I better take off nail polish just incase

[DeniseNJ]

Have any of you ever been envolved in an activity in which your toes could be exposed by mistake. Tomorrow in front of about 60 co-workers we have a training class and one part is self defence, You have to get on Mats in your socks and perform moves in which you could maybe twist a knee or ankle or slide out of your socks I can see the pa. pulling off my sock if I got hurt or my toes poking thru a hole or someone steping onf my sock and me walking out of it.. The repercussions would be huge niot to mention how embarrassed I would be. Now I have to do it , the new pedicure color is coming off for now. Yes them seeing my shaved legs is one thing , my pretty red toes another.. Looks like I am gonna have to visit the salon for a color change after training:)

[VanIsle]

Funnily enough I still have my toes done from the weekend, and they are that colour! My wife keeps reminding me to take it off, I keep forgetting.

[Keely]

I have that same problem, "forgetng" to take the polish off.:heehee:

[NathalieX66]

I work in the shoe manufacturing business. I'm in the product development end of it. I just happen to be a US size 8½ -9.....guess what that means?
All our prototype samples from our overseas factories come in mens size 9. Having a couple of corporate VPs ask me tro try on shoes is a regular occurrence.
Being typically paranoid of people knowing my non-conforming gender activities & behavior, I go doubly out of my way to make sure my socks have no holes, and are clean. Today's color is candy apple metallic red. Yay! I'm 15 months of long hair and pierced ears. No, my boss & co-workers do not know what my toes look like.

[sissystephanie]

Denise, I think my toes are the same color as yours! But my polish will stay on. I have been getting my finger and toe nails polished for more years than I can remember. Anyone who hasn't seen my polished toes by now doesn't count anyway!! When it is warm I go everywhere wearing open toe sandals!

[DeniseNJ]

It's off ain't taking any chances, We did have a class on GLBT and harrassment . where I work they say it's -0- tollerance for that type of behavior. Still the ridicule would be instantanious if they knew about Denise

[Jamie001]

Why worry about it. There are many men basketball players, soccer players, race car drivers, actors, hollywood directors, UFC fighters that wear nail polish on their toes. It is not really a big deal. Just google it if you don't believe me. It is no different then men wearing earrings. If anyone asks you about your toes, just tell them that you like having them painted. Don't take off good polish because someone might see your toes.

[Contessa]

Keep it on! I know that won't make you keep the polish on Denise, but think about what is going to happen when people see your toenails. Everyone will smile and say ahhh. You don't have to tell any one you're a CD. But it may not happen nobody may see them and all is well. You will hate yourself if it doesn't happen and you have taken the polish off. Or you keep it on and never lose a sock. And no one sees it. Oh well I'm not mad at you.

Contessa Marie

[Sammy777]

Or are you just using this company activity as the scapegoat to remove the polish just so you can go back and get another pedi?? ?? Hmmmmmm?? Come On fess up :lol2:

[~Joanne~]

Is it just me or is RHT's a no-no with opened toed shoes? I always believed they made sheer toe for a reason. Not saying it's horrible or one shouldn't but it seems weird to me lol

[STACY B]

Is it just me or is RHT's a no-no with opened toed shoes? I always believed they made sheer toe for a reason. Not saying it's horrible or one shouldn't but it seems weird to me lol Reminds me of the 70s or early 80s when alot of girls did that ,, Ya ever notice its kinda weard now

[Cheryl T]

I had a few tests at the hospital a few years ago and thought things went well.
When I got home I got a call to come in to the Dr that afternoon for a consultation. Since our Xmas party was that weekend I took the time to do my toes so that it would be one more thing done prior to the party.
Well, I arrive for the appointment and the first thing they tell me is to take off my shoes and socks. OMG....
Well, I speak to the Dr alone and tell him I'd prefer the others not be in the room and he concedes. Then I explain and he just says... I don't care, I just need to check your pulse there and look at your veins.
Oh, well, cat out of the bag. But at least the girls in the office didn't find out.

[kimdl93]

I took dance lessons with my wife and at one point was surprised when she suggested that we both take off our shoes - which exposed my stockings and painted toes. The damce instructor, a pretty young lady from Portugal, glanced at my feet and smiled, but never made any comment.

