Struck Out

The now-settled Writer’s Guild of America strike severely cut down on our opportunities to check out nails on the red carpet earlier this year.

Angelina Jolie & Brad Pitt

Ceremonies such as the Golden Globes fell by the wayside as sympathetic presenters and nominees declined to cross picket lines, leaving a few minor awards shows, like the 13th Annual Critics’ Choice Awards, as the only opportunities for the glitterati to show off their winter nail styles. And we have to say—we’re disappointed! The famous faces seen at these ceremonies, which were televised on obscure cable networks at best, largely turned up with natural nails. Notable exceptions included Marcia Gay Harden, who showed off silver nails, and Marisa Tomei, who embraced the dark polish trend. But...seriously? Must it take rolling cameras and scripted awards-show banter to bring out creativity on celebrities’ nails? Congratulations on the successful negotiations—now it’s time to trade the bargaining table for the manicure table!

Photo: Chris Polkk/WireImage.com

Hydroplane Into Fame

Rihanna

R&B singer Rihanna made a big splash in 2007 with her catchy hit “Umbrella.” Warbling the tune at live performances at awards shows over the past year, she became just as well-known for her sleek fashion sense. She told Robin Sayers in the February issue of In Style that her experimentation with different looks began at quite a young age, which of course involved playing around with nail polish. “I was 4, and my great-grandma was watching us. I used to give her so much trouble,” Rihanna said. “She probably yelled at me, so I went into my mom’s room, took her nail polishes, opened them and painted ‘bracelets’ up my arm.” She also copped to pouring the polish into a miniature hard hat belonging to her brother. Not surprisingly, when her mother arrived home, there was some hostility in Rihanna’s household, but not for the reasons you’d expect. “I got scared because I thought, "My gosh, I have to go to school like this!, Because we never used to have nail polish remover,” she told the mag. Oh, well; her style now proves that it may have been a better move to leave the “bracelets” on anyway!

Photos: Kevin Mazur/WireImage.com

No. 1 Fan

It starts with a dazzling array of polish bottles and artfully decorated tips, then mellows with a statement from a deep voice: “Got her toes done up with her fingernails matchin’.” It’s “Pro Nails,” the debut music video from Kid Sister, a new female rap artist from Chicago who receives a little background help from Kanye West on this first-released track from her upcoming album. As an homage to professionally done nails, the video features fingers so happy with their enhancements that they’re literally dancing across manicure tables while a band of pedicure clients performs choreographed routines from their thrones. The Nailpro verdict? Two thumb tips up. Check out the video for yourself at Kid Sister’s MySpace page, www.myspace.com/kidsister. You’ll also be able to listen to the song, check out the nail art-happy background and read an article on the making of the video.

Photo: Courtesy of YouTube.com