Are Red Nails The Ultimate Hack To Attract A Guy?
This article was written by The Zillennial Zine’s fall editorial intern Jess Newman. Find her on Instagram at @_jess_n_. If you would like to share an article with The Zillennial, send us an email at thezillennialzine@gmail.com.
Can meeting the love of your life be as simple as getting a red manicure? Some ladies on TikTok are convinced red nails result in being asked out more. Other girls have even said their boyfriends often don’t notice what color nails they get, but they immediately notice when they have red nails. This has turned into a phenomenon and a lot of ladies are weighing in. Is there any weight to these claims?
What is the red nail theory?
Think back to your childhood, can you remember what color nails your grandma, mom or other motherly figure used to wear when you were growing up? Apparently, most guys do and the consensus is that the common nail color was red. @GirlBossTown coined the term “The Red Nail Theory” and the way she explains guys associating red nails with motherly figures is fascinating and also a little bit creepy at the same time.
She is absolutely right about red nails being popular, but I personally remember seeing more French manicures. This isn’t about me though. @GirlBossTown has to be on to something because girls are putting her theory to the test. It’s been a mixed bag as far as results go. Some girlies agree with the red nail theory and others aren’t totally convinced.
@rileyshoemaker_ shares her experience with red nails. I would say her choosing to get red nails was an added bonus for the man who came up to her, but her awkward talking point about Halloween lady fingers ruined the moment. The argument can be made that maybe that guy wouldn’t have gone up to her if she didn’t have red nails but it’s hard to tell.
Red nail theory explained
Red is known as the color of love in America. According to Sensational Color, “Studies show that both men and women perceive potential partners dressed in red as more attractive than others. In addition, men tend to give waitresses in red shirts bigger tips!” Red is a bold, power color that is heavily linked to sexuality. @barefacedmedia breaks down the history and the psychology of the color red. She states that there was a study done on a remote small-scale society in Africa where there was no Western influence. The study did reveal that there is suggestive evidence for a universal red attraction link. This could prove that our reaction to the color red is biologically ingrained in us, as opposed to something societal.
I’ve only had red nails 3 times in my life and they were all in the past year. I had red French nails for Christmas in 2022, hot Ferrari red nails in April and metallic red nails in September. I am sad to report that I didn’t have any men come up to me to compliment them or ask me out. At the same time, I’m not one to go out to the club or out of my way to find men so that could have skewed my results. Regardless, red is a timeless nail color and even if you don’t meet the love of your life you still look like a total baddie. If you’ve never had red nails before this time of year is a perfect time to give it a go. Vampy red nails are an old standby in late fall going into the holiday season.
That’s the red nail theory explained! Are you going to test it for yourself? If so please share your experience with us!