Something I've read many times in online discussion groups about men painting their nails is 'How can I go out in public with my nails painted without getting ridiculed, pointed at etc?' So here's my answer-
Just do it. Ok, that sounds overly simple, but it really is that simple. But let me expand on that a little. The first time I was brave enough to go out in public with my painted toes showing I was SO NERVOUS. I just knew that everyone was going to notice, point, taunt me and laugh at me. Heck, I thought I might even get in a fight over it. So I went out trying to avoid people (at Wal Mart no less, lol) and was constantly ducking into another isle, turning away from others and I kept looking around to see who was noticing. In other words, I probably looked like I was there to commit a crime, lol. And guess what, I found quite a few people looking at me as if to figure out what I was up to, because I looked like I was up to something wrong.
Then I came home and removed the polish and didn't try that again for months. It actually took me years to realize, thanks to the internet, that there were a lot more guys who painted their toes or fingers than I ever imagined. So I started getting braver and would let my friends see my toes painted, and some made little jokes about it, but most thought it was cool that I was brave enough to do something like that since I obviously liked it. But I still rarely went out in public with them showing and was mostly a closet nail painter like I'm sure many of you reading this are.
Fast forward a couple of years to my 2nd wife who always told me I should just do what made me happy. Problem was I had a very conservative cowboy father who ridiculed any guy with an ear ring, long hair, etc. So there was no way he would think it was alright that I painted my toes. But then in 2007 my father passed away and I began to realize how short life was. I started thinking differently about a lot of things and realized I needed to live my life the way I wanted to and not the way I thought society wanted me to. So I began going out in public with painted toes and decided to act normal, and not look around to see who was staring, pointing etc. And guess what? I noticed that VERY FEW people noticed at all, and NO ONE ridiculed me, or any of my other fears. Yes, I still looked, but just casually and out of the corner of my eye, but mostly I acted like I wasn't doing anything wrong.
Now it's been around 4 years that I've been doing this, and I wear open toed sandals 99% of the time, so everyone can see, and I still haven't had one single real negative situation. Yeah, I've had a few negative comments, but it's all been from women who say something non offensive like 'I don't get it, but to each his own' or something similar. But I've had WAY more positive comments, mostly from women, but a few men too. The women think it's very cool that I'm brave enough to do this and you wouldn't believe how many have said that they wish their significant other would try it so their feet wouldn't be so crusty and yucky.
And my current wife loves it. She much prefers that I have my toes painted and thinks they look boring when not painted.
So how do you get away with it in public? Just do it. Really, it's that simple. Just go out in public and don't act like you're doing anything wrong. Walk with confidence and others will see you as a very brave person, and many will be jealous that their boyfriends or hubby's don't do it. And I can guarantee that many guys will be wishing they were brave enough to do it themselves. And if you catch someone staring, SO WHAT. Lifes to short to go through life trying to please the world. If you do that, you'll fail so why not please yourself. Painted nails can make you feel good about yourself, and they are just fun. Many guys are amazed how good their toes look painted and can't stop looking at them, so just do it, you'll love it.
So guys, get out there, hold your head up and you'll find that the issues you perceive are much more in your head than in reality.
Any other guys want to relate their experiences here?
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| My normal male look with painted toes |
Then I came home and removed the polish and didn't try that again for months. It actually took me years to realize, thanks to the internet, that there were a lot more guys who painted their toes or fingers than I ever imagined. So I started getting braver and would let my friends see my toes painted, and some made little jokes about it, but most thought it was cool that I was brave enough to do something like that since I obviously liked it. But I still rarely went out in public with them showing and was mostly a closet nail painter like I'm sure many of you reading this are.
Fast forward a couple of years to my 2nd wife who always told me I should just do what made me happy. Problem was I had a very conservative cowboy father who ridiculed any guy with an ear ring, long hair, etc. So there was no way he would think it was alright that I painted my toes. But then in 2007 my father passed away and I began to realize how short life was. I started thinking differently about a lot of things and realized I needed to live my life the way I wanted to and not the way I thought society wanted me to. So I began going out in public with painted toes and decided to act normal, and not look around to see who was staring, pointing etc. And guess what? I noticed that VERY FEW people noticed at all, and NO ONE ridiculed me, or any of my other fears. Yes, I still looked, but just casually and out of the corner of my eye, but mostly I acted like I wasn't doing anything wrong.
Now it's been around 4 years that I've been doing this, and I wear open toed sandals 99% of the time, so everyone can see, and I still haven't had one single real negative situation. Yeah, I've had a few negative comments, but it's all been from women who say something non offensive like 'I don't get it, but to each his own' or something similar. But I've had WAY more positive comments, mostly from women, but a few men too. The women think it's very cool that I'm brave enough to do this and you wouldn't believe how many have said that they wish their significant other would try it so their feet wouldn't be so crusty and yucky.And my current wife loves it. She much prefers that I have my toes painted and thinks they look boring when not painted.
So how do you get away with it in public? Just do it. Really, it's that simple. Just go out in public and don't act like you're doing anything wrong. Walk with confidence and others will see you as a very brave person, and many will be jealous that their boyfriends or hubby's don't do it. And I can guarantee that many guys will be wishing they were brave enough to do it themselves. And if you catch someone staring, SO WHAT. Lifes to short to go through life trying to please the world. If you do that, you'll fail so why not please yourself. Painted nails can make you feel good about yourself, and they are just fun. Many guys are amazed how good their toes look painted and can't stop looking at them, so just do it, you'll love it.
