In the long, dramatic history of fashion, few shoes have sparked as much debate as the Tabi. Born in 15th-century Japan as a humble split-toe sock, the Tabi rose to icon status when Maison Margiela sent it down the runway in 1988. Since then, its cloven silhouette has stomped across runways, TikTok feeds, and red carpets — a design so distinct it practically has its own personality.
And now, the Tabi has crawled its way up — all the way to your fingertips.
💅 From Footwear to Fingertips
Meet Tabi nails — manicures inspired by the infamous split-toe shape. Picture long extensions with a tiny vertical gap down the middle, like miniature shoes perched on your fingers. There’s no single way to wear them: some go maximalist with bows, charms, and 3D accents; others embrace the “animal hoof” aesthetic with textured black tips; a few keep it subtle with a single split nail as an accent. However you slice it (literally), the Tabi nail is not for the faint of heart.
🤨 Beautiful or Bizarre? The Allure Slack Exploded
When the Allure team first spotted the trend, opinions flew faster than a nail file at Fashion Week.
“‘Round, square, or… cloven?’ is not a question I ever want my manicurist to ask,” joked Jenny Bailly, executive beauty director.
Creative director Amber Venerable declared, “I love my silver disco Tabis, but I would NEVER get Tabi nails.”
Social media manager Bianca Richards wrapped it up succinctly: “Leave the Tabis to the toes. That’s final.”
💭 My Take?
Would I actually wear them? Probably not. I touch my hair way too much, and just imagining strands getting caught in that tiny split sends a chill down my spine.
But do I love the idea? Absolutely. Nail art is meant to be fun, weird, and occasionally unsettling. It’s not permanent — it’s a playground for creativity. If a manicure doesn’t make someone raise an eyebrow, what’s even the point?
💬 The Artist’s Perspective
Molly, aka Maison Gel from Melbourne, recently created a set of Tabi-inspired French tips using a needle-nose diamond E-file to carve that perfect split. “People have mixed feelings about it — which is fair!” she says. “But that’s the fun part. Nails don’t have to be polite or pretty. Women are already expected to follow so many beauty rules — let them have wild nail shapes for a month!”
🖤 Beauty Isn’t Always About Being “Pretty”
That’s the real magic of the Tabi nail: it doesn’t beg for approval. Like Margiela or McQueen’s work, it challenges the line between beauty and discomfort. In a sea of soft “soap nails” and safe French tips, the Tabi manicure is a little rebellious, a little shocking, and a lot of fun.
Because fashion, at its best, isn’t about perfection —
it’s about reaction. Whether you love it, hate it, or can’t stop staring at it, the Tabi nail is doing exactly what good art should do: make you feel something.
