Janelle Monáe's Half-Moon Nails Are Retro Beauty Done Right

Janelle Monáe just put another spin on her favorite color scheme. On Jan. 8, the musician and actor attended the National Board of Review Annual Awards Gala looking chic as ever while wearing a mesmerizing black gown with crystal-accented cutouts. The cherry on top of her outfit was the beautiful half-moon nails she was wearing.

The manicure, which was done by artist Angie Aguirre, featured two of Monáe's signature colors: black and white. The majority of her nail was painted in the former color, but for the half-moon design, she opted for a stark white polish. This almost made it look like her fingers were expertly playing off shadow and light. To finish the look, her nails were kept short and filed into a rounded-square shape.

Half-moon nail art is yet another play on the quintessential french manicure that has made its way back into popular culture. Many different versions of the look often play with negative space to achieve the desired effect. One easy way to make your manicure stand out is to use bold, contrasting colors. Think: neons and your natural nail color, yellows and blues, and, of course, the black-and-white combination that Monáe modeled at the event. The trend can also work for a more minimal nail look by incorporating it with '90s-supermodel pink or milky-white hues.

Monáe is once again in a lane of her own when it comes to providing beauty inspiration. Take a closer look at her nails below.