Best Fashion Tips Ever

InStyle's April 2014 issue and manicurist Madeline Poole explain the DIY process for spring's top runway trends. 

1. Pop Art

How-To:

1. Apply a base followed by two coats of white polish. Let dry.

2. Paint on one stripe of red polish; allow edges to appear uneven. Repeat with yellow and green. Let dry. 

3. Paint on several streaks of black polish in varying lengths. 

4. Add topcoat. 

(Colors used: Butter London Nail Lacquer in Cotton Buds, Sally Hansen I Heart Nail Art Stripers in Red, Yellow and Lime Green, Orly Instant Artist Lacquer in Jet Black)

 

2. Bold Florals

How-To: 

1. Start with a base coat, then add two layers of navy. Let dry. 

2. Paint a few short streaks of green polish over the nail, pointing the ends so they resemble leaves.

3. Next to the streaks, dab and swirl the tip of the purple polish brush to make petal-like shapes. Repeat with coral polish.

4. Dot the yellow pen over petals.

5. Apply topcoat. 

(Colors used: Deborah Lippmann Nail Lacquer in Rolling in the Deep, Salley Hansen I Heart Nail Art Striper in Lime Green, Ginger & Liz Nail Lacquer in Total Control, Chanel Le Vernis Nail Colour in Orange Fizz, Salley Hansen Pen in Yellow.)

 

3. Pastel Moons

How-To:

1. Apply a base coat. 

2. With the coral polish brush, paint over the natural half moon shape at the bottom of your nail. Drag the tip of a wooden orange stick along outer edges to perfect the shape. Let dry.

3. Position the lavender polish brush at the lower-left corner of the nail, above the coral arc, and sweep it diagonally across the surface. Position the brush at hte lower-right corner and repeat. Fill in any gaps.

4. Add a topcoat. 

(RGB nail polish in Haze, Nars nail polish in Wind Dancer)

 

4. Graphic Minimalism

How-To:

1. Apply a base, then two coats of opaque white polish. Let dry.

2. Grab the black polish and place the tip of the brush on the outer edge of the nail; sweep it over to the center. Repeat, starting at the other outer nail edge. 

3. Make a dot at the center of the nail; sweep the brush from that dot out toward the tip, creating a V-shape. Fill in any gaps.

4. Add topcoat. 

(Butter London Nail Lacquer in Cotton Buds, Butter London Nail Lacquer in Union Jack Black)