Alien abductions. Turkey dinners. Every character from Pee-Wee’s Playhouse (including stupid Randy). Manicurist Annie Phimmachack at Parlour & Juke’s East Nashville shop has painted every one of those and so much more on hundreds of fingernails for clients from across Middle Tennessee.
Anything you can think of, the self-taught nail artist can make it happen, and without the use of stickers or stencils. Want gold-flake leopard spots on your almond-shaped acrylic claws? Phimmachack can do that. What about straight-as-a-pin candy-colored stripes on natural nails stunted by years of being nervously gnawed on (guilty)? She’s got you.
Phimmachack has prettied the hands of Carrie Underwood, Maren Morris and Ashley Monroe, and she helped Hillary Scott of Lady Antebellum get red-carpet-ready for the CMA Country Christmas Eve concert by painting her Grammy-winning artist’s digits with a gorgeous white-and-gold geometric pattern. But she doesn’t just serve the stars. You don’t need to have a stylist or a record contract to hold hands with Phimmachack — a basic two-color gel polish job starts at $40 and will stay looking good for weeks.
Last year I went into Parlour & Juke asking for some A Christmas Story-inspired art, and in less than an hour, while happily chatting about music and movies, Phimmachack turned my stubby and sad fingernails into a winter wonderland — there were silver icicles and a tiny headshot of Ralphie wearing that atrocious pink bunny suit, and she even found room for the leg lamp outfitted in the sexy fishnet stocking (which was meticulously painted with a brush that appeared to feature a single bristle).
If you want something more neutral, she can do that, too — geometric patterns in pretty pastels, delicate lace or, what’s super trendy right now, minimalistic designs that make the most of your nails’ negative space.
Follow Phimmachack on Instagram at @gelhiigh to get inspired by her most recent designs and nail-polish shades. You have to look at your hands all day — let Annie make ’em pretty. MEGAN SELING
