Keri Hilson for Instyle magazine is photographed sporting three of Summer 2011’s biggest trends: super-short denim shorts (in this case by Calvin Klein), long-oval nails and bicycles. On the second page, she hits a fourth, lace-up military boots….after that, there aren’t many left!

That burger and nails blog everyone was getting all excited about? Turns out it’s done by a guy who likes nail art, says Vice mag. Which is fine, but a relief because the idea of a sloppy hamburger paired with a manicure wasn’t sitting well from my very femmy perspective. Nails done means a prettty, perfect and pristine manicure that you can gaze upon and find peace from even when all else around you might be a chaotic mess. So the image of drippy food pushed up against newly polished nails potentially making them a mess, too?? Sorry, but just no. It’s wrong.

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.