please no nail fights, just measurements

[stephaniec]

I use to let my nails grow until they started breaking , then start the process over. I started seeing the students around me all had their nails painted and short. I said to myself wow, that's a lot easier, so for the past couple of years I've been wearing them short and painted. It's one heck of a lot easier.

[herekitten]

I prefer mine manicured to short perfection with a natural buffed sheen or a very natural beautiful nude color such as "Shall We Dance" by Sally Hansen.  Every now and then I like to get gel color. When I do that I prefer the rich deep reds. 

You forgot the toesees. My toesees are always pedicured and I do prefer color on my toes. My feet are one of my very few really nice beauty marks so they get a lot of attention both at the salon and when they are in their bejeweled sandals.

[Carrie Liz]

About 1/4" beyond the cuticle is my preferred length. Long enough to look feminine, not long enough that they interfere with my ability to deal cards at my job.

[Jill F]

For me, long nails = no guitar shredding.  That's a great way to destroy a manicure in no time flat!

[GendrKweer]

Short, painted dark blue or black usually. Any longer than short, my wife would kill me

[KristinaM]

I picked Medium.  I have very wide nail beds and knobby square hands (thanks dad!!!  grrr!!!), so when my nails are cut short, they are actually wider than they are long and that equals NOT IDEALLY FEMININE AT ALL.  So I grow mine out about 3/16" from the edge of my nail bed and shape them so they're a bit narrower looking.  I also paint my nails darker colors (red or purple mostly) to hide the nail bed.  I'm also hoping HRT will help with the skin texture on my hands and feminize them a bit.

[Laura_7]

Short, painted dark blue or black usually. Any longer than short, my wife would kill me

For a good reason  .

hugs

[Laura_Squirrel]

I just keep them short. I don't care about growing them out.

[angiegurl]

Mine are a medium length about 3/16" to 1/4" inch from the edge of the nail bed. I can hear clicking when I type.  I also use gel nails which are stronger and can take some abuse. I get them done every 2-3 weeks. I keep them as natural as possible but I do get a hankering from some color from time to time. My toes are always colored, right now they are Opi Mistletoe which is a deep red with some fleck which i really like. I think next time around I will go purple on the toes just to change them up. 

[Kelly_1979]

I usually keep them short-ish (max 2mm, seldom 3mm). They are very weak and can't grow longer. I would prefer them longer but anyway they are too cumbersome if they get too long.

edit: besides, with the things I do (mountain biking, sometimes fixing my bike on the dirt track, wearing latex gloves in the lab pretty much 6-7 hours a day) it's pretty much impossible to have long nails.

[.Christy]

My nails grow fast and i have no particular preference. So when they start to get too long and start snagging stuff, i cut them. Nowadays i need to have them short for infection control in the hospitals.

[Kitty June]

For me, long nails = no guitar shredding.  That's a great way to destroy a manicure in no time flat!

Lucky for me I play bass. I can get away with a little longer nail. However, as soon as I try to play acoustic, they have to get cut down.



Ella

[Swayallday]

I'd love to have long nails but since i'm an avid nailbiter...

aww :p

[Mariah]

My nails are to britial, but with acrylic I can have medium length which how I like them.
Mariah

[Randi]

My fingernails are unpolished, but quite long.  My wife is an RN and my daughter is a violinist, so they have short nails.

One of the things my mother taught me to do is dig my fingernails into a bar of Dove soap, then dig the soap out with a nail file.  It almost looks like I have french nails.

[Martine A.]

I like mine very short.
Otherwise I am quick to cut my own face in sleep.

[ana1111]

always long

[RavenL]

Short and even at that they get destroyed in a day at work.

[Mai]

for me, i kinda have to keep them shorter, i play cello and cant have them extend past the tips of my fingers or they cause problems

[DanielleA]

When there is an upcoming special occasion I let my nails grow  to 1/2 cm beyond the end of my fingers and paint them maybe a light pink or whatever I am feeling like. Any other time the nails reach the end of my fingers and have a nail hardener or topcoat painted over them to add a little shine.