Key Takeaways
- Dakota Fanning appeared on Byrdie’s holiday issue cover wearing a modern baroque textured chrome manicure.
- Her nail artist Emi Kudo explained how she created the custom press-ons.
Dakota Fanning is everything to me, and I know I’m not the only one. Her little sister obviously adores her, too. I have to imagine she grew up looking to her for advice in every facet of life, from acting tips to styling that gorgeous blonde hair.
That’s just way of the big sister! And though she was a young mother, Fanning basically raised us. You’ve seen Uptown Girls, right? That’s arguably the whole plot.
These days, the 31-year-old is still offering plenty of life guidance, from how to best utilize your phone’s group chat feature (keep a thread about how hot Jack Black is) to, yes, more glam inspo. For Fanning’s Byrdie Holiday Issue cover shoot, nail artist Emi Kudo designed a stunning gold manicure that embodied the actror’s charm while giving us a festive style to adore—and copy—all season long.
Katie McCurdy
The Inspiration
Kudo dubbed the look a “Chrome Water Stream Mani.” Medium-long and filed into a rounded square shape, each textured nail was covered in a swirling gold design. Imagine a river full of environmentally friendly gold chrome powder or a painting covered in gold leaf.
Katie McCurdy
“The inspiration for Dakota was modern baroque,” explained the artist. “I wanted to create something decorative yet sleek and contemporary at the same time. The streaks of brushwork were inspired by the fluid beauty of Japanese calligraphy. To complete the look, I finished with a soft champagne chrome powder.”
Katie McCurdy
How to Get the Look
Kudo’s process included using OPI’s “Gelevate” Tips to create custom press-ons, then mixing silver and gold chrome powders “to achieve the perfect champagne tone.” If you want to copy it at home, she suggests you “use an ombré brush to paint flowing, stream-like strokes, curing each one under a gel lamp as you go.”
Byrdie
It might take a little practice, but that’s okay—you have a whole catalogue of Fanning movies (or a whole The Nightingale audiobook if you want to get excited for what’s next) to get through while you wait. When was the last time you saw Charlotte’s Web? So good.
