The 40 Best Red Nails of All Time
It doesn't get any more classic.
![Rihanna red nails](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/VjRCUnQyoGp4YPdVg8ukmd-415-80.jpg)
Walk into any salon, and you're bound to find The Wall (no, the other one) dripping with red lacquers—and as many women agonizing over which one sets off their hands to the greatest advantage. Our affinity for the jewel-like polish springs eternal, so ahead, 40 of history's greatest examples for inspiration/an extra 55 minutes spent trying to match the color.
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![Marlene Dietrich in 'Angel'](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/rWjxSgoJZEWkRfEmHeEkyQ-415-80.jpg)
Marlene Dietrich in 'Angel'
1937
![Rita Hayworth in 'Blood and Sand'](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/4aA98fz83KGbqQ39XChSTe-415-80.jpg)
Rita Hayworth in 'Blood and Sand'
1941
![Carmen Miranda in 'The Gang's All Here'](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/XAkikNaPpHGM5wJAorQb9o-415-80.jpg)
Carmen Miranda in 'The Gang's All Here'
1943
![Joan Crawford](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Mhjwkh6o7LwpXwGvUpWEe9-415-80.jpg)
Joan Crawford
1945
![Lauren Bacall](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/9i5jFGPuSM4CVfcWcpjoyM-415-80.jpg)
Lauren Bacall
1950
![Lucille Ball](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/8peJ9GwHdTQujWxjxWhBHa-415-80.jpg)
![Dior](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/BrVg2rBWNKzmAtqCQs3e4m-415-80.jpg)
![Natalie Wood](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ycVkaeUEbxzudCdNnEAtAD-415-80.jpg)
Natalie Wood
1965
![Liza Minelli in 'Liza with a Z'](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/W2Rf9GtCuSnCfvAbXxcDhS-415-80.jpg)
Liza Minelli in 'Liza with a Z'
1972
![Barbra Streisand in 'Funny Lady'](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/252nBMfkvmyK3YehGGrFDj-415-80.jpg)
Barbra Streisand in 'Funny Lady'
1975
![Dolly Parton](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/gHWjUqMEnKwFqBmnmKrCNB-415-80.jpg)
Dolly Parton
1978
![Joan Collins in 'Dynasty'](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/YZ2QxtCFoJwBJgB7tKxEML-415-80.jpg)
Joan Collins in 'Dynasty'
1980s
![Chanel](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/BBDD7dMtUDS2e88jAaW49V-415-80.jpg)
![Cher](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MZjTz6hDQbaeSVdxXf9FSe-415-80.jpg)
Cher
1981
![Lana Turner](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/GoxLukY3gHAyTL5VtpT4mb-415-80.jpg)
Lana Turner
1984
![Diana Vreeland](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/9gqy2wyoYC5FwgAB5hkGD8-415-80.jpg)
Diana Vreeland
1990
![Princess Diana](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/KNUZjusTg8P8XjXWgh9vjJ-415-80.jpg)
![Anna Nicole Smith](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MLTAXCXMYUur6cNceHh5EY-415-80.jpg)
Anna Nicole Smith
1994
![Uma Thurman in 'Pulp Fiction'](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/cdPaiY9Zv7aetqfMwzeRpj-415-80.jpg)
![Gwen Stefani in "Hollaback Girl"](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/4r8whA2mRNLryVi5jNNC9j-415-80.jpg)
Gwen Stefani in "Hollaback Girl"
2005
![Iris Apfel for MAC](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ADXsYZ7nuKGm2Vc5shitYH-415-80.jpg)
Iris Apfel for MAC
2011
![Tom Ford](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ctXFSENquWTAjsK236GyST-415-80.jpg)
![Kate Moss for Rimmel](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/VWXyYot64Xk3p4Bt2gaDUh-415-80.jpg)
![Rihanna](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/afkuuHRYWfcvTpFt8oBWJ7-415-80.jpg)
Rihanna
2013
![Daria Werbowy for Céline](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/hkHXd7kXxihJ3ujSWKQzuH-415-80.jpg)
Daria Werbowy for Céline
2013
![Selena Gomez](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/DEvqy4u6AvKJhoc5KA5cvb-415-80.jpg)
![Beyoncé and Blue Ivy](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/uWph5xuBZop7jZcUTULign-415-80.png)
Beyoncé and Blue Ivy
2014
![Janelle Monae](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/oiJ2Hz3RpNGwgcEeigkc7D-415-80.jpg)
Janelle Monae
2015
![Grace Jones](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/LbkYj3izRKa65eQaXPH47P-415-80.jpg)
Grace Jones
2015
![Taylor Hill for Michael Michael Kors](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/2pTQtC5Z6ew7kcasvzbUWY-415-80.jpg)
Taylor Hill for Michael Michael Kors
2016
![Erykah Badu](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/aR7bsuBHYJsaQmpDz8avXL-415-80.jpg)
Erykah Badu
2016
![Rihanna](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/QjrqE6NHnA9Gc4Y5SCzP7S-415-80.jpg)
![Celine Dion](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/KkByhHXjVJtMxp6rkicBYB-415-80.jpg)
Celine Dion
2017
![Charli XCX](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/65d6aCFuCe4xEqnNbbTZQR-415-80.jpg)
Charli XCX
2017
![Janelle Monae](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/jGB8RKfSEqrc9sZb4Ln6Ea-415-80.jpg)
![Charlize Theron](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/8xgZYorgDpBEPUspzkRzEi-415-80.jpg)
Chelsea Peng is a writer and editor who was formerly the assistant editor at Marie Claire. She's also worked for The Strategist and Refinery29, and is a graduate of Northwestern University. On her tombstone, she would like a GIF of herself that's better than the one that already exists on the Internet and a free fro-yo machine. Besides frozen dairy products, she's into pirates, carbs, Balzac, and snacking so hard she has to go lie down.
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