Nails

Book excerpt: This lively, colorful, and wide-ranging exploration of the evolution of the painted nail places a fascinating aspect of cultural history at your fingertips. Author Suzanne E. Shapiro traces the origins of the modern manicure as a radical gesture in style and follows it through today's culture of ubiquitous nail salons and edgy experiments in nail art, showing how at every turn the manicure has reflected larger style trends as well as changing ideals of femininity. Unique, accessible, and authoritative, Nails brilliantly connects the painted nail to the history of women's fashion and the evolution of beauty.