Nails may be the hottest fashion accessory right now, so up the ante on them by coordinating nails with your clients’ other accessories. Many nail techs find that inspiration is just an observation away — whether it’s an article of clothing, a cute purse or shoes from your salon’s retail area, or a cell phone case (another current fashion craze). Plus your client will be flattered that you liked her existing style so much — “Cute shirt! I’d love to match your nails to it!” — that you may have just earned yourself a repeat client.

1. When matching a client’s shirt, make sure you don’t match it exactly — think complementary, not identical. Nail tech Sara Khalaf of Romulus, Mich., charged $15 for this design. “The nail style she wanted matched what she was wearing, so we both decided it would be fun to do the design on her shirt,” Khalaf says. Also, presumably your client won’t be wearing the same shirt again the next day, so ensure the design is OK to stand on its own.

2. Khalaf charged $10 for this design that matched the client’s boyfriend’s tie for a wedding they were attending. This idea is also perfect for prom. We’d nominate them for King and Queen for sure.

3. If your client is like most, her cell phone is probably like an additional appendage (with its own cover art to boot) so matching her nails to her case is a convenient option. Cindy Panagiotou of Defiance Body Studio in Maple Ridge, British Columbia, Canada, charged $10 for this design. “My client’s hands are always glued to her cell phone, so I thought she would always be matching and showing off her nails,” she says. If you decorate cell phone cases as a hobby, keep in mind that this idea goes both ways.

4. Plenty of nail techs make jewelry on the side, so matching jewelry and nails is a perfect opportunity to promote two of your products in one service. Neko Seabridge of Neko’s Nails in Margate, Kent, England, created these rainbow nails first, then made the matching ring for $20 extra. She writes down the client’s ring size, then asks her to pop back for it the next day.

5. Lipstick is a classic item to match nail color too, so if your client is more traditional (or not — the latest lip art trend could also be fun to match nails too), this may be the way to go. Porsche Reese of Mountain Escape Spa in Ider, Ala., says, “Some of my older clients match to lipstick.”   

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Video: The Ruffian Manicure and M∙A∙C.