The Instagram Putting Two Manicured Fingers Up To Gender Stereotypes

Chanel has just launched a makeup range for men, sparking yet another debate in the wider conversation around genderless beauty. Do we really need separate makeup for men, women and non-binary folk? Are we moving towards a society that accepts people of all genders and sexualities making themselves up in whichever way they choose? We hope so.

One Instagram account celebrating those wearing whatever the hell they want is Boys in Polish, run by London-based freelance nail artist Jess Young. The account, which shows men wearing nail polish, from the acrylic to the bejewelled, seeks to break down gender stereotypes while celebrating a damn good manicure.

"The idea started when I was doing my art foundation, and one of my guy friends wore nail polish which I really admired," Jess explains. "I started shooting others and posting photos on my personal account, but I thought, 'Why not start a movement?'" Each subject directs his own shoot, from styling to location, while Jess does the nails and shoots on her Fujifilm camera.

"Times are definitely changing and men are starting to reconstruct masculinity, with the help of the creative industry, which is helping to subvert the perceptions of what it is," Jess explains. "I love seeing men embrace their femininity, and it's so refreshing seeing them in beauty campaigns. It's about time. I definitely aim to break the barriers to traditional masculinity, because when it comes to self-expression, women have more freedom when it comes to fashioning the body. I want them to have the same, regardless of their sexuality."

Click through to see some of our favourite Boys in Polish.