Ask a manicurist why it is called baby boomer and you will get the same answer. Elle Gerstein told Allure that professionals use the name because the look originated in the 1940s, about when the baby boomers were born. Nail artist Jade Tang, speaking to Refinery29, also dates it to around the 1940s as an evolution of the French manicure. It is manicurist lore, not documented history, and TODAY calls the name's origin somewhat ambiguous. What is clearer is the internet part. By 2018 the look was gaining traction online, and Australian nail artist Chloe Crow said over half her clients were asking for it.

Ombre nails short are the version I would start with. A sheer milky pink or nude base fades into a hazy white tip, with no crisp smile line to line up. Julie Kandalec calls it a cross between a French tip and a single-color manicure, which is exactly right. The base is close to your own nail color, so growth is hard to spot, and AsiaOne notes it suits fast-growing nails.

The collage below shows nine fades, from pink to white and a nude fade to a sunset, a lilac haze and a mocha fade. The first grid is short ombré press-ons, a few with no glue at all. The second is ombré gel strips, in soft milky shades and a few playful ones.

Here is a test I like: hold your hand at arm's length. If the fade still reads as one soft blur and not stripes, the ratio of color to tip is right.

KISS Impress Color is the no-glue option. The Ombre Collection has soft gradients and pre-applied adhesive, so you peel, press and go, and the brand says it holds up to 10 days. Take A Chance is purple fading to white, Friendzone is blue, and Beat The Heat is pink fading to red, all in a short oval. Each kit has 30 nails, a prep pad, a mini file and a manicure stick.

ohora has four here, and they are the closest to the classic baby boomer. Soft Babyboomer blends a creamy white syrup shade into a pink-beige base. Blush Beige is a neutral nude with a soft smudged ombré and a translucent finish. Cream Rose is a syrup gradient, a creamy pink-beige like a drop of milk blended in. Fairy Dust is a mauve-toned gradient with luminous sparkle for the day you want something extra.

Olive & June's Lavender Velvet Gradient is a pinky lavender fade with a horizontal velvet effect, in a short round shape. The listing says the velvet effect looks a bit like a French, and I see it.

Essie's Rita Remark says the pro way to get the fade is to sponge pink and white together, tap quickly, do two layers and finish with a glossy top coat. That is a lot of steps, and these skip them. Whichever you pick, file your own nails short and even first, so the set sits flat.

What I would skip: the three bright KISS colors for a wedding or an interview. They are fun and clear, but the ohora sets are quieter.

Gel strips are a different format from press-ons, but the fade is already on the strip, so there is no sponge to fight. Start with ohora. N Milk Rose is a nude ombré, beginning as milky beige and blending into dusty rose. N Mild Latte is a milky brown gradient, high shine and durable, according to the brand. N Tulip Wash is a coral pink gradient inspired by tulip petals, with fine gold foil lines that shimmer under light.

Dashing Diva's strips are semi-cured gel and have what the brand calls mega volume and maximum shine. Star Dust fades from