Trendy nail polish is the cheapest new accessory you can buy each season.

Darks remain hot this winter, but we’ve moved beyond dark reds and black. Think navy, grey, green, purple and burgundy.   And lots of experimenting with finishes.  Matte, suede, glitter, metallics, shimmers.  Colors flecked with sequins and glitter.   I know, I know, this is not New York and you are not Kate Moss.  But even here in the fashion-conservative south we can add a bit of flash to our wardrobe.  Gray is huge, and will stay that way through spring (although in spring it will be a pale, flat gray, not the dark metallic gray of this winter).  Want to stay on the conservative side?   Try a metallic or shimmer sheen in one of your favorite colors.  Step it up and step it out ladies.

The hottest shades in the trendy polishes?  OPI has pretty much everything covered, as does the OPI line by Sephora.  For unique polishes that are a little harder to find, try:

• Dark Green:  Orly Enchanted Forest, MAC Beyond Jealous.
• Gray:  MAC Cool Reserve, MAC Nightfall, Zoya Loredana Gray, Lippman Collection Hit Me with Your Best Shot
• Blue:  Lippman Collection Don’t Tell Mama, Lancome Indigo Paris, NARS Blue Lagoon
• Brown:  MAC Rich, Dark, Delicious, Lippman Collection Brown Eyed Girl, Zoya Richelle
• Metallics:  OPI Designer Series, Revlon Dark Pleasures Collection, Lippman Collection Wicked Game, Believe, Since I Fell for You, Purple Rain.  NARS Tokaido Express, Saratoga & Zizi
• Glitters:  Lippman and more Lippman - Happy Birthday, Ruby Red Slippers, Funky Chunky, Superstar