My nails as they are now

I was never one for long nails. As a violinist, only the barest minimum of white was acceptable, and I began to appreciate the clean, minimalistic aesthetic. I became a short-nail purist;  the claw-like manicures celebrities and beauty bloggers sported seemed vaguely repulsive. And it wasn't as if stylishness decreased in proportion to the length of one's fingertip cartilage; on the contrary, Harper's Bazaar and Elle deemed OPI's Lincoln Park After Dark a fashion faux pas on anything but a well-trimmed set.

That was until I stopped playing violin and got a little lazy. As my nails approached Fergie-like proportions, I realized that maybe it was time to stop fighting nature. So I lost the clipper, filed my nails into a rounded point, and painted them dark purple. Voila. My new mani was sleek, surprisingly elegant, and a heck of a lot edgier.

I suppose they made the short-nails-only rule when black polish was still considered a little shocking, but I believe it's now perfectly acceptable to rock long, dark, tips if you have the hands and skin tone for it. In fact, a stiletto shape looks best with either somber or pale polishes - it's a fashion statement, so stick to avant-garde or classic hues and steer clear of bright red or hot pink, unless you want to blend in with the cast of Jersey Shore.

But before you trade in your schoolgirl nails for a sex bomb mani, remember that long nails are harder to keep healthy. And if you trim them right, your nails will look strange without polish, so be prepared for intensive upkeep. Finally, they are super easy to break (and complaining about it will make you look like a diva).

Still interested? The key is trimming your nails into a tapered shape - think of the ends as an elongated ellipse. It's easier to just cut them so they're pointy at the end and file until you're sure you won't injure anyone (unless you're going for the dagger look). And do trim them, or you'll look like you're competing for the Guinness Book of World Records.

Avoid going too wide, a la Blake Lively:


Or too pointy, like Lana del Rey (unless you want to take someone's eye out):


These are perfect:

Got it? Happy filing!