Live and learn

[Maria 60]

I was complaining to my wife a week ago about when I go for my traditional Halloween outting I put on nail polish but it takes me hours to remove it from the cracks in my nails. She suggested press on nails, I could get them different lengths and colours and with less mess. I ordered them and tried a few on during the week, I noticed they were going to be a little getting used to, so I would put them on last.
I left the house half dressed and then the fun began, I parked at a plaza to undress and finish dressing. It was a struggle taking off my track pants and jacket with those nails, and then realized I had already lost one. Next the shoes, I was trying to put the strap on the back and at the same time not jabbing a hole in the stockings and then "snap". The strap broke, i don't know why but for some reason I packed another pair of shoes, they didn't really match but I had no choice at this point.
I went to get my purse and i knocked it over with my nails and one of my loop earrings fell out and went between the seats, good luck finding that now. All this fumbling around I look down and realize I lost another nail, I now sit back in my seat trying to remain calm but thinking to myself that I look so forward to this day and now I'm wondering why I inherited this habit and I could be home relaxing watching TV. Then the wig (O-BOY) as soon as I picked it up the nails tangled into the hair and the mesh of the wig, after a few minutes patiently trying to get them out without ruining the wig. Finally got my hand out of the wig and realized I was missing another nail and probably stuck in the wig. That's when I lost my cool, I ripped the rest of the nails off my fingers and put my wig on aggressively and finished dressing and got out of the car. I walked around to the other side opened the passengers door and starting digging into the seat looking for the other loop earring. I then heard some cars and truck horns honking and I realized I was so determined to find that earring I was bent over and my already short pleaded skirt rode up and all my rear end was out. I put my arm behind me and gave a few thank you hand waves, I guess that was flattering. I found the earring and now everything was finally done and thank GOD the rest of the outting went well and I got home safe. That was the most important thing. I now have much respect for women with long nails and I don't think I'll be taking that root again, I'm sure my wife had good intentions.
HAPPY HALLOWEEN everyone.

[bridget thronton]

Happy Halloween - always look forward to reading your posts (sorry the long nails became a nuisance - you have convinced me not to try them without having someone to help me dress)

[Aka_Donna]

For easy nails, use two coats. Bottom coat a clear top coat, for color coat put on your color of choice. Use a professional strength polish remover and then it's easy to remove the top coat. Some of the clear bottom may stick to the edges, but it's clear, so remove at your leisure or let time remove it for you.

Caution: wait for bottom coat to harden before putting on your color coat, or the colors will run or streak and are a mess to remove.

[Stevann]

Use a base coat on your nails. I even let a little get on my skin. Then the color coat won't be in the cracks. Then use a q-tip dipped in your remover to clean up the edges.

[Lana Mae]

Maria, get dressed totally before you get in the car! It is Halloween after all! Just don't put on a mask (costume type)! Happy Halloween! Best wishes Hugs Lana Mae

[Maria 60]

Thanks SirDonna and Stephen I'll try that out next time and it does make sense to put a base coat. Thanks

[GretchenM]

Oh my goodness Maria, my imagining of that scene had me laughing hard. Sorry about that, but it could have been a classic scene in a movie like Tootsie.

Before I put on polish, which is rare, I will take a very fine sandpaper and smooth the surface of the nail to remove ridges and valleys. Then wipe off your nails with nail polish remover to remove any debris or oils. Then put on a clear base coat (not the same as clear varnish) and let that dry thoroughly - very important. Then put on two or three thin coats of color rather than just one thicker one that can come out with a bit of an irregular surface.

It takes some work to remove so for a short period of nail polish it is hardly worth going through all that. But it produces a nice final result.

[NjJamie]

Sorry to hear you had such a difficult night but I hope you really enjoyed the night! The only reason I'm smiling and laughing is because I've done all of the things you just described, with the exception of flashing passing traffic on the side of the road, good show by all I'm sure.

As to the nails, they make various lengths, I've learned that the mediums allow me to do most anything I like, including typing, with just a bit of adjustment. Any long nails require quite a learning curve, CD or GG, and adjustment to what you can do and how you might do it.

One lesson from a Youtube video is to have some thin cotton gloves like you get at Walgreens or CVS and wear them when putting on stockings or pantyhose. Yes it makes it more difficult but for me the process becomes that more real and helps make the mental transition that many of us are looking for. Once I have finished with 99.9% of the change, standing in front of a mirror, grabbing the lipstick tube and finishing the last part with some pretty nails on is when I feel I'm ready for anything.

If nothing else, having any length of nails slows down the process so either skip it all together (frown!) or build more time into the schedule.

[kimdl93]

Thats a night to remember!

Press on nails can be tricky. I can now more vividly imagine the challenges of trying to get dressed after putting them on!

[Stephanie47]

The last time I applied nail polish it was a potential disaster. My wife had gone to Chicago to visit our daughter. It was 24/7 for ten days. I decided to apply nail polish along with full facial makeup. The phone rang. My daughter-in-law locked herself out of her house along with my granddaughter. She needed to get to work. Granddaughter needed to get to school. Please, bring over your spare key. Yikes! Scrub face. Nail polish remover out. Scrub fingers. I raced. By the time I was semi presentable and got there she had gotten the garage door code from my son and got her keys. When I drove up she told me she tried to call, but I had already left the house. Lesson learned. Forget the nail polish. Too much bother. It was the same with press on nails. I looked around and saw the vast majority of women do not wear makeup or use nail polish on a daily basis. Since most outings are usually strolls in the evening, who's going to look at my fingers? That's my personal preference, now. I did go through the press on nails and full makeup, including false eyelashes in my youth. Now I am totally comfortable with trimmed longish nails and maybe lip color.

Maria, that scenario would have been great to record and put on Youtube. The general public would have loved it. I especially liked the part of the honking car horns.

[alwayshave]

Maria, Happy Halloween. I wear press-on-nails. It took me a while to find the right glue that would keep them attached. Now my problem is getting them off.

[SherriePall]

Whenever I wear press-on or glue-on nails I always do them last. After the shoes, hair, and whatever. Saves a lot of aggravation.

[Aunt Kelly]

Sounds like you need more practice. :)

[Krisi]

No doubt it would take a while to get used to having long fingernails (either real or "press on"). That (press on nails) is something I've been wanting to try for some time now. I suppose the trick is to put them on after you've finished dressing, at least until you get used to them.

[NjJamie]

Krisi, they also make "sporty" or medium length which are just a bit past your natural length, great for learning as well as easy to remove if needed.