IN a world where nails have gone wild, some still maintain that a manicure is just that: a grooming of the hands and nails. “In my opinion, a manicure is really to take care of your nails and cuticles,” said Elizabeth Lata, the owner of Elizabeth Lata European Day Spa, an Upper East Side stalwart for more than two decades. “It could be buffed and shiny and with white pencil, and that looks absolutely fabulous.”

Ms. Lata’s longtime clients come not for glitter, decals and leopard spots, but for nude nails and healthy cuticles. “I think beautifully maintained nails — really nice cuticles and buffed, natural-looking nails — it’s the most beautiful in my opinion,” she said. “You can always add polish to it, but it’s not necessary.” Leave the riot of colors to the high-school kids, she said.

And she’s hardly the only one to feel that way. Stop a man on the street and ask him what he thinks of nails the color of Grey Poupon.