Blue Lacquer: Your New Neutral

I get the appeal of sheer, pale-pink polish. It's classic, goof-proof, universally-flattering, and it goes with pretty much everything. It's like the lacquer equivalent of a white, button-down shirt.

But allow me, for a moment, to make a case for blue. Like a navy blazer or a great pair of jeans, I've found blue nail polish to be versatile and surprisingly sophisticated. It too complements almost everything in your closet, works dressed up or down and is season-less. It's also a tad edgier than Essie Ballet Slippers (hey, live a little), but not so daring that it's office-inappropriate. In the spring and summer, you'll find me in cobalt-colored Essie Butler Please Lacquer ($9; essiecosmetics.com); in the fall and winter, I prefer deep-navy Essie After School Boy Blazer ($9; essiecosmetics.com).

Drugstore Deals: Revlon Nail Enamel in Urban ($5; drugstore.com) is akin to Essie After School Boy Blazer, while Sally Hansen Miracle Gel in Beatnik and Tidal Wave ($10; drugstore.com and drugstore.com) are both close cousins of Butler Please.

 Sally Hanse Miracle Gel in Beatnik ($5; drugstore.com)