Essay/Term paper: The true meaning behind that layer of blue nail polish

Essay, term paper, research paper:  Social Issues

The True Meaning Behind that Layer of Blue Nail Polish


When the red-based shades such as pink and orange were the only type of
nail polish females dared to wear, I remember wondering if in the near future
they'd dare switch to completely new shades such as blue or green. Now that
day and age has come when all different shades of blue can be seen painted on
teens' nails. Yet, this new choice of blue isn't just another craze of the
moment. Rather, it symbolizes something slightly deeper. This latest trend of "
blues" not only broke the barrier of "reds only", but broke the limits of
society each girl felt she had when it came to choosing a simple shade of nail
polish.
Before, the "rebels" and the "freaks" were the only ones who had the
guts to wear what it took to get attention and to shock the world. For them
shades of nail polish whether they were blue, black, or glitter have never been
an issue of inappropriateness. Those who were less eccentric when it came to
expressing their exterior image stayed with the "acceptable" red tones.
Now that blue nail polish is the latest manicurean craze, both the
tamest and the wildest adolescents together are donning the shade. When asked
why they choose to wear this latest cerulean shade of nail polish, many give
back similar responses such as: "It looks cool"; "If I wore red I would just
feel like another ordinary person, but if people see your blue nail polish, they
do a double-take"; "It's a little new, something different".
Unfortunately, many youths have been raised in a society where they have
been conditioned to fear doing anything that will have them come across as a
freak to others. In today's society, nail polish is one of the few things that
come between the limits of someone who may be considered a "dull dresser" or a
"freak-show". It is understandable why the more all-around fashion-conscious
youths might be attracted to a new trend of accessory. A theory can evolve,
however, from the other kind of youths who don't express their inner-selves
fully through their apparel. It is possible that these girls may feel more at
ease leaking out their wild streak through the most subtle way they know how -
nail polish. You can dress normally and still wear wild nail polish, yet no one
will consider you a freak because of your flashy nails.
"My parents hate it." This factor alone may be an invitation for youths
to wear blue nail polish. It is a fairly innocent approach of rebellion against
the parents (and elders in general) for those who aren't looking for anything
drastic that will get their parents totally worked up in a rage. Yeah, so to the
older ones blue may seem like an odd choice for nails, but what can the parents
do - strap their daughter's hands to the table and remove the damn polish with
cotton swabs and polish remover?
As superficial as nail polish may seem, it's latest color of fashion has
done a lot to relieve the wild streaks of rebellion and impulsiveness bottled up
inside many adolescents. Otherwise, they would have had no way of expressing
their inner selves. One could even go as far as to say that this latest shade
of nail polish is a trendy - and subconscious - means of therapy....