Meow: prepare to grow your nails in 2010

(Dusan Bartolovic)

Nail trends are not always just about colors: recently, beauty media such as Glamour and StyleList have been spotting celebrities on the red carpet, wearing long-frowned-upon, 1980s-inspired long nails.

In order to keep this look classy, however, be sure to use subtle polishes on your nails.

Other key trends in nails for the coming year, as identified by well-respected beauty trend and news blog StyleList, include eye-catching gemstone rings, worn with goth nails (a winter trend that's here to stay for spring).

As for hot colors, coral red - which is also the trendiest hue for lips right now - and purple are promising to be right at our fingertips next season. Also, pale green - pioneered by Chanel's Jade polish and since then imitated by many brands including Essie - is staying, even though many think that the trend isn't very universal in its appeal.

Finally, the 'polish' in 'nail polish' could soon be a thing of the past as most labels are going for matte versions of their colors.