PurseBlog Beauty: 10 Pale Nail Polishes for a Perfect Spring Manicure

Every week, The New York Times Magazine runs a column that I really love: Letter of Recommendation. In it, a writer picks a topic and expounds on its virtues. My topic, were I ever asked to write a recommendation, would be in favor of pastel manicures. (I have spent more time than I care to admit wondering what I’d write about, so I’m sure.)

I wear a lot of black, dye my hair bright colors and don’t own a single fashion-related thing that would qualify as even vaguely pastel, but somehow, they’re the only shades that feel consistently right on my nails. Even black, my favorite color for everything else I put on my body, doesn’t fit all the time, but I’ve never had a baby blue or mint green manicure I’ve regretted. Pale nails have been an outlier in my life for years.

Right now, my nails are lavender. Last week, the palest dove grey before you get to white. The color itself isn’t as important as the fact that the shade is desaturated, although I personally tend to prefer chalky shades with no shimmer or glitter. I live in a dirty city and am not prone toward tidiness, but pale, pristine nails make me feel like I have a little bit of order in my life every time I look at my hands.

I’ll wear one of these manicures any time of the year, but I know a lot of women feel particularly drawn toward them in spring. With that in mind, I’ve selected some of my current favorite pale shades, in both traditional colors and more modern versions, for your shopping pleasure, below.