Making decisions has never been my strong point, especially when I'm faced with too many options. Facing a menu at a diner, for example—with all its possibilities of getting whatever I want, whenever I want—I usually end up ordering a mix of things (a grilled cheese, a shrimp cocktail, and a side of mashed potatoes with gravy) that have no business being together.

I'm faced with the same problem when it comes to deciding on a nail polish color. Whether it's choosing from the rainbow of options at the nail salon or digging through the colors stuffed into multiple bins under my bathroom sink, I end up testing at least 20 shades on my fingers before deciding on one. So when I spotted O contributing assistant fashion editor Sara Mitzner's nails, I knew I had at last found a way to embrace my indecisive nature.

She created this ombre effect by choosing five shades in the same color family, then started at the darkest point on her thumb and gradually worked her way to the lightest on her pinky. The key to making this manicure look sophisticated (and not like a preschooler's paint-by-number project), says Mitzner, is choosing neutral and understated colors that are office-appropriate on their own. Try varying intensities of pink, or go bold with blue. To get Mitzner's mani, try these shades: RGB Cosmetics Nail Polish in Black, CND Nail Colour in Asphalt, Dior Vernis in Gris Montaigne, OPI Nail Lacquer in French Quarter for Your Thoughts, and Ginger and Liz Colour in Tuck Me In.

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