Beauty

Chartreuse Nail Polish

don’t wait for spring to wear chartreuse right now.

by rebecca willa davis

Though Meryl Streep delivers almost exclusively zingers in The Devil Wears Prada, my favorite monologue of hers comes when she's breaking down to poor, naive Andy Sachs why her blue I-don't-care sweater is actually making a rather large fashion statement.

Cerulean. Yes, it was all because of that specific shade of blue, first spotted--according to Miranda Priestley--at Oscar de la Renta, that the magazine assistant got called out.

The point that Priestley makes is super Foucault, in the sense that our desires are not our own; rather, they're molded and shaped by whats around us. And in fashion, what's around us are runway shows and new collections.

And if there's any color I hope pulls a cerulean, it's chartreuse. The green-yellow hybrid, which is electric without being neon, neutral without being boring, showed up in the collections of some of my favorite designers. From 3.1 Phillip Lim to VPL, the hue was used as much as an accent piece as an anchor color. You won't see it flooding racks come spring--at least, not yet--but I'm looking to wear it right now. My secret? Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics nail lacquer in Wasabi. At $10, it's a cheap and easy way to dip your toes into the chartreuse waters. Dare I say it: Ms. Priestley would approve.

Click through the gallery to see the polish, along with a few spring '14 chartreuse looks.

Jenny Packham spring '14

3.1 Phillip Lim, spring '14

Stella Jean spring '14

Rebecca Taylor spring '14

VPL spring '14

Obsessive Compulsive Nail Lacquer in Wasabi