Here's What You Should Know Before Choosing A Square Nail Shape

If you've ever gotten a manicure or done your own nails, chances are you've seen or even had square fingernails. According to The Trend Spotter, this shape works well if you want to have shorter nails. The tidy, stylish shape has straight sides and a squared-off tip. In general, this style is more low maintenance than other popular shapes like coffin or stiletto nails. 

Groupon noted that square nails lack soft or rounded edges, which might be precisely what you've wanted in a fingernail shape. The strongest of all fingernail shapes, square nails have the added benefit of breaking less easily than other options (via Heart Pretty Nails), which might make them an excellent choice for you. However, not everything about this nail shape is a panacea for your manicure woes. You should consider a few things before committing to this change for your fingernails, especially if you have a particular type of nail bed and finger shape.

Even though square nails can be short, they're versatile. You can wear gorgeous neutrals like Chrissy Teigen's favorite nail polish, or you can spice things up with trendy shades and intricate nail art. However, according to Heart Pretty Nails, if you happen to have a small nail bed, this style might not be the best one for your fingers. The shape can make shorter fingers look stubby, too (via Groupon). 

Additionally, as Heart Pretty Nails notes, while it's the strongest of nail shapes, the blunt edges and corners can be sharp and either chip or snag. Worse, if you aren't careful it's easy to scratch yourself or others if you aren't careful or wear the trend in a longer length. 

If you have your heart set on a square shape, The Trend Spotter recommends adding a bold color or a shiny shade to best play up the look.