How long is too long?

[Patricia1]

My nails have grown quite a bit lately with no ulterior design on my part - just everyday growth going on. I just love the way they look lately and want to get a manicure with some color other than clear. We'll see what I can get away with. My question to you is: How long do you let your nails go before they attract too much attention in male mode? Any suggestions. What can I get away with in drab? Here's the pinky:

[LisaM]

Patricia,

Your pinky nail looks great. My nails are about the same length. The problem I have is that they tend to break or get caught on things at that length unless I put some type of hardener on them. If I put a clear hardener on them then it makes them quite noticeable so in the end I trim them back and let them grow again.

[Gabrielle Hermosa]

Hard to say exactly how long is too long before someone else might comment on it.

I'm guessing you're right about there already, based on your pinky. I'm not sure if anyone would actually comment on it when you're in guy-mode, but it might stand out if they saw your nails.

I've noticed guys with longer nails before and really didn't think much of it. I never suspected that they might be closet cd's or anything. I always just figured they either just wanted them that way or didn't like trimming them (or were too lazy to).

Why not find out how long you can grow them before someone comments? I doubt anyone would make a big deal of it if they did comment. Would be interesting to know what was said, if anything.

[Donna Marie]

Patricia, I think I gotcha beat with my nails at the moment. Plus, I keep NutraNail, which is high gloss, on them. Eventually, either one breaks or I preempt it with a light trim. So far, only one person, a woman, has said anything in the last 10 years! And she complimented me on how nice they looked. My story (true) is that I always was a nail biter in all the years I went to school then worked. Finally, when I was retired, I guess the stress was off and I just enjoyed seeing 'em grow out at last.

I had a brother-in-law that had unusually long nails. He was absolutely NOT a cross-dresser - if you could have seen him you would agree. I think he was just too lazy and too busy drinking beer to bother with them.

So enjoy 'em if you got 'em! Now if I could just get away with a pale pink polish ....... ??

[Alana Lucerne]

Just tell people you are taking up the guitar. I know several classic guitar players who have long nails (usually on one hand) and they all wear polish and/or hardener to keep them strong.

[DonnaT]

I've not received any comments on my nail length, except from my wife.

She's always feeling the length and saying they are getting too long.

[Persephone]

I don't know what is the longest you can have them before they get noticed, but I definitely know that mine are over that line.
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y53/sandylewiscares/Nails1-6-09-1.jpg(the white crescents inside the pink are artifacts of the scanner, they aren't really there).

[Dressing Jill]

Wow I love my nails they are about 1/4" past the tip of my fingers. I do handyman work. They do not interfere with my work and no one has said any thing except when I use nail polish.LOl......

My girl friends love them and wish they had nails like mine.LOL.....


Hugs :hugs:

Jill

[Carly D.]

I "accidentally" let my finger nails grow fairly long once in a while.. but mostly I keep them cut, but I am currently grooming my nails.. I use those varying roughness nail boards to give my nails a shine without polish.. it's my little secret that if anyone asks I would tell them I don't know what they are talking about, my nails are naturally this way.. what a lier.. not really.. nobody notices. or nobody cares.. I used to just wear clear nail polish more because I like the way it looked than the fact that wearing nail polish is supposed to keep you from getting hangnails.. speaking of reasoning that might be a load of.. well you know?? I had heard somewhere that wearing high heels helps prevent heel spurs, anyone ever heard that?? I know my feet don't have them, and I've been wearing heels for quite some time now.. anyone else heard of this.. I mean I would tell anyone who would listen that this is why I wear them, although I wear them because I just love the way they feel.. er rather to help my posture.. and keep heel spurs away.. yup... is true...

[Brock]

Looking good, Patricia. If you get any funny looks or comments just say you play guitar, finger picking :)

[5150 Girl]

For playing guitar?!?!?! Well i suposae on the pick'n hand, but long nails make cords almost imposible. If one is realy used to playing with nails, I supose you can get by with 1/4in ok.
I keep mine arround 1/4in most of the time, but, it's not uncomon for them to sneek out to 1/2 or even 3/4 in. Can I stll play at 3/4? Well I can do riffs and stuff, but no cords... but then again, I'm really a "gun-slinger" any way.

