Photos: Getty Images; Courtesy of Maison GelSave this storySave this story
In all of history, no shoe has sparked as much passionate debate as the Tabi. The split-toe shoe (and sock!) concept originated in 15th-century Japan but eventually became a darling of the fashion world when Maison Margiela’s Tabi boots first appeared on the runway in 1988. Since then, Tabi designs have taken over the mainstream shoe market, street style shoots, TikTok, and red carpets, becoming one of the world’s most instantly recognizable shoe styles.
Now you can also wear Tabis on your nails. Fashion folks have become so Tabi-pilled in recent years that nail artists have started looking to the shoe for inspiration and are mimicking their cloven shape with nail extensions, creating a burgeoning trend that’s just as polarizing as the shoes themselves.
Tabi nails are exactly what they sound like: a manicure shaped like the Tabi shoe. They’re usually long enough to stretch well past the fingertips and have narrow vertical splits cut or filed in the middle. There’s no “one size fits all” approach to the Tabi nail; some nail artists have fun exaggerating the shape, embellishing the nails with bows or 3D charms or even sticking a little charm inside the split. Some get really into the animal hoof vibe with black tips and rough textures, while others use classic nail art designs like French tips as their base. Some like to use a single Tabi nail as an accent in a mix-and-match manicure, and others go full Tabi on all ten digits.
And true to form, people have opinions about the Tabi nails, just as they do about the shoe design. In fact, when the Allure staff first came upon the trend, some editors weren’t thrilled at the idea of covering it—at least not without addressing some very strong feelings they have about the design’s… divisive aesthetics. “‘Round, square, or cloven?’” just isn't a question I think a manicurist should ever be asking,” executive beauty director Jenny Bailly joked in Allure’s staff group chat, where editors weigh in on trends and daily news. Creative director Amber Venerable wrote that she loves her silver disco Tabi shoes but would “NEVER” get Tabi nails. “I hate them…That split nail is just not cute!” Social media manager Bianca Richards wrote, “Leave the Tabis to the toes, and that's final!”
It wasn’t entirely hater-central, though. Content director Kara McGrath wrote, “I wouldn't say I hate them, I just think the people who get them are very brave! I could feel my hair getting snagged in the middle just looking at the photos.” Senior news editor Nicola Dall’Asen wrote, “Look, I don’t like the way they look… but at least they’re doing something interesting!” And social director Kassidy Silva bashfully admitted to liking Tabi nails with the peeking-through-hands emoji. “If the people want to wear shoes on their hands, let them,” she wrote. “They’ve grown on me, I like a freaky little shoe nail.”
Personally, I’m what you’d call a reformed Tabi hater. Though I used to be somewhat repulsed by the idea of having my toes separated in such a shall-we-say unique manner, I have since seen the light and embraced the split-toe design—so much so that I’ve started stalking The RealReal for a reasonably priced pair. I feel the exact same way about Tabi nails. When they started popping up on my feeds during Fashion Month, my first thought was, “No way!” Followed by, “But wait, do I actually love this?” Jarring, yet intriguing!
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Would I actually wear them? Probably not. Personally, I play with my hair too much for this to be a practical manicure; the idea of strands getting caught between the “clefts” sends a chill down my spine. But do I appreciate them? Absolutely. I love when nail art gets weird, edgy, or even a little unsettling. It’s called nail art for a reason, and because it isn’t permanent like a tattoo, it’s an ideal canvas for out-there ideas and out-of-the-box designs.
“It’s so different from what you expect from nails,” says Molly a.k.a. Maison Gel, a Melbourne-based nail artist who recently crafted a set of Tabi French tips for a client who came to her with the idea. She used a needle-nose diamond E-file bit to create the Tabi-esque split on a set of Après Gel X tips. And in case you had any doubts about the durability of the design, Molly notes that the client did not have any issues and came back four weeks later with the set still perfectly intact.
Molly recognizes that the Tabi shape is divisive, especially as a manicure. “There are a lot of mixed reactions to the design, which is fair enough!” she says. “I think most of the fun in nail art comes from silliness, and with nails [that were inspired by] shoes that are already polarizing, it was a lot of fun for us both,” Molly adds. “Nails have far surpassed the need to be polite and pretty. Women are already expected to adhere to so many beauty standards, let them have crazy nail shapes for a month!”
That’s the thing about art, whether it’s a couture gown, a painting, or even a manicure style; if it doesn’t create conversation, then what’s the point? There is beauty in things society deems “ugly”—just ask Margiela and fellow designers like Alexander McQueen, who have spent decades confronting the idea of ugliness and incorporating it into their work. Plus, in a sea of sheer “soap nail” manicures and classic French tips, Tabi nails are shocking, surprising, even a little subversive. They’re not asking to be adored by everyone—they’re just here to raise some eyebrows and have a little fun.
