As the weather transitions to spring, campus’s color palette transforms from icy whites to rich greens and pinks. This shift is starting to show up in smaller details too, as students trade darker tones for lighter, more playful nail designs. For these students, nails are a unique way of showing personality, each opting for a design that suits them best and cheers them up for spring.
Katherine Feng ’27
“I have a nude, pinkish base with sprinkles, and on two of my nails, I have gem flowers. Since spring is coming and the weather is getting brighter, I thought it would be nice to have brighter nails. I feel like the lighter colors and floral details just match the season more, and it’s a nice change from the darker tones I usually go for in the winter. [Getting your nails done is like] when you’ve had a long week and take a nice shower, you feel clean and pampered afterward.”
Siona Chan ’26
“The nail design in the picture was for a girls trip I had over spring break in Miami. I wanted to do something fun with a lot of color that looked like the ocean. I have a couple of starfish on my nails because we were going to the beach. I really wanted to do something pink because I feel like pink is very spring. I think my nails reflect my personality. I get to experiment with different colors and shades, things that don’t always match my outfits but really pop and make a statement. I change my nails based on the seasons. I usually do them every two to three weeks, and I pick colors depending on the season.”
Isabelle Welenc ’28 (also the nail artist! @itsso_izzynails on Instagram)
“My nails are Coraline themed, the 2009 movie from Laika Studios. The star pattern on my nails is themed after her sweater, on one of them there are the eyes of the children that are disguised as a ball from the circus and a key. Coraline is one of my favorite movies and I watch it once a term. With spring term coming, I thought I would rewatch the movie and do my nails to go with it. I associate it with spring rain because of the movie itself. In the movie it’s raining and it goes from the winter all the way to the summer, so there’s a spring component of the spring showers. It makes me really happy to express myself through a form of art because I need art to function and it’s a good way to get it in without spending too much time in Elson.”
Nishi Amin ’28
“I got gel nails, and I got a teal color on my thumb, pointer finger, middle finger, and pinky finger. On my ring finger, I got some clear polish, and then a little teal heart that’s the same color as my other nails. I got gel nails, and I got a teal color on my thumb, pointer finger, middle finger, and pinky finger. On my ring finger, I got some clear polish, and then a little teal heart that’s the same color as my other nails.”
