, could never have worn nail polish in the days of what it
was limited by social class. One thing became clear: nail polish was a trend
that all could enjoy.
The easy accessibility of modern nail polish
demolished any limits based on social class. While some celebrity intervention
was required to open up the full range of colours to all, once it was open,
there was no limit to who could enjoy coloured nails. Initially, even with the
invention of liquid nail polish, women turned primarily to pale pinks, or the
shades that could be achieved previously with buffing creams. Cutex began by offering
a darker pink in 1924 (Riordan 207). It was French Princess de Faucigny-Lucinge
who painted her nails a crimson colour in 1930 that started the trend of darker
colours (Riordan 208). Nail polish colours reminiscent of henna red were a
natural to like (Miczak 96). Other colours such as emerald green and blood red
started in Paris, but soon spread to other areas (Corson 496). By the end of
the 1930s, “nail polish was available in every colour fathomable: blue, green,
mother of pearl, wicked red, crimson red, blood red, bull’s eye red, … gold and
silver” (Riordan 209). With every colour available, every woman could find a
shade to her liking. Now, a casual stroll down the cosmetic department of
nearly any store reveals hundreds of different colours. This was not possible
as little as a hundred years ago, let alone a thousand. While the limits on
social class might have made sense for the Egyptians, as it depended on how
much henna they had access to, now the formula and the cost is the same
regardless of colour. This is what makes modern nail polish so amazing. Now the
cost or availability of nail polish does not change based on colour, and
everyone has access to it.
Nail polish is not merely a
cosmetic but an indicator of the economy. Though the rise of nail polish
coincided with The Great Depression, many women still set aside enough to buy
some nail polish, which could be bought for as little as “ten cents a bottle”
(Riordan 214). This trend is commonly cited as “the lipstick effect” or “the
lipstick indicator,” which refers to the tendency of women to buy more cosmetic
products, primarily lipstick as the name suggests, when there is economic
trouble. However, in today’s economy, nail polish has actually far outsold
lipstick, with nail polish sales rising 43% to lipstick’s 7% in the last three
years (Frost). This just attests to the popularity of nail polish. Nail polish
is an affordable accessory. Though it is increasingly easy to paint one’s own
nails, even getting a manicure in a salon can cost as little as $30 (Grinberg).
A bottle of nail polish can easily be found for an easy 99 cents, making nail
polish accessible to just about anyone. Karen Grant remarks that “it's
rare to see a trend grow so strong in both mass and prestige channels,” which
nail polish has done (Kalinske). This is yet another example of how nail polish
knows no bounds of social class. The nail polish indicator is an idea that is
built upon the idea that nail polish is available to everyone. That it is so
popular that it can be an indicator of the economy would have been impossible
with historic nail polish. Nail polish is extremely popular among both the rich
and the poor.
Besides from being easily
affordable, nail polish is a way into fashion that can fit in anyone’s
lifestyle. Though the nails were previously a neglected outlet of fashion,
polished nails have recently become huge in the fashion industry. For example,
Wes Gordon actually used neon nail colour instead of jewellery in his spring
2012 fashion show (Kalinkse). Nail polish’s role in fashion is another way in
which it demolishes social classes. Many trends which start in fashion work
their way into the mainstream of the rest of the population, and nail polish is
no exception. Any woman can take the colour they see on a runway model and apply
it to her own nails, which means that though a school girl and a high fashion
model may be in different social classes, they can still wear the same nail
polish. As such, though nail colour is entering the world of high fashion, it
is also entering the lives of everyday women. If the latest fashion trend is
neon yellow, it is far cheaper and more accessible for a woman to by a $2
bottle of neon yellow nail polish than to splurge on a $50 neon yellow purse
(Kalinske). Nail polish is also more forgiving than most fashion items, as Bill
Boraczek says, “If you think you're too curvy or too
straight, too young or too old, unattractive or not, it doesn't matter because
you can still have beautifully groomed nails” (Grinberg). Since it is a common
thought that women today are very focussed on their appearances, this idea that
nail colour can add to the beauty of anyone with ease is understandably
appealing. Nail colour does not discriminate based on your body size or age, it
does not look any different if you are wealthy or poor. Nail polish can be
applied and can look good on anyone. Nail colour is visible without a mirror,
unlike most cosmetics (Grinberg). And for those seeking a salon
experience, getting a manicure is quicker and less permanent than getting a hair-cut
(Frost). It’s also body art that is temporary, unlike tattoos (Frost). It is
also remarkable that the same styles of nail art appear on both celebrities and
ordinary people. Though Olympic athletes and Lady Gaga bring attention to their
nails with spirited displays of varying degrees of elaborate works of art on
their nails, an ordinary person can have the same kinds of art (Frost). Many
ordinary civilians can be spotted with nearly the same tuxedo nail art that
celebrity Zooey Deschanel made famous (Grinberg). Truly anyone can display
equivalent nail art, regardless of social standing.
