
The trend of painting one fingernail a different colour to the rest has been observed in both men and women. The trend began in Australia, but has since spread to other countries. People have different reasons for doing this, including wanting to try out a new colour without committing to painting all of their nails, or to draw attention to a ring they are wearing.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Distraction | Distracts others and the wearer |
| Commitment | Allows the wearer to try a colour without committing to all ten fingers |
| Emphasis | Draws attention to a particular finger, perhaps to highlight a ring |
| Design | Allows the wearer to add a design without committing to all ten fingers |
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What You'll Learn
- Distraction: one nail painted can distract you as you type
- Commitment: painting one nail allows you to try a colour without committing to 10 fingers
- Emphasis: a bright colour on one nail can draw attention to a ring or other jewellery
- Design: some people add a design on top of the colour
- Men's trend: the trend began in Australia and was popularised by Elliot Costello

Distraction: one nail painted can distract you as you type
Painting one nail a different colour to the others can be distracting as you type. It can also be distracting for people around you, especially if you have gems on your nails that catch the light.
Some people paint one nail a different colour to see what it looks like without committing to painting all ten nails. If they don't like it, they can simply remove the polish from the one nail. Others paint one nail to draw attention to a ring or piece of jewellery they are wearing on that finger.
The trend of painting one nail a different colour began with men in Australia, but has since spread to other countries.
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Commitment: painting one nail allows you to try a colour without committing to 10 fingers
Painting one nail is a great way to try a new colour without committing to painting all ten fingers. If you don't like the colour, you can simply remove the polish from that one nail. This is a great way to experiment with different colours and designs without the hassle of having to remove polish from all your nails if you don't like the result.
For example, you might have plain red nails, but want to try something different on your ring fingers. You could paint both ring fingers black with diagonal white stripes dotted with plastic gems. This way, you can see if you like the design before committing to it on all your nails.
Painting one nail can also be a way to draw attention to a particular finger, such as if you have a nice ring you want to show off. You could paint that nail a brighter colour to emphasise the jewellery and make it stand out.
Overall, painting one nail is a fun and low-commitment way to experiment with nail art and express your personal style.
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Emphasis: a bright colour on one nail can draw attention to a ring or other jewellery
Painting one nail a different colour can be a way to draw attention to a ring or other jewellery. This trend, which began in Australia, is not just for women; men can also get in on the action. It's a great way to try out a new colour or design without committing to painting all your nails. If you hate it, you can just take off the polish from the one nail.
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Design: some people add a design on top of the colour
Painting one nail a different colour to the rest is a way to try out a new colour or design without committing to painting all ten fingers. This way, if you don't like the colour or design, it's easy to remove the polish from just one nail. Some people also add a design on top of the colour, such as diagonal white stripes or plastic gems. This trend, which began in Australia, is not just for women – men also paint one nail as a way to express themselves.
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Men's trend: the trend began in Australia and was popularised by Elliot Costello
Painting one fingernail a different colour to the others is a men's trend that began in Australia and was popularised by Elliot Costello. Costello met a little girl named Thea while travelling with a group called Hagar International, and decided to paint his nail in support of her.
The trend has since spread to America, with men choosing to paint one nail on a single hand, and sometimes adding a design on top of the colour. The idea is to try out a new colour or pattern without committing to painting all ten fingernails. This way, if you don't like the colour, you can simply remove the polish from one nail.
Some people also use the trend to draw attention to a piece of jewellery on that finger, such as a ring.
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Frequently asked questions
They might want to see what a certain colour or pattern looks like without committing to painting all ten nails.
No, it's not code for anything.
It's usually the ring finger, as people might want to draw attention to a ring they're wearing.
The trend was started by Elliot Costello, who met a little girl named Thea while travelling with a group called Hagar International.











































