We wrote about Tom Ford’s upcoming nailpolish release a while back and now with the official images we see it’s being packaged as a “Black Orchid” gift set with lipstick and a solid perfume. If you know someone who’s a packaging/status fiend then you can knock her off your gift list with this item. Priced at $140, it will sell in the United States at Neiman’s and Saks. Via Refinery. On a nail polish note, while visiting Valley spa a couple weeks back for a manicure with star nail technician, Maki, she revealed that she was part of the team that handled the manicures for Tom Ford’s super-secret ruway show! In keeping with the theme of personalizing the fashion choices to reflect the person wearing the clothes, a different color polish was used with each model. Perhaps a hint that we can expect lots more in the nail polish category from Mr. Ford?

There’s a story in the Style section of the Times laying out the premise that it is now okay and even cool to walk around with a busted manicure. And there is some truth to that. But it’s not just about nail polish. In general, busy young females no longer feel like beholden to ANY beauty or fashion regime. Chipped nails are not so much hip as they are a reflection of the crumbling of insane female beauty standards. Which is a good thing. Women shouldn’t feel like they can’t leave the house just ’cause everything isn’t perfectly on point.

^^Photo: NY Times by Melena Ryzik

All that being said, I can’t get with that days-on-end, chipped nails look. It drives me NUTS! And there’s nothing that brings me greater inner-happiness than gazing upon my own, brand new, fresh and clean manicure.