TikTok's White Nails Trend — Learning the “Secrets” of Social Media (2024)

The “white nails trend” on TikTok refers to a social media trend where people, particularly teens and young adults, are showing off their white painted nails as a way to signal their current relationship status. Or, more specifically, their availability for a relationship.

In fact, several color-coded nails have caught on with TikTok users. Many have taken to using their nails to make dramatic reveals about their own romantic availability.

What Do White Toe Nails Mean?

Painting your finger and/or toe nails white is a way for some people to signal that they are available for dating and not in a committed relationship with anyone at the moment.

But why white? Well, it started as a bit of a racy joke that a woman with her toe nails painted white was a “freak” in bed.

Basically, the idea is that girls with white nails tend to be more promiscuous than others. The stereotype gained ground and became its own meme over the past few years, with social media users sharing their own humorous takes.

ALSO: What is Sadfishing?

“Usually when someone has white nail polish on they are either single or a freak/kinky person,” writes one contributor to the Urban Dictionary.

It’s something that has been repeated widely, but just because your teen is painting their nails white doesn’t necessarily mean anything.

In fact, the TikTok version of this trend seems to be a lot more innocent and is mostly confined to revealing if the girl has a boyfriend or not.

Beyond that, your teen might just like how the nails look and could be totally unaware of any possible “coded” meanings.

Do Other Nail Colors Have Coded Meaning?

As of right now, the two colors that have primarily caught on and spread via TikTok are the use of light blue nails to indicate “taken” status and white nails to mean the wearer is looking for romance.

Of course, other TikTokers haven’t been able to resist joking about the trend. And of course, it goes without saying that many young men have also taken notice — and are watching their crushes’ nails accordingly.

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