Nicole Richie, who is of English, Mexican and Creole African-American ancestry, has had quite the style evolution. This party-girl turned entrepreneur has cycled through trends in a way that would make the average person’s head spin. Richie entered the spotlight around 2004 when she burst onto the scene in the trailblazing reality show “The Simple Life”. After the public recognized how cute, witty, and downright watchable this girl was, she pretty much has never left our screens since.

Throughout Richie’s tenure in the public eye, she’s always brought her own personality to everything she does. Back in her reality days, it was her biting, deadpan humor. Now that she’s older, her personality is reflected not only in her personal style (which is always on point), but her fashion projects as well (she’s the founder and creative director of the House of Harlow 1960 fashion line). Here at FIERCE by mitu, we’ve compiled a list of classic Nicole Richie trends that will make you realize why this Latina entrepreneur is such a force in front of and behind the camera. Take a look below!

1. Two-Toned Hair

@PetiteAnge_/Twitter

When the hit reality-show “The Simple Life” aired in 2003, Nicole Richie was rocking a really on-trend hairstyle at the time: two-toned hair where the “low lights” were much darker than the rest of the hair. We can’t say this is our favorite look of hers.

2. Tube Dresses

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In the early aughts, Richie also gravitated towards monochrome tube dresses that looked just as at-home on the red carpet as they did in the club circuit.

3. Bright Orange Faux Tans

@missemilyjayx/Twitter

Even the naturally darker-complexioned Miss Richie wasn’t immune to the early-2000s allure of a spray tan back in the day. As you can see from the above picture, she may have gone a bit over-board with the trend (we’ve all been there).

4. Blunt Bangs

@Kamaria24k/Twitter

Richie has never been one to shy away from bold hair experimentation (see her Met Gala look from 2017). We love how she always changed up her tresses, like when switched her usual hair-do to some chic blunt bangs. She really can’t go wrong.

5. Smudged Eyeliner

@ITSPARISBXTCH/Twitter

When Richie first hit the scene in 2004, she had a signature makeup look that always turned heads. She rocked a “grunge-chic” look that included tousled, bedhead hair and a smudged smokey eye that looked like she had been up all night partying.

6. Super-Sized Sunglasses

@ccyeez/Twitter

Once Richie started to transition out of her reality TV days, she really began to come into her own, style-wise. We have a feeling that Richie began donning mega-glasses because it successfully shielded her from the paparazzi, but it also cemented her as a style icon. One could argue that it was Richie who put the over-sized sunglasses on the map for good.

7. Over-Sized Clothing

Pinterest via Amy Joyce

Not only did Richie develop a penchant for over-sized sunglasses, she also started to gravitate towards baggy clothing around the same time as well. This was a massive change from her previous style which consisted of mini-dresses and skin-tight polyester.

8. Side Bangs

@wmag/Twitter

If you look through a catalogue of Richie’s past fashion experiments, a common thread will weave through all of it: bangs. Richie has always been a big proponent of a fringe, whether it’s an aforementione blunt cut or her signature side-swept style that she usually opts for. In fact, it’s hard to think of a look as classically Nicole unless the bangs are both prominent and sideswept.

9. Boho-Chic

@TangerOutlets/Twitter

There may not be a celebrity in all of Hollywood that does Bohemian as well as Nicole Richie does. Not only is she tasteful and fashionable with her choices, but she’s also adventurous and playful. Richie’s bohemian phase was the look that launched a thousand copy-cats–celeb or otherwise.

10. Scarf Headbands

@ccyeez/Twitter

Richie has been a fan of the scarf-as-a-headband since her “Simple Life” days, and her affinity for the accessory doesn’t seem to be dying down anytime soon. These days, however, she sticks to smaller, top-knotted headbands as is evidenced by her most recent Instagram posts.

11. Curly & Natural

@MJHIStorySource/Twitter

Although Richie has opted to straighten her hair since her early days in the spotlight (no judgement from our side), she’s recently gone the au naturel route, leaving her mane to reveal its curly glory. We love how Richie is never afraid to experiment in any aspect of her look

12. Sleek and Simple

@nicolerichie/Instagram

Lately, Nicole Richie has been all about simplicity when it comes to her personal style–especially when it comes to her hair. This is a big departure from her bygone days when her mantra seemed to be “the more the merrier” when it came to hair and makeup.

Acrylic nails have been a long-time fashion staple. Many of us have those early memories of a tía, a vecina, mom, etc., rocking the long red nails. Today, fake nails are not just a passing fad, but they have become an essential part of pop-culture, wearable art. Most famously, Cardi B (who has worn acrylics since before she was famous and has remained loyal to her same nail artist Jenny Bui) is one of the celebrities that has captivated the world which her famous “sets” which, no doubt, has inspired millions of fans.

