Pretty in Pink

Yesterday I attended a wedding and it was one of the first really nice, warm, sunny days that we have had in a long time. The occasion definitely called for a cute dress and flirty shoes, so of course my fingernails and toenails had to look their best too. So out came the array of polishes in their many shades. What to choose?

I have colors ranging from a blackish purple to the palest pink. Peacock blue, glittering gold, sparkling silver, and glistening greens are some of those included in the mix. But it felt like a pink kind of day: happy and girly. So I narrowed my choices to "Pink I Can" and "Back to the Fuschia."

Just reading the names made me chuckle. I recently played a character named Mindy in a play set in the '80's called "Five Women Wearing the Same Dress." In the beginning of the second act, she questions why makeup is always named after food, naming colors like "Cha Cha Chinaberry, Maple Melon Mist, Raspberry Whip, Tangerine Dream, Simply Strawberry..." Trisha, another character chides her, saying "Well, what else are they going to name it after, Mindy? What are they going to say, 'Bleeding Wound Red?'" When we did the play, however, not a single one of the nail polishes that we used as props had a food name. Names were things like "Santa Fe," "Rose Blush," "Back of the Fuschia" and "Color Me Crimson." Perhaps "Bleeding Wound Red" is not so farfetched these days.

In any case, I decided that "Pink I Can" was just too pale when not contrasted with tan skin and settled on the bright pink of "Back to the Fuschia." A half hour or so later, all coats considered, my look was transformed. It's funny what a little polish can do. My feet went from naked to needing to be shown off. Just looking at my flirty pink tootsies made me smile.

Since I'm usually wearing flip-flops, sandals and open-toed shoes when it's warm here and tend to go barefoot more often than not when shoes are unnecessary, my toes are always painted in the summer. In the winter, I don't think about it much. My toes are tucked inside socks, stockings, shoes or boots, so why bother? Seeing my happy feet reminds me why. I like being a girl! In winter I get all bundled up in heavy clothes and just want to be comfortable and warm. I forget how much fun bouncy skirts and flowing sundresses can be. Pink toes make me think of those days. And now that I've seen what a difference a little color can make, those sunny days are here to stay!

"I believe in manicures. I believe in overdressing. I believe in primping at leisure and wearing lipstick. I believe in pink. I believe happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day, and... I believe in miracles."  - Audrey Hepburn