One of my worst nightmares: someone proposing to me and my nails aren’t painted or they’re chipped!  What kind of man that loves me and wants to spend a life time with me would have the audacity to pop the question knowing my nails are not worthy of an engagement ring’s presence?  Ok, a little dramatic, but for real, the fingertips can’t be looking triflin’.  For any man reading this: if you’re thinking of proposing to your girlfriend, or are about to propose to your girlfriend, MAKE SURE HER NAILS ARE DONE!  Whether you have to treat her or get her friends to take her without her suspecting anything, just make sure her nails have a fresh lacquer. You will get added brownie points.  Trust me!

Getting engaged, I’m sure, is such an exciting time in a woman’s life.  There’s definitely some women out there that could care less about what their nails look like, and there’s some that make it a necessity to always have their nails done.  However, if you’re going to be showing that ring off every chance you get, just groom your nails a little bit.  Whether you have bare nails, a clear coat, a solid color, or full-out designs with glitter, crystals, or whatever your heart desires, just make sure your nails compliment who you are as a person and that new added addition to your hand.

Now along with your manicure for the special occasion, you need the complimenting engagement ring.  Obviously if you’re getting engaged you and your SO have discussed getting to this step, so make sure you also discuss the type of ring you’d want.  This ring will be something you wear until death do you part.  In my opinion it’s best to stay away from trends and stick with classic, timeless rings that reflect who you are and your relationship.  Something you can look back on with every decade you age gracefully and see that that ring still reflects you and your relationship’s love.

So like picking your manicure color, it’s also best to find a ring that compliments your hand.  Things to consider are hand shape/size and finger length.

Let’s jump in to the different diamond shapes, shall we?!

 via @gemgossip

Round – Round diamonds flatter most hand shapes except short fingers.  If you have short fingers and are a fan of a round diamond, keep the round diamond small.

Princess – A princess cut looks good on all hand types (I’ve never been a fan).  How you make sure a princess cut looks especially good on yourself will come down to the carat and width of the band.

Emerald – This diamond is the most flattering for those with long, slender fingers and larger hands (Lucky me. This is one of my favorites!).  If you have petite hands and are a fan of an emerald diamond, keep the shape on the smaller side.

Cushion Cut – The winner for complimenting the majority of hand shapes and finger sizes.

Heart Shape – The heart shape is a cute, but not a super common diamond shape to be given for an engagement ring.  However, if you plan on going the Lady Gaga and Taylor Kinney route pre breakup, the heart shape works for small hands.  But make sure to keep the overall proportion small.

Pear – A pear shaped diamond compliments average to long hands and short fingers.  This diamond shape definitely adds the illusion of length.

Marquise – This shape works for two different finger types depending on the way the stone is set.  Lengthen short fingers by setting the diamond vertically and minimize the appearance of wide fingers by setting the stone horizontally.  With wider fingers you want to eliminate showing too much skin on either side of the ring.  So you can also achieve this by setting oval and emerald shapes horizontally as well.

Oval – Compliment small hands and short/thick fingers with an oval diamond.

Radiant – Another winner for most hand shapes, but how flattering it will look on you specifically will depend on proportion/ratio of the diamond.

Asscher – Saved the absolute best for last.  This cut has to be my favorite!  It’s especially breathtaking when the stone is colored *cue heart eye emojis*.  An Asscher cut compliments most hand shapes, but proportion and ratio are key just like a radiant diamond.

Now that I have you and yours ready for a proposal, make sure to stay polished! ; )

XO,

Melly