Acrylic nails have always and will continue to be a woman’s strongest style accessory.

One of the most iconic sets is part of a special exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art. Back in the 90s, Lil Kim (the original Queen Bee) asked her manicurist – celebrity nail artist Bernadette Thompson – to add something different to the nail design for a photoshoot for the Junior M.A.F.I.A. single “Get Money.” Thinking on her feet, Thompson cut up a dollar bill and…the rest is history. Thompson is credited with moving nail art into the world of high fashion since she often had to fight against editors of Vogue, and other big-name fashion magazines, to feature the nail designs worn by the artist.

They can tell any story you want and make any statement you can imagine.

However, acrylics have been here long before celebrities and Instagram. One of the most famous manicures has even held Olympic gold, thanks to Hall of Famer, Florence Griffith Joyner. “Flo Jo” – still considered the fastest women in history – not only was she an iconic Olympian, but she was also known for her distinctive fierce style and nails.

If we look at the history of nail art, India is the first to put color on the map in 5000 B.C. and are credited with being the ones to dip fingertips in red henna, a practice which is still seen today.

Different cultures across the world have incorporated acrylic nails.

But where did the concept of acrylic nails come from? The earliest traces can be found somewhere around 3000 B.C between Egypt and China. We can thank ancient Egyptians for almost every aspect of the beauty and cosmetics that we use today. They also introduced the notion of associating red with power and nobility. Noblemen and women would use berries to add red hues to their nails and if anyone from the lower class was caught with red nails, they were put to death. It is believed that the ancient royal Egyptians used ivory, gold, and bone to create extensions of their nails. Shorter nails implied that you needed your hands available to work, therefore, longer nails became a symbol of status, wealth and non-laboring hands.

Around the same time period, the ancient Chinese were the first to make a “permanent color stain” that would taint nails the same as nail polish does today. Here is also where we have the closest example to modern-day acrylics. The earliest dynasties created elaborate “fingernail guards” which gave the appearance of exaggerated long nails. The nail extensions were made of gold and precious gems; and as with the ancient Egyptians, long nails became a symbol of a someone that did not need their hands free for manual labor and therefore became a symbol of the ruling class. The ornate nails were usually worn on one hand, covering each finger (except the thumb) and only the most elite wore fingernail guards on both hands.

In both Egypt and China, higher-ranking men and kings also sported the acrylics and nail polish. When King Tut’s tomb was discovered in 1922, among his treasures they found the royal red nail coloring still in a sealed bottle, and the paint was still good.

Ancient Greece also got in on early acrylic nails. They believed in the healing energy of the moon and favored the appearance of moon shape nails. Greek women would place pistachio nut shells over their nails and in order to give a pleasing round appearance.

In South America, the Incas of Peru, are said to have been the first to have actually created nail art, by adding a decorative element – an eagle – to their nails.

Over time, artificial nails were slowly making their way throughout Europe and eventually made their way across the ocean.

In 1934, Dr. Maxwell Lappe – a dentist from Chicago – was working on a remedy to help his patients who bit their nails. Mixing two dental acrylic products – liquid and powder – he created Nu Nails. The mixture was thick and heavy, meant to create a hard nail protective covering.

However, these are the first official artificial nails documented in modern history.

During the 1930s, starlets –  like Greta Garbo –  often tried to create their own “nail extensions” by wrapping foil around their fingers and then painting the foil red.

In 1957, twenty years after Nu Nails, another dentist – Dr. Frederick Slack – made a breakthrough. As the story goes, he broke his own nail and in order to create a temporary fix, he used dental acrylic and aluminum foil, and accidentally invented the first sculpted acrylic nail. The Slack family went on launch the modern acrylic nail industry and has since created several innovative products, including the first non-yellowing bonding formula, which is still used today.

The nail game is constantly growing and evolving.  Today, we are in an acrylic boom again, nails are not only a part of our fashion, but they can also be part of the larger conversation.

Your set can reflect your politics, religion, heritage etc.

Credit: Pinterest

Acrylic nails and nail art aren’t going anywhere, they have been here since the days of B.C. and will most likely continue to always be part of our human story. Although women of color in the United States are often chastised for wearing long and elaborate nails, it has never stopped us from doing so, nor should it. We are walking in the traditions of ancient royals and nobility – men and women – so continue to hold your head high, pick your colors, add some bling and don’t be shy; tú dale, and make the ancient world proud…live boldly.

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