But, let me add a few more tips to pulling it off successfully in my little list -
- Do a VERY good job of painting your nails including all the proper prep, filing, callous removal etc. A poorly done pedicure/manicure with color just looks like lipstick on a pig. If you can't do a great job, go to a nail salon. The 1st time you'll be nervous, but it will be no big deal after that. I've gone dozens of times and often chat with women next to me who think it's very cool and wish their hubby would try it.
- Dress in your normal male garb. If you're also into some feminine clothes or shoes, great, me too, but if you don't want to stand out, dress like a guy who just happens to paint his toes.
- If you're in a relationship, go out with your wife/girlfriend as people pay less attention to you when you are with a woman and you can feel more confident that others wont label you as gay if you're not. Note that I have nothing against gays and have gay friends, but if you're straight, it can suck to be labeled as gay just because you wear nail polish, though I don't know of any situation where that has happened to me, just saying.
- Hold your head up and act confident. People perceive us the way we act, so act confident and if someone notices they'll just think you're a confident guy who paints his nails.
- When you're new to this, pick a fairly neutral color like dark blues, greys, browns etc. Stay away from reds, pinks and bright colors. Later, as you gain confidence, you'll find you can wear most any color without turning heads. I wear reds and pinks in public with no problem.
So guys, get out there, hold your head up and you'll find that the issues you perceive are much more in your head than in reality.
Any other guys want to relate their experiences here?
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Great post, my experiences are like yours. I have never had any issues in public. I went from very conservative dark colors to my current neon orange pedi. Still with neon, no one seems to notice or care.
ReplyDeleteI'm not a guy, but I'm married to one whose toes I sometimes paint. The first time we did brights, we tied it into a holiday--orange and black for a vacation we took just before Halloween.
ReplyDeleteAgreed...great post. I, too, have never had a negative experience, but I'm just now getting into wearing something other than clear. I've been getting manis and pedis with my wife for about 2 years, and I've had either positive comments (mostly from women about how nice my hands and feet look), or no comment at all.
ReplyDeleteAs a male that would like to see nail polish for guys become more mainstream, I do have one request. Those of you that are into wearing women's shoes, please, keep it private. In the fight to get nail polish on males as something that is just good grooming and as a way of expressing ourselves (like tattoos, hair, jewelry, etc), adding the cross-dressing aspect of this only provides reinforcement to those closed-minded people that think that this is all "deviant and unnatural", and part of some fetish. Even if it IS for you, posting images of something that I personally think should be private, is counter-productive toward making nail polish on men widely accepted by society. I have no problem with guys posting images of their nicely painted hands and feet with whatever color your want, but let's try to keep it at that. Maybe one day, when polish on men is fully accepted by society, you can post your cross-dressing photos, without it affecting the rest of us that don't want to be lumped in to that category. Unfortunately, that's just the way it is. :(
I agree wholeheartedly about the ones doing the crossdressing with polish! I have done a little crossdressing in the past but only in private and will not in public ever, however I do were colored nail polish in public and love it! have worn it for years but have recently come out in public with it, at work and around relatives! I really dont care about the bad comments from stupid closeminded people because it's something I love to do!
DeleteIt's disgusting enough that woman do it. Looks even more retarded when men are doing this.
ReplyDeleteSeek treatment. You obviously have personal issues poisoning your soul.
DeleteAnd I find it sad that there are so many narrow minded people in the world like you who find something as simple as nail polish 'disgusting'. If you don't care for it, fine, but to say that it's disgusting that women do it and retarded that men do, shows how narrow minded and judgemental you are, and you'll never change 'because you don't have to' or some other lame excuse. Thanks for posting because we need to be reminded that there will always be people like you out there.
ReplyDeleteI've read all your posts on here and I find them to be very encouraging. I'm a 23-year-old guy who recently began painting his fingernails after amassing a small collection of polish in his medicine cabinet (wearing "Times Square Tangerine" by New York Color right now). I was nervous as hell the first time I went out (to Wal-Mart, oddly enough). But I didn't receive any negative attention, and I plan to keep on doing it.
ReplyDeleteI'm always happy to hear that I can help other guys find the courage to try nail polish, and to discover that it's not really as big a deal as we think it is.
DeleteCongrats and have fun with it!
Great commentary, and comments. Even the negative ones. Big deal. The question I have is why the heck does, or would care about what's on my toes or not? I mean that seriously. Someo.e actually cares what's on my toes???? Now that my friends is truly odd and disturbing in many ways. They can like it or not, make judgement about it or not but to seriously think and comment about what's on my toes, or fingers, which that doesn't' work for me, that is truly weird.
ReplyDeleteLOL, everyone goes to Walmart to test out their new looks. Love it! As an employee of Walmart, I am proud that my company is seen as a relatively friendly place to be yourself. I personally think painted nails on men looks sexy. :)
ReplyDeleteNice I have been going out with polish on my toes for almost a year now and no bad experience for me either. I started just going to 7-11 than wall mart and now I go any where and everywhere and also like ladies sanders and even some heels. I wear the sandals out more than heels. You get more notices with heels as I still dress otherwise as a normal guy.
ReplyDeleteThe fear of what others think is irrelevant. We are not here to be accepted by them, but to do as we please; acceptance is optional. I paint my nails on a regular basis, my GF is fine with it, and my reasons are simple: I think it looks good. I've never had much of a problem with other people, but the answer will always be the same. And if at some point it comes to a "brodown" about it, the final word will be "you don't have the balls. I do". ;)
ReplyDelete