[DeniseNJ]

Is it just me or is RHT's a no-no with opened toed shoes? I always believed they made sheer toe for a reason. Not saying it's horrible or one shouldn't but it seems weird to me lol


RHT's Does this mean wearing hose or thi highs in open toe heels. Yes they were sheer to toe thi highs I was wearing. I have to say I work in a male dominated society, yes some women work there and some women work in the job titles that one would think as a male only title. Yes , some of you say pass it of as I like to polish them, or my wife dared me. No matter , my life working there would be changed for ever and the rumor mill would be running full blast if they caught me.. I made a mistake today was regular classes and TEAM building exercise Tomorrow is the self defense... Sammy I never thought of that , I do need an excuse to visit the salon early and getting caught in the chair while the girl puts color on my toes is always a thrill for me. Thinking of a nice pearl pink this time

[KaTanya]

I feel like the point has been missed here. If you have to choose between barefoot and socks (with the possibilty of calamity), go barefoot. If that means bare nails, so be it. Nothing gets in the way of fashion like a boot cast. Although, for purposes of a "self-defense" course, it seems that shoes (what you will probably be wearing during an incident) should not be a problem.

If you're going to cite rockstars as role models (a mistake in and of itself), it should be pointed out that they tend to wear black. Black =! bright red. You're better off with "wife won the dare" excuse.

PS, company-sponsored self-defense is a nice benefit. Make the most of it.

[Ava Tryptyk]

I haven't had experiences where my toes would be exposed by mistake, but whenever I go home to see family I take the polish off of my toes. We live in a warm climate and I often walk around the house barefoot and swim in our swimming pool. So it's impossible not to notice my toes if they were polished. I also have to do it beforehand because if I bring nail polish and polish remover with me, people are going to find it and ask me about it, so I would have to discreetly throw it out -- much easier to get it done with before I even leave to see the family.

I've only had one experience when an unexpected person saw my toes - I was at my girlfriend (at the time)'s room in her dormitory and I was barefoot with black painted toenails (the polish was actually my girlfriend's idea - she didn't know about the CD interest but I don't think she would have been against it at all), and her roommate came into the room, she saw my feet and said "Niiiice toenails!" My girlfriend thought that she was being sarcastic but I didn't really hear the sarcasm.

Anyway, that's awesome that your company gives you a course in self-defense! I don't think that the toenail polish would be a problem but if it will make you nervous during the training, you should remove it.

[Jamie001]

We make way too much of a big deal out of a little thing like painted toenails. If you do some googling you will find that actors, basketball players, baseball players, UFS fighters and a lot of other men are wearing toenail polish. The best thing to do it just wear it proudly and if anyone asks just tell them you like having painted nails. It's really not a big deal when you consider folks walking around with tattoos all over their bodies and folks with body piercings - why is toenail polish such a big deal? Most of the fear are demons created in our own mind.

[DeniseNJ]

I hear what your saying Jamie but those with piercings/tatoo's you won't be labeled a FAG/Queer or Sissy. So how many guys do you know with a TRAMP Stamp on their lower back, I don't know of any. I would love to wear polish proudly but sometimes if you feel that the repercusions wouldn't be worth it you take the easy way out. I have taken my feminity farther than I ever thought I would , so I tend to push the limits but NOT all time.

[Staci K]

I regularly have my nails on both my hands and feet painted - even while in male drab. While in girl mode, I'll have my nails painted something girlie (ie. pink, red, etc). In guy mode, I'll still have my manicured nails sporting a color like transluscent blue (most looks like no color, but when the light hits it just right my nails are blue). While dressed in male drab, I've been just about everywhere: ER, grocery shopping, out for dinner, etc. While in guy mode, I've never had anyone look twice (at least not that I've notice to make me feel uncomfortable); most likely since I keep them a transluscent color in guy mode, they may catch a glimpse of color, but since I'm doing my own thing I most likely move my hands so the light hits different and they look like there's nothing on them... While I may not notice anyone ever do a double take, I hope if they are they're completely baffled by the now you see it, now you don't polish. LOL

Nicole

[Miriam-J]

This used to bother me more. But my wife insists that I can just say that "I lost a bet with my wife" or "I let my wife have a little fun". This worked well once when we had a visit to our friends' hot tub. Now I'm pretty relaxed about it winter when my toes only make occasional public showings, but I stick to clear through the summer.

[Sally24]

Yes, when I go camping with the Boy Scouts or go to an overnight at my mothers I try to remember to remove my polish.

[Miriam-J]

Once last spring I took my son to get some shoes. When we got to the store we discovered that he had forgotten to wear socks. Without thinking I removed one of mine for him to wear and ... a bit of explaining to do. Gave him a good laugh, but he was Ok with it.

Miriam

[Joanne f]

I use to wear this what i would call an iridescent purple varnish on my toes and fingers all the time because most of the time they would just look shiny with the occasional flash of purple, then i went into a post office and noticed that as soon as i put my hands near the counter they shone brightly purple , and the same thing would happen when wearing sandals in the summer when the sun caught them .

