365 Beauty & Style Guide: Chic Polish + Ring Combos

Rings look far more ravishing on one’s fingers when they’re coupled with a pretty manicure, but not just any color will do. Here, check out a few stellar, summer-perfect cocktail ring and mani combos that will leave all eyes on your haute hands!

1) Beach Scene: A few years ago, owls were the big accessory craze; this year starfish (or sea-stars), like this BaubleBar Starfish Ring are huge when it comes to jewelry – which is perfect given the current season (summer!). This particular shape is oversized, so it definitely stands out in aesthetic; however, color is really minimal, due to the fact that it’s covered in clear crystals. To truly make it stand out, and play up the beachy vibe, I love how it looks paired with Essie’s Cascade Cool, which is a bubblegum pink with purple undertones - and totally reminiscent of the color of the sand at Pink Sand Beach in the Bahamas (yes, the beach actually has pink sand there!). NOTE: This nail polish color makes you look tanner than you really are – total plus!

2) Destination…Tropics: Turquoise can be a finicky accessory color, as sometimes it leans more to the blue side, others green, and sometimes it has an aged look to it. Kenneth Jay Lane’s Turquoise Oval Ring fits into the first category. The stone is a really clean, almost sky blue/turquoise; and the setting is a really rich, glamorous brushed gold plate. Due to the fact that it is such a bright, colorful accessory, to get a truly tropical feeling from it, I like the idea of pairing it with an equally bright nail polish – my polish of choice is Essie’s Fear or Desire, which is a creamy orange / tangerine color (very on-trend for 2012, as Pantone has named Tangerine Tango the color of the year). These two colors coupled together are mind-blowingly beautiful; and totally tropical in that umbrella-in-your-drink type of way.

3) Bollywood Beauty: Summer is one of the best times of year to wear bold, vibrant colors that really make you standout. In accessories, I personally love a very feminine color juxtaposed against an unexpected aesthetic, like this Dara Ettinger Small Pink Hillary Ring. The color of this ring truly reminds me of the pinks and reds seen in Indian Spice Markets, so to stay in line with that Bollywood / exotic type of theme, it deserves a really, really pulsating nail polish hue. My choice is Thakoon for NARS’ Koliary which is a phenomenal cyan blue, and would make for a super pretty pedicure, as well as a manicure.

4) Jagged Edge…with a Classic Twist: There are times when you’re wearing a really stunning ring, or ring set, like BaubleBar’s Organic Stacking Ring, and you want to complement it with a nail polish color, without overpowering the accessory itself. Nude is a very subtle pairing; however, it gives a lot of people ‘mannequin hands’, and it’s not the simplest of tasks to find one that complements your coloring. For that reason, I like to pair rings like these with a neutral, sheer shade that has just a kiss of pink to it. My favorite is Julep’s Jennifer, which is a beautiful, barely-there shade that allows your ring to stand front and center; whilst serving as a truly classic backup dancer.

Which ring / mani combo are you eager to don this summer?


Fashionably yours!