[Alice Green]

I’ve always been able to grow out my nail out with no problem with them breaking, when I was young my mom would be jealous because I could grow them out so long with out them breaking, and that was just me being lazy and not cutting them. Now I grow the out to a good length and cut them, but if someone notices just say you haven’t cut them yet.

[victoriamwilliams1]

I let mine grow until I break them! I hand my pinky nail about 1/4 long and had to trim it back. I know men with very long manicured nails and most people would say today that they are metrosexual! I think for the most part that if they are clean people will not say anything.

[Darlene-VA]

My nails are kept quite long and no one seems to notice or say anything no matter what mode of dress I am in.

[StacyCD]

My nails are about as long as yours right now. What's unusual is that I have all ten nails that are about the same length--usually I have a couple that have broken off and are much shorter. I have only had one person comment about my nails; a GG who thought that I took great care of them and was jealous! I use OPI nail envy on my nails because in addition to giving them some extra strength they are less glossy than most.

[tanya-uk]

My nails are quite long, the few comments I have had have been off GGs who comment how nice they look.

I think out and about people in general are too busy to be taking notice of other people's nails. So enjoy them, and I hope you have as much fun taking care of them as I do. :battingeyelashes:

[JoAnne Wheeler]

Long nails are wonderful "IF":

1. you can do all of your activities of daily living w/o breaking or cracking them on things,

2. you can hook your bra w/o stabing yourself,

3. you can zip your back zipper w/o breaking your nails,

4. you can put your hose on w/o tearing them with your nails,

5. you do not have to work with tools ( I broke 5 of my long nails trimming shrubs with clippers)

6. you can sleep with your spouse w/o stabbing her with your nails (same applys to toenails too)

JoAnne Wheeler

[linnea]

[I love long nails, but Joanne's "rules" are well-taken. I let mine grow and apply clear polish and hardener, but I have a terrible time avoiding breaks and chips.
When I have the opportunity to have my nails done, I get medium lengths with a pretty color and take care to avoid nail-breaking activity (often hard to do).
Ordinarily though I keep them a length that extends just above the tip of each finger. lol



JoAnne Wheeler[/QUOTE]

[Georgia Rose]

Particia1, my nails are usually kept at about the length of your pinky. No one has ever commented.

When I started growing them i observed other males and found lots of guys have slightly longer nails than you would expect.

My dear old dad (long gone) was a real macho guy and always had longer nails. Once asked him why and he said that's the way he liked them (he was definitely not a CDer). Apparently nobody ever questioned him on them.

[luvSophia]

I keep my nails fairly long and no one has ever commented on them. I get a manicure/pedicure once a month and come out with a clear coat. When that starts to chip, or otherwise look bad, I put on a sheer polish. Something in sheer nude or pink is usually not very noticeable. If you try to come close to the color of your nail bed I doubt any one will really notice.

[Vicky_Scot]

The people that have commented on my nails when they are long are girls in the age range of 12-15.

I have been asked a few times by girls of that age....Why have you got girls fingernails?

I reply......I don't, they are mine.

My wife complains at times about my long nails but we won't go into that........:o

Xx Vicky xX

[leggylisa]

mine usually get quite long before i bother to cut them

[CD Susan]

I keep my nails about 1/4" past my finger tips. I have one nail that has a constant split at the tip so it chips and breaks easily. I keep this nail at only 1/8" past my finger tip. I call it my "shorty nail". I wear nail polish all the time, clear or subdued light colors when in guy mode, and no one has ever commented on them.

[Gerard]

I'd say the pinky picture you show is about the max length to not get noticed (and to not have problems to get them torn or when typing and such). About 2-3 mm. At least it works for me.

It depends a lot on how they look though. I have a guy at work who has claws like a wolf. They are also very dirty and neglected, I have no reason to believe he's a CD.

[Starr]

I have always had long fingernails.. well longer then most males.. but over the last few years i have let the grow pretty long. Right now they are 3/8" from the tip of my finger.. over the years of having long nails i have learned most people won't say much to you about having long nails..but the will talk behind your back which is ok with me.. right now i am keeping them trimed and neat filed and rounded like most women wear theres. i did have one case where i was ask if i played a string instrument, and when i looked puzzled the young lady said my long nails made her wondered.. that some men she had know had long nails that played... i told her no i did not play.. just enjoyed long nails..

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