STYLE : LOOKS : Something New at Your Fingertips

The ideal Los Angeles physique may be tall, thin and cosmetically enhanced to perfection. But when it comes to fingernails, short , round and natural are the buzzwords this season.

A new, rounded shape has replaced the squared-off look popular during the past several years, says Jessica Vartoughian of Jessica’s Nail Clinic in West Hollywood. The nail tip should now echo the shape of the cuticle and measure about one-fourth the length of the pink nail area. The new look has a built-in perk: When nails are shorter, manicures last longer. And the colors of choice are paler and sheerer than before.

Stephanie Roberts of West Los Angeles, a hand model for print ads and television commercials, reports that most of her clients prefer neutral pink polish for their advertising. One of her personal favorites is Cover Girl’s Tea Rose. And when premixed colors aren’t quite right, Roberts blends shades of Revlon or Cover Girl polishes until she arrives at the desired color, whether it’s to model jewelry for a local department store or to display Kentucky Fried Chicken for a fast-food spot.