When I looked at Blake Lively‘s NYFW nails, I immediately thought of the iconic SNL character Stefon and his signature monologue, because this manicure has everything: giraffe print French tips! A neutral “cashmere mafia” colour! Negative space!
Lively wore the manicure to the Michael Kors show, where she channeled Serena van der Woodsen and sat front row, of course. Nail artist Elle Gerstein was the designer behind this jam-packed delight of a mani, incorporating elements of Lively’s giraffe print skirt and matching long coat. Since there’s a lot going on, let’s start with the colour: PLA Nail’s Spice, Spice Baby, a plush light brown hue that feels rich and warm but not dark and vampy. Gerstein painted the base of Lively’s nails in the shade and then transitioned to the giraffe print French manicure, dotting the tips of Lively’s nails with those instantly recognisable blobs of colour like a giraffe’s hide. She also played with negative space, leaving part of Lively’s nails bare and adding more dots of colour atop the base for a cool, textural twist on the mob wife mani. Lively piled on the rings in similar shades of light, cappuccino brown to really up the glam factor, and I think this set is definitely Stefon approved.
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Gerstein and Lively have worked together in the past, coming up with ultra-unique and creative manis that really suit the actor’s quirky, witty personality and style. Do the words “antique grandma wallpaper” mean anything to you? This collab was one of Lively’s best nail looks ever, inspired by ‘70s wallpaper and fabric commonly found in your grandma’s house — complete with tons of little details, like a mustard yellow base and faded brown flowers.
If the “cashmere mafia” mani sparked some joy for you, we’ve got your back. With a steady hand, a few tips and tools, and some chic cashmere-inspired polishes (or bright colours, or whatever you like!), you can create a DIY nail art masterpiece from the comfort of home. It’s not a front row seat at New York Fashion Week, but hey, we can’t all be Blake Lively.
This feature originally appeared on Allure.