[Sandra1746]

Just my $0.02.
I regularly paint my fingernails and quite often 'forget' to remove the polish when out in public in en-drab or wearing slacks and a fem top (andro-mode). I always wear earrings and a necklace and I carry a purse so I'm not really all that stealthy. The polish is usually a sparkley pink but I have several other bright colors, a gift from my SO.

Nobody has ever remarked on the polish (or any of the other accessories) so I think many fears are groundless. I'm retired so I have more freedom, an office environment may well be different (mine would have been) so adapting to the situation is likely the best course of action.

Love,
Sandra

[Madilyn A.]

Im just wondering; is it that we so love to have our nails painted that we wait till the very last moment to remove it, then something comes up and ; oh well I hope I don't get caught. Or, is it the thrill of possibly being caught ? Usually for me the latter. I've had several close calls.

[Stephanie8]

this is one part i always seem to forget. especially the toe nails.

[ArleneRaquel]

In grammar school the nuns suggested that girls/women who painted their toe nails were scarlet women. Oh what they think of me !

[Jeninus]

Denise you did exactly the right thing, i.e. removing the polish. It's akin to blurting out something without thinking -- you can never take it back and your life could be changed forever. When you're retired it's different, but you're not there yet. It simply isn't worth the danger to your standing with your coworkers. No need being militant about your orientation, supportive HR or no supportive HR.

[Brown Eyed Girl]

Nicole, you're like me. There's a color called Bubble Bath and it's a super light pink and looks like it's barely there. So, I was wearing it one time and my wife caught a glimmer in the sunlight...."your toenails are sparkling!" Doubt it I retorted, but I know she was not happy....again.

[heel_addict]

I guess that we like the thrill of being caught. I remember about 4 months when my GF's friend and her boyfriend invited me and my GF to their cottage. It was a long drive and the cottage was quite secluded. We would be staying there for 2-3 days. I had decided to take off my red nail polish from my toenails just in case, fearing someone might have caught me or having to take off my socks and facing ridicule. Nobody had a clue about me having beautiful red nails under my socks, not even my girlfriend. Prior to leaving, I was having second thoughts, maybe I shouldn't take my nail polish off? And if I didn't, I would need to carry my nail polish remover with me, hidden in the car, to get rid of my red toenail polish in case of an emergency. I got a little braver and finally made up my mind. We would depart with me having red toenails hidden inside my socks and no nail polish remover! I remember, on the second day of our stay. I grabbed the chance to search their bathroom there for cosmetics etc, hoping to find a nail polish remover because I had a few close calls there! There was absolutely nothing that I could use to take off my nail polish, the nearest town was half an hour away, and almost all of the shops were closed because it was an off-season period in a tourist place. So I was literally stuck with my sexy red toenails there and so out of luck if I needed to take off my socks somehow :) Fortunately, I didn't have to. I pushed my luck with this one I guess but this is what made it incredibly exciting, it was the thrill of being caught!

[Etsy]

This depends a lot on the place where you work and your relationships with the people you work with. If they seem cool with more progressive styles and you can pull it off, leave it on. If they seem really conservative about appearances then take it off. At the office where I work, I've only heard one negative comment when I first started there, and it was because the guy was studying my face and noticed the eyebrows and made a tranny comment. I think he was just radaring me anyway, so no big deal. Most of the girls like my fingernail polish and a few of the guys think it is rad. I present as a somewhat spooky guy who dresses really androgynously and it is perfectly fine. I never deal with the public in person and deal only with other employees face to face and so grooming with a more feminine slant is a non-issue.

In my experience with work, I have never had any issues with a greater or lesser display of feminine appearance as long as I don't do any dramatic changes from day to day and act like the style I present is no big deal. It also helps a lot to be performing well at work and behave above reproach. I work in IT so keep in mind that geeks have a greater tendency toward looking and behaving different than the status quo generally anyway and are less judgemental over the superficial because many were on the wrong side of such judgements at some point in their lives.

It may not be acceptable where you work but as was stated before, many men wear toenail polish these days; more than wear fingernail polish for sure. Quite a few of these guys present as very masculine in appearance also. Many guys who prefer a more alternative appearance also wear fingernail polish. Whether it will be a big issue or a non-issue depends on your work culture really.

Another thing to keep in mind is that if you have any other grooming habits that appear overtly feminine when combined together, the toenail polish might be the little thing that convinces some people you are a crossdresser. If that is a problem with your workplace be careful if you need to stay in the closet.

And as always, darker polishes and green/blue shades on guys is still seen as more acceptable than light pinks / light reds / light purples.