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Minute 16: The Ugliest Nail Trend We've Ever Seen (PHOTOS)

There's Ugly And Then There's Duck Ugly
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By definition, trends are fleeting. They're ephemeral. And each day we see our fair share of looks we'd like to remove from our sartorial lexicon. So join us, each week, as we analyze a trend that's had its 15 minutes of fame. These looks are well into their Minute 16, folks. It's time to usher them toward stage left.

The Trend: At some point in nail time, someone decided it would be creative and attractive to shape their nails to mimic, ahem, the shape of a bird's foot. These fake flared nails are supposed to be trendy -- but we can't figure out what the trend actually is. They've been labelled as "flare" "dolphin tail" and "fan" nails. Frankly, we can't even look at them.

Chief Offenders: At this point, we're glad the majority of celebrities aren't rocking this '"trend." Snooki was spotted flapping her duck feet nails during The MTV Music Video Awards in 2011. And this mani/pedi style has been around the web since 2008. Lately, we've seen how-to tutorials pop up on YouTube, nail blogs and even BuzzFeed.

What's Wrong With It: It's not just about how these nails look (which is pretty bad). This trend is completely impractical. How is one going to fit their toes into heels or flats with three extra inches of toenail? And what if you get this mani done to your fingernails: can you imagine how difficult it would be to type, eat, play with your hair or even apply makeup?

May We Suggest: Nail art has become a trend for 2012. If you're looking for creative ways to play up your tips, try gems or deco art patterns that add a 3D effect to beds. And if you like using acrylic nails for added length, make sure you consider your daily tasks before applying them -- if you're someone who spends their day typing or using your hands, having long nails is a no-no.

Would you ever try the duck nail? Let us know in the comments below or on Twitter @HuffPostCaStyle. Check out five nail trends to try this season instead.

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