Random TFTD — Ignoring the obvious “why paint your fingernails” question, lets move past to this one, slightly more complex:

Why, lady, would you paint your toenails but leave your fingernails bare?

And did I miss a memo about toenail shades not having to match (in ANY way) fingernail shades? Aren’t they normally the same (or at least complimentary)? Explain to me how gunmetal blue (toes) goes with Glistening ‘Still Wet’ Magenta (fingers), because I’m not seeing a connection on my mental color wheel.

I paint my toenails but never, ever my fingernails. And usually some funky color, such as blue or green or silver.

No, I know, no help at all...

Significant other states, "Some women don't bother to update toe polish when fingers are redone..."

Me, I don't get it either, but that's what the wife says... :)

I have the answer.

It's fashion, dahling!

Okay, in my case it's leaving my fingernails bare but painting my toenails black is a bit of subversion, because I wear closed-toe shoes in Corporate America, but swing towards the Goth side of the Force when outside the office.

How about men painting the toenails. I'm not sure why I'm always looking down, but it seems that an unusually high number of men are painting the toenails. I see lots of silver and black.

The goth subversion thing I'll buy, but these are younger baby-boomers with open-toed office shoes... just looks odd.

Well, have you ever tried painting your fingernails, Doyce? No, I'm serious. It adds weight to them, weight you can feel. It's like the opposite sort of thing from cutting off a lot of your hair.

Bugs me. Also, if you're the sort of person who fiddles with your fingertips, the nail polish tends to get all chipped and ugly real soon.

But toenails, they're a lot less full of nerves, and you care less if they feel heavy. And a lot of people feel bad about their feet, and want something down there to distract from them.

Can't offer an explanation for the different colors, though.

Huh... I'll buy that for a good explanation of 'why one and not the other' -- at least from a guy's point of view it makes sense.

And she's right. I pick constantly at fingernail polish...feels like my fingers can't breathe. But I honestly fell out of the habit while pregnant (can't breathe the fumes) and after (don't want baby to be sticking polished nails in mouth...for that matter, can't have long fingernails for fear of inflicting permanent damage!).

I'm with Sekimori. I only paint my toes and it's always some crazy color. Normally, purple...grape scented even! I even have MOOD polish that changes if my tootsies get cold.