A lot of interesting beauty trends have come out of Asia over the past year. There's the bean sprout hair accessories (so strange they're almost cute), looking sick on purpose makeup (uh, we'll pass on this one), and heart hair (aww).
And while we happily bow down to many of the incredible, innovative products that come from all over the trendsetting continent, this latest one has us seriously scratching our heads.
As the website Bored Panda points out, people in Japan are rocking pre-painted toenail stockings. Yup, you read that right — panty hose with painted-on nail polish.
Reportedly invented by the brand Belle Maison, the tights come adorned with different designs — some so intricate they rival a nail-art pedicure — to suit your toenail needs for the day. Want to match your toes to your outfit? No problem! There are nautical-themed designs, Disney-inspired prints, and polka dots galore! In fact, there are options for practically any occasion.
All jokes aside, the concept behind the hosiery is pretty fascinating. They're a great alternative for those weeks you just can't be bothered to go to a salon or paint your toes yourself. And, they'll probably last way longer than your typical paint job — at the very least until the runs start showing up from persistent wear. There are some practicality concerns: Who actually wants to wear stockings in the summertime (a.k.a. prime pedicure time)? Not us. And as far as we can tell, the stockings only come in one shade, so those with darker complexions are shut out from the craze. Then, of course, there is the issue of toe and nail size.
Okay, so maybe it's not the most sell-out worthy product, but it's definitely started the conversation about pedicure alternatives. What do you think, will you be picking up a pair once open-toe season rolls around?