The abundance of wide leg pants with parallel rows of gold sailor buttons, rope-trimmed jackets and hats, striped blue-and-white tops, and anchor motifs all suggest that we're drifting out to sea for Spring 2011. Even nail lacquer companies are picking up on these maritime motifs — prime among them China Glaze, which recently released its Anchors Away collection. The 12-color collection, however, doesn't simply hone in on Popeye-worthy blues and Olive Oyl-approved reds (though it does include these touchstone shades via the candy apple Hey Sailor color and the navy blue First Mate shade), nor does it focus on running the gamut between dark aquamarine and shimmering, mermaid-worthy turquoise for an under-the-sea manicure experience.
Instead, the Anchors Away collection explores everything from punchy shades like those you'd find on the spinnakers raised during regattas (Starboard, a creamy bell pepper green, fits the bill perfectly) to the colors of common deck supplies (chief among them Knotty, a slightly peachy, pale golden camel shade reminiscent of a braided hemp rope, but with a sophisticated, almost candlelight-like shimmer) and the shades of maritime safety essentials (such as Life Preserver, a diced tomato color with a creamy finish).
Other shades, meanwhile, capture the nuances of the sailing experience. The Sunset Sail shade, for example, almost fits into the "mannequin hands" trend of wearing nude, flesh-like colors that practically mimic one's own skin tones, virtually nullifying the existence of nail plates. The color's warm, light peach undertones, however, create a feeling of warmth that does, in fact, remind one of the sky right as the sun seems to kiss the horizon. The White Cap polish, meanwhile, captures the dynamic, misty white ridge at the top of an ocean wave crest. The shade, then, feels dewy and resplendent, with a clear color saturated with microscopic white glitter particles that reflect any oncoming light, radiating like soft white bulbs in certain light, then appearing more muted and snow-like in other scenarios. The Sea Spray shade further delves into the oceanic navigation process, attempting to capture the color of the watery mist that splashes onto the deck as a boat's prow cuts through a watery expanse. This creamy color is a mix between an icy light blue and an ashy gray shade, yielding a beautiful and unexpected color that feels like it was plucked from a photo of Alaska's Glacier Bay.
Below, you'll find photos of what the colors in the collection look like on nails. We're particularly smitten with Sea Spray, Pelican Gray, and Below the Deck (a creamy, grayish mauve shade). Check them out!
China Glaze "Knotty" Nail Lacquer:
China Glaze "Sea Spray" Nail Lacquer:
China Glaze "Life Preserver" Nail Lacquer:
China Glaze "Sunset Sail" Nail Lacquer:
China Glaze "Below Deck" Nail Lacquer:
China Glaze "White Cap" Nail Lacquer:
China Glaze "First Mate" Nail Lacquer:
China Glaze "Hey Sailor" Nail Lacquer:
China Glaze "Starboard" Nail Lacquer:
China Glaze "Pelican Gray" Nail Lacquer:
