A Barbie’d-up Ariana Grande displays them in her 2018 music video for “Thank U, Next”: She flips through the pages of a bright pink Burn Book with a measured yet sassy flick — a parody of Rachel McAdams’ Mean Girls character, Regina George. There, gleaming on her fingers, are a set of impeccably manicured French tip nails. The French manicure (aka French tips) was a ’90s/’00s beauty trend that was once ridiculed for being gauche, but has come back with a vengeance. And that’s clear when we see another powerful woman who strikes fear in her rivals rocking them: Cheer’s cutthroat head coach, Monica Aldama.

Beauty and fashion trends tend to be cyclical, so the comeback of the iconic pinkish polish topped with a thin band of white at the tip was inevitable. In 2019, French tips were spotted on the hands of tastemaker celebrities like Kim Kardashian, Ashley Graham, Kylie Jenner and Bella Hadid. As of late, they’ve adorned the talented digits of Beyoncé, Reese Witherspoon and Victoria Beckham in the trendy oval or almond shape — a distinct deviation from the mid-2000s iteration, which opted for blockish squares or rectangles. Designers and brands like Yuhan Wang, Christian Siriano and Rag & Bone sent their models down the runway with French tips. Hell, even Snoop Dogg rocked them, writing on Instagram in 2013, “French tip for the french enhale [sic].” But long before celebrities dared to don the style, suburban hot girls flaunted their Frenchies at the mall and in the hall. 

Decorative nails are nothing new, and when it comes to mainstream fashion, they go through various fads. But there are long-standing traditions that exist regardless of popularity, and their broader acceptance in the culture is undoubtedly tied to racism and respectability politics. Elaborate, sculptured nails — the kind increasingly found in modern nail trends — have been intrinsic to fashion and culture within Black and brown communities. Unfortunately, it’s when they’re appropriated by white women, including many of the celebrities mentioned above, that their history and force as a cultural art form get erased. The French manicure has been alive and well across communities and regardless of class.

While Kim K and Ari might be hopping on the bandwagon, some have been loyal to their French manicures for decades, understanding the allure and power of a glossy nail topped with powdery white, like snowcapped mountains piercing the winter sky. For some, the French tip inspires greatness, serving as the ultimate accessory of success, not unlike Napoleon’s hat. Cheer’s Monica Aldama, leader of the Navarro College cheerleaders, blazed the team to 14 NCA National Championships and five Grand National designations. Did the nails get her there? No. But did they encapsulate the energy required to land such a feat? Absolutely. There is rarely a scene in the two seasons of Cheer where her perfectly manicured, impeccably squared-off French tips do not shine. If New York is a recurring character in Nora Ephron’s beloved rom-coms, Aldama’s French manicure is one in Cheer.

She’s Vince Lombardi with a power mani. They are her talons screaming “Don’t mess with me” in the general direction of her prey, gathered hundreds of miles away in Daytona aware that as soon as she arrives, it’s game over. There is no more almighty image than Aldama clutching her daily protein drink, nails tip to tip. It is the manicure of a driven woman, and she has always poised herself for success.

French tips are undeniably classic — an easy way to elevate the natural look of your nails. They can be acquired on a glamorous jaunt to the nail salon or at home with press-ons found at Walgreens a couple aisles from the discounted Halloween candy and dandruff shampoo. Even the most clueless person who doesn't paint their nails can conjure the image when they hear "French manicure." The funny thing is, they aren't even French!

According to Who What Wear, the famed French manicure was created in 1975 by Jeff Pink, the CEO of the nail-care brand Orly International. While working in Hollywood, he was tasked to come up with a solution for actors who needed to switch up their nail polish to match a wardrobe change in any given scene. “[Directors] asked me to make a color that would go with everything,” he told Who What Wear. It was a hit, inspiring Pink to start selling “nude” (at the time, caucasian skin-colored) polish and opaque white lacquer in sets. He used the style on models in Paris and voilà! The manicure was granted French citizenship. Cher and Barbra Streisand went on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson in French tips, and the style became a true-blue phenomenon. Nearly 50 years later, they’re hot once again. 

The French tip will eventually fall out of vogue, becoming a tired trend like all tired trends before it. Some will jump to another style, but others will stay loyal to those squared-off French tips like a badge of honor. And no doubt they’ll continue to succeed — maybe a little because of the power found right at their fingertips.