Trend Report: Nail Armor

Its no secret that history repeats itself, however it is often times difficult to comprehend the rich history behind particular modern day jewelry trends. Most modern day trends in general can be traced back to ancient roots… take the nail ring for one. From Nicole Richie, to Lady Gaga and Beyonce, history is repeating itself as this trend continues to make a come back!

While the modern day version of the nail ring is merely a fashion statement, historically, amidst Chinese autocracy, long nails were an indication that you did very little manual labor and represented a noble ranking. Only trouble was that when your fingernails get that long they tend to break easily therefore the Chinese nobility adorned finger/nail guards to protect their long honorable well-kept hands. The nail ring (Nail Guard) was item of ornamental dress and historically considered the exclusive jewelry for the noble ladies… Dating back to the 19th Century this trend is undoubtedly deeply rooted and rather extreme if you ask me. And while my attempt at this look would be associated with anything but the Manchurian high culture of the Qing Dynasty I still might try the nail ring out for size… Should you by chance be feeling edgy as well check out some of the options to create this look below!

Bijules Original Snake Nail Ring $305 - ahalife.com

TOPSHOP Cross Nail Ring $15 - topshop.com