What It’s Like Attempting To Do Everyday Things With Stiletto Nails

I recently attempted to recreate “easy” Pinterest nail tutorials to see if they were really easy to do at home. (Spoiler alert: they weren’t.) Now, it’s time for another nail challenge. Stiletto nails have became a huge nail trend in the past few years. Just take a look at any manicure-loving celeb’s Instagram or any nail art blog. They look cool in #nailsoftheday photos, but what are they like when you have to do things other than taking a picture of them? I decided to find out.

Just like which actual stilettos, it seems like the longer the stiletto nails, the better, so I chose to go big, long, or go home. I found a pair of super long Kylie Jenner-style nails, filed them down, painted them matte black, and stuck them on.

Yes, I willingly did that to myself. They look like claws. The stiletto nails are way different compared to my normal nails. This is the length they normally are and one of my nail art attempts:

Just a subtle difference, right? When I first put the nails on, I didn’t have the urge to do anything apart from just stare at them and drum them on the desk and imagine this is what Catwoman must feel like.

Throughout the day, I was constantly aware of my nails and kept on thinking about them before I did anything. Something in my eye!…I’ll have to blink it out. My arm is itchy… I better be careful I don’t cut myself with my nails. An impulsive move could have resulted in some kind of accident.

I also realized how much I actually do with the tips of my fingers, especially when it comes to electronics. I felt like a secretary typing away at her typewriter with my nails clacking as I tried to use the pads of fingers instead of the tips. Similarly, if you sent me a text message and it wasn’t urgent, sorry, but I probably didn’t bother to respond if it required more than 10 words until my nails came off.

(Related: I Wore Bubble Nails For A Day, And Here’s What Happened)

Getting ready in the morning took longer than normal. I am very thankful that I don’t wear contacts because stiletto nails plus an eyeball equals a guaranteed scratched cornea. I was careful just washing my face and applying mascara. I was able to do my hair and makeup without too much of an issue, but the entire time I kept noticing how I had to hold things differently, like my mascara wand. If you like to use your fingers instead of applying makeup with brushes, good luck because you’re going to be constantly cleaning out all of the excess product from under your nails.

It was the same with cooking. If you have stiletto nails, you should probably just stick to takeout. It would be great if you could cut and dice vegetables with your nails but remember you’re not Wolverine; you’re just wearing regular fake nails. I attempted to open some packages by piercing them instead of using scissors, but it wasn’t effective since I had to try to pull the bag apart after I pierced them, and it’s hard getting a good grip when you have claws for nails. I was also worried that I would snap one.

I’ve already explained about how stiletto nails weren’t technology-friendly, but other simple tasks such as writing were just as awkward. However, they were quite handy for flipping pages when I was reading. Stuck-together pages are no match for stiletto nails.

Needless to say, at the end of the day, I was glad to remove my stiletto nails. I still like the look of them, but if I ever wanted to wear them for every day, I would scale them back to a third of the length or save the talon-lengths for a formal event where I would be required to minimal things with my hands and pray nothing gets in my eye.