My latest issue of InStyle magazine is touting the “moon” manicure as a hot fashion trend for fall. Also, referred to as a “reverse French” manicure, it originally became popular with movie actresses in the 1920s.

In the 1930s women often painted just the center of the nail, leaving the moon and tip bare. Filling in the whole nail with color was considered an extreme look. Nice girls didn’t do it! A whitening pencil was used on the back of the nail tip as well, like this one from Sally’s Beauty Supply.

Of course, Dita Von Teese, the queen of vintage glamour, has been sporting these pretty retro nails for quite some time.

And here’s a photo of Joan Blondell someone posted at the Fedora Lounge. Those classy dames at the Lounge have a whole thread dedicated to vintage manicures!

According to this very informative site on vintage makeup, common nail polish colors in the 30’s included red, pink, deep coral, lilac, emerald green, cornflower blue, gray, gold silver and even black!

There are two ways to re-create this vintage moon manicure. Leave the half moon, or moon and tip, completely bare, or paint a lighter shade on the whole nail, let it dry, then apply the darker shade over it.

According to what I’ve read on several blogs, the easiest and cheapest way to get the perfect moon shape is to mask the area with those little round reinforcement circles for notebook paper that you can buy at the office supply store. Just cut them in half , stick on the bottom of your nail, then apply the top color. When almost dry, peel off and voila, perfect moon manicure.

I think the look is very chic and the possibilities are endless for yummy color combinations. What do you think? Would you do your nails like this?

red, deep corals, lilac, emerald green, mother of pearl gray, pale pink, cornflower blue, mauve, gold or silver