Nowadays, nail trends change as quickly as the weather. One minute it’s all about coffin-shaped acrylics and matte finishes and the next we’re focused on almond shapes and glossy designs. When it comes to leading public discourse around nail trends, celebrities tend to have the biggest sway in what’s popular, as an A-lister stepping out on a carpet or magazine cover with a chic manicure can instantly disrupt all the styles we’ve been praising.
Speaking of disrupting, few photoshoots have shaken up the industry more than the 60th Anniversary Sports Illustrated shoot, aptly named the Legends cover. Featuring icons from Christie Brinkley to Kate Upton and Martha Stewart, the 60th Anniversary was certainly legendary, and who better to take nail inspo from than the legends themselves? Ahead, the 10 different nude nail shades used on the iconic cover.
The Nail Shades Used On the 60th Anniversary Sports Illustrated Cover
If you look closely at the Legends cover, you can see that all the leading ladies are sporting chic, elegant nude manis, but there are actually, in fact, an array of shades featured, as celebrity manicurist behind the cover nails, Julie Kandalec, put a lot of thought into just what colors to use for the legendary shoot. “I was inspired by the flowing fabrics of the gowns in shades of shimmering blush, tan, golden, silver and champagne,” said Kandalec. “The looks were all incredibly elegant, so I knew the nails should be an elevated shade as well.”
To create these subtle yet sophisticated manicures, Kandalec opted for shades from PLA’s Fashionably Light Collection ($225). If you’re looking to create these looks yourself, Kandalec revealed that she used the following 10 shades throughout the cover manicures: Lily of the Valley ($6), Sheer Joy ($6), Cloud and Clear ($6), Sun-Kissed ($6), A Sure Shine ($6), Bun in the Oven, Blushin’ Baby ($6), Bombshell Beaut ($6), Pecan’t Even and Make the Shade ($6).