It happened on South Carolina’s Edisto Island about 10 years ago. One of our nieces and her friend decided it would be fun to paint Uncle Mike’s toenails purple.
So they did.
I was in love.
Not with the color per se. But with the fact that, for the first time in years, I could look at my toes and not think of the parmesan cheese rinds moldering in the refrigerator at home.
Yellow. Brittle. Raggedly trimmed.
At 60-something, my toenails were just plain ugly. Podiatrists had declared my feet and toes healthy, but we all knew my tootsies would never win a beauty contest. Heck, they wouldn’t even be in the running.
And now that my toenails were coated with a glossy colored polish, they were actually … well … pretty. Ready for the socks to come off. Ready to come out to the world.
I was hooked.
Since that week at the beach, Ted and I have been every-month-or-so regulars at local nail salons, getting the full treatment with a long soak, an exfoliating rub, a paraffin mask, and a careful application of polish–usually match-his-eyes blue for Ted, charcoal gray for me. (We’re happy to report that the pedicure routine is much the same in Portugal as in the U.S., at about the same price.)
Our color tones often go lighter or darker depending on the season, like the ready-for-fall shades below that we chose in September 2022.
Sure, taking care of the feet as one gets older can ensure good circulation, prevent infections, increase mobility and balance–all essential items for overall health.
But a little color can make a difference, too.
And it’s downright fun. I mean, to approach a total stranger in the grocery store or at the airport gate and say to her, “Your toenails are the same color as my husband’s,” is an ice-breaker, for sure.
And, without fail, a reason for a hearty mutual laugh.
A landmark study published in 2017 followed male Harvard graduates for nearly 80 years to find clues to the secret of a long and happy life. (Women weren’t in the original study because the college was still all male when it began.)
Major findings in the multigenerational Study of Adult Development included things like having close relationships, along with the usual suspects like physical activity and emotional flexibility in the face of life’s ups and downs.
There is nary a mention of nail polish in the study.
Or happy feet, for that matter.
Studies that have come along since 2017 haven’t added much to the canon, although reams have been written about the thrill and freedom that downsizing–getting rid of stuff–can bring.
To my point of view, however, moments of sheer unadulterated joy, silliness and frivolity can make a difference in longevity, too. At least in the quality of one’s longevity.
Moments like when you step in the shower, look at your feet and realize those bright, shiny, movie-star toenails are yours. It’s a mix of pride with a little vanity thrown in, coupled with a healthy dose of fun.
Remember fun? Couldn’t we all use a little more of it these days?
So guys of a certain age, pay heed: If you think toenail polish is a waste of time and money, Ted and I highly recommend giving it a try.
Have a pedicure complete with polish. (It doesn’t have to be red or purple. There is a panoply of colors better suited to male tastes. There are even salons now that specialize in manicures and pedicures for men.) Don a clean shirt and open-toed sandals. Step out with your sweetie for a nice dinner.
You’ll be glad you did.
As for the comments you might hear in the locker room at the gym the following morning?
How you deal with those is toe-tally up to you.
Note: Photo at the top is a toe selfie I took in Atlanta a few years ago.
Mike Coleman 