Adele’s Two-Toned Manicure Is an Optical Illusion

Is it two-toned or two-length?

adele grammy award
(Image credit: Getty)

When in Las Vegas, evening plans are bound to be something special. You could see a magic show. Or maybe (if you’re lucky enough to score tickets) check out Adele’s weekend residency. In a true stroke of Vegas luck, the Caesars Palace’s Colosseum audience was able to simultaneously have both experiences this weekend. When Adele took the stage, she premiered a mind-bending manicure as she sang her heart out for the 31st weekend in a row.

Her black-and-nude manicure appeared to be two lengths, one half considerably shorter than the other. It took me about 12 tries to figure out what was going on with the trippy (and seemingly impractical) manicure. But, after careful inspection, it appears her black dress backdrop is to blame for the optical illusion.

A post shared by Zola Ganzorigt

A photo posted by nailsbyzola on

Created by LA-based nail artist Zola Ganzorigt, the manicure is nude at its base. Simple enough, right? But here’s where it gets tricky. Ganzorigt expertly painted one quarter (the upper left, to be precise) of each of the "I Drink Wine" singer’s lengthy, almond-shaped nails black, offsetting the disappearing-nail illusion with only a tiny golden pearl in the center. 

In a series of photos from her October 13 and October 14 shows, Adele showed off the manicure. Wearing a black, cold-shoulder gown with gold detailing, her nail shape appeared consistently hard to grasp from one photo to the next. In one, she placed her hand on her hip—a pose that made it actually impossible to differentiate nail from fabric. In another, she held on to a copy of her rumored fiancé/husband Rich Paul’s new book Lucky Me, flashing an enormous ring that almost distracted from the mani.

Because she’s Adele, the Grammy winner rounded out her look with dramatic eye makeup and the very cattiest of cat eyes. Her blonde hair was done up in a perfect, side-parted blowout that seemed to fly behind her as she sang, even without a wind machine. 

A post shared by Adele

A photo posted by adele on

In a classic case of manicurist-client mind reading, both Adele and Ganzorigt’s Instagram posts had the caption “weekend 31.” This batch of residency shows goes 34 weeks and, with Halloween weekend shows on the horizon, there’s no telling what magical manis are to come.

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Sophia Vilensky
Freelance Writer

Sophia Vilensky is a Freelance Beauty Writer at Marie Claire with a beauty, wellness, and entertainment journalism portfolio that includes contributions to Byrdie, Bravo, Teen Vogue, and Us Weekly. Growing up in a family of beauticians—and through her own personal studies—she developed an in-depth understanding of aesthetics, cosmetic product formulation, and beauty treatment development and has also held roles as a senior copywriter, content strategist, and proofreader for top beauty and wellness brands. Even so, you'd be hard pressed to find her with her hair and makeup actually done. Sophia is based in Minneapolis and is a 2019 graduate of the University of Minnesota, where she majored in English and minored in cinema studies. During her time at the university, she was the Arts & Entertainment Editor for the Minnesota Daily, earning the 2019 Editor of the Year award for her work. She connected deeply with the Twin Cities arts scene, collaborating with leading beauty professionals, designers, and artists. Graduating Summa Cum Laude, her thesis—a close-reading of Vanderpump Rules—was featured on NPR. When not immersed in writing or testing new products, Sophia enjoys watching reality TV, reading, and exploring the newest woo-woo wellness trends. Keep up with her on Instagram @sophiavilensky.