Nail polish is truly unique, even
in the realm of cosmetics. It is different than other cosmetics, in that it is
easier to wear very bright colours or little works of art on the nails than on
the face. Also, a single application is capable of lasting multiple days. Another
unique aspect of nail polish is that it seems to purely offer a way to add to
the appearance, without something being lacking if it is not present. Many
women who wear make-up may say that they feel ugly without, for example,
mascara. However, few people have the same feeling about nail polish (Overbay).
Yet nail polish is still able to add feelings of beauty and creative expression
to the wearer, making it something that is still desirable. Similarly, nail
polish can be seen as a cosmetic that offers fun in addition to beauty
(Jongebloed). While make-up applied to the face mainly seeks to increase
attractiveness, décor applied to the nails can be a fun process that isn’t so
overt in the hunt for beauty. Nail colour can be a fun accessory in a way that
normal make-up cannot. Nail polish is offered at a range of prices, sold at
both common drug stores and high-end cosmetic boutiques, so that it is
affordable to everyone. All of this makes nail polish a cosmetic that is appealing
to all social classes.
Emanuella
Grinberg of CNN writes that “nail
art has emerged as a democratic form of self-expression in which anyone can
participate.” Nail art means a different thing to every person who participates in
it. Some people who enjoy painting their own nails like to spend the time
painting their nails, knowing that it will last a few days for the mere hour or
so of work that they get to spend solely on themselves. People who enjoy doing
their own nail art get the added joy of seeing a tiny representation of their
artistic talent on their finger tips for all to enjoy. Those who like to get
their nails done get to relax for an hour or so as a manicurist decorates their
hands. Some women see polished nails as a sign of cleanliness, or another
detail of looking put together. Some people dislike painting their fingernails,
but enjoy having painted toenails, because even if they wear shoes which
conceal this decoration, that’s a tiny pop of colour and fun just for them. A
woman may look at her nails and see beauty, femininity, luxury, art, or perhaps
even just the woman’s favourite colour. This idea that nail polish can express
a different thing to different people echoes this idea that nail art is a
wonderful from of self-expression. It is also democratic in that everyone can do
it. It is up to the choice of the wearer what style, what colour, or even if
there will be a colour at all. No one is dictating what can or cannot be done
to the nails. The main point is that everyone can enjoy lacquered nails.
Some people may argue that though
there are no limits according to social class, half the population is excluded
from nail décor: the men. In the days of henna, men actually hennaed their
nails for battle and special holidays (Miczak 101). However, sometime around
the invention of modern nail polish, this fashion fell out of favour for men.
The argument could be made that nail polish cannot be considered a truly
democratic form of expression if it excludes the male population. However, while
it is certainly less common for men to wear nail polish, there is truly nothing
preventing them from doing so. Men have as much access to nail polish as women.
It is becoming increasingly popular for men to get a non-coloured manicure just
to aid in cleanliness or professional appearances. There are even new brands of
coloured nail polish with names like AlphaNail and ManGlaze that market
exclusively to men. Though a man with coloured nails may still be seen as an
oddity today, this is in the process of changing, and there are no true limits
or restrictions based on gender.
Some might say there are still
social class boundaries relating to nail polish. For example, Mythra explains
in a blog post her idea of “The Nail Polish Theory of Social Class.” Her theory
states that even today, you can tell the social class of the wearer based on
what colour it is. The darker the colour, the lower the class. Lighter colours
or no nail polish signifies someone who most likely went to an Ivy League
school, or someone who is of high socioeconomic status (Mythra). If one glances
around a college campus, they are far more likely to see a college student with
polished nails than a professor. Though modern nail polish is available to all,
perhaps it is now the lower class that is more likely to wear nail polish.
While historically there was a connection to
social class, there is no real evidence for a current connection. While shortly
after the creation of modern nail polish, certain colours were still connected
to social standing – like the idea in the 1920s that women who wore dark red
nail polish were “fast” – there simply is no standing for such an argument
today (Riordan). To the modern woman, making judgments about social class based
on nail colour is as ridiculous as making assumptions about social class based
on the object’s favourite colour (Davis). Though nail decoration was previously
about making a social statement, now it about making a unique statement about
individuality (Grinberg). Most cheap nail polishes will deliver an equal look
to the more expensive brands, and even if you can’t afford to get a
professional manicure done, nail polish is easy for the average person to apply
with a little practice. Perhaps women with more education may be less likely to
wear nail polish, but there isn’t a strong fact base for this. Many
celebrities, who are of the highest socioeconomic class, wear nail polish. Eleanor
Roosevelt may have been the first woman from an upper-class home to wear
coloured nail polish (Trumble 174). Also, even women who are educated wear nail
polish. For example, First Lady Michelle Obama has a postgraduate degree, and
has been spotted wearing various shades of nail lacquer throughout her husband’s
presidency. She is certainly not the only well-educated woman who colours her
nails. The fact of the matter is that one cannot guess the social class of
someone based on the colour of their nails. Historically, if a woman were seen
with deep red nails, obviously stained with a significant amount of henna, there
could be little doubt that she was high class. One cannot do the same thing
today. Mythra seems to argue that the very colour a person prefers is dictated
by social class, but this just isn’t logical. Modern people are free to wear
and enjoy any colour, in any form – including on their nails. There is simply
no basis in today’s modern world for the argument that nail polish is based on
social class. It would be wrong to judge a person based on the colour of
their nails. Nail polish has truly transcended the limits of social class.
Modern nail polish knows
no bounds, and certainly not any based on social class. The idea that nail
colour has no limits gives people another outlet to express themselves. Having
artistic outlets or ways to visually express one’s self are truly important to
a person’s well-being. Historically, people lacked the option of nail colour as
a release. But luckily, those days are done. Many elements of fashion are still
segregated based on social class. Nail polish is unique in its ability to rise
above social class. But the fact that nail polish doesn’t have to mean
anything at all is perhaps its best trait. There was once more riding on nail
colour than it truly deserved. Now, people are free to wear nail polish as they
please, and they needn’t fear class judgements or government retributions if
they should do so. Nail polish is now available for all, as it should be.
Works Cited
Corson, Richard. Fashions in Makeup; from Ancient to Modern Times.
New York: Universe, 1972.
Print.
Davis, Kelly. “Nail Polish Survey.” Survey. 15 November 2012.
Drahl, Carmen. "What's That Stuff?: Nail
Polish." Chemical & Engineering News:. N.p., 11 Aug. 2008.
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Frost, Marisha. "Nail Companies Are In Great
Shape." Express.co.uk. N.p., 30 Oct. 2012. Web.
Grinberg, Emanuella. "On Main Street and the
Runway, Nail Art Is the New Lipstick." CNN. Cable
News Network, 12 Feb. 2012. Web. 31
Oct. 2012.
Hunt, Kenneth A., Jennifer Fate, and Bill Dodds.
"Cultural And Social Influences On The Perception Of
Beauty: A Case Analysis Of The
Cosmetics Industry." The Clute Institute. N.p., Jan.-Feb. 2011.
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Jongebloed, Ursula. “Nail Polish Survey.” Survey. 15
November 2012.
Kalinske, Ashley. "Forget the Lipstick
Indicator, It's All About the Nails." CNBC.com. CNBC, 19 Sept.
2011. Web. 30 Oct. 2012.
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Print.
Myrtha. "The Nail Polish Theory of Social
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Overbay, Kyla. “Nail Polish Survey.” Survey. 15
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Toedt, John, Darrell Koza, and Kathleen Van.
Cleef-Toedt. "Nail Polish." Chemical Composition of
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