There's no red carpet quite like The Met Gala. The annual fashion spectacular, which takes place on the first Monday in May, is a fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute, but is probably best known as the place celebrities come to try their most avant-garde fashion and beauty looks.
On the woman&home beauty team, we love to see how famous faces and their teams interpret the event's dress code, which this year was Fashion is Art. Like everyone else, we adore poring over images of celebrities' nail trends, hair and makeup, which are nothing short of high art in themselves.
One thing you can't say of these looks, however, is that they are particularly wearable - so you can imagine our delight at spotting one neutral, flattering and effervescent nail combination all over this year's red carpet.
These Met Gala champagne nails prove that this shape and shade are so perfect for special occasions
It's no great surprise to see famous faces pairing a statement outfit with a neutral nail - It's a well-known recipe for success. But it is unusual to see so many 'quiet' manicures on the red (or to be accurate, white with green detailing) carpet of fashion's loudest night.
Not only that, but we spotted Nicole Kidman, Laura Harrier and Angela Bassett all with one specific nail shape - a medium-length almond that elongates the fingers elegantly, without being impractically long - painted in one-tone neutrals with a pop of 'champagne' iridescence.
Want to create this mid-length, rounded nail? This trusty file has a tapered end for precise shaping. Glass files not only help keep nails in better condition while you file (in one direction only, please!) as they never snag, but these durable materials also last far longer than traditional emery boards.
This lightly shimmering shade would make a perfect champagne neutral for anyone with an olive or deep skin tone as it has plenty of warmth but stops short of going into bronze territory. As you'd expect from Chanel everything from the brush to the bottle are beautifully designed too.
This would suit light to medium skin tones and has a slightly sheer nature that can be built up or used as a wash if you prefer a more subtle look. It also contains strengthening ingredients to boost weak or brittle nails.
Aside from the pleasing synergy of a warm champagne shade in a shape that tapers at the top - not unlike a bottle of France's finest - the beauty of champagne nails is that, just like everyone's favourite fizz, they are luxurious in a quiet, sophisticated way.
This look combines pizazz but doesn't pull focus, making it spot-on for occasions such as a wedding, summer party or day at the races, where you want your outfit to do the talking and your nails to be a quiet but still eye-catching supporting presence.
Plus, for those of us who don't walk red carpets (or indeed have nail artists on hand to switch our shade weekly) but do still have the occasional fancy 'do to go to, a champagne nail makes perfect sense.
You can treat yourself to a special manicure that'll fit the event, but won't look out of place when you pop down Sainsbury's to buy your fry-up ingredients the morning after. And you can't say that about many Met Gala beauty looks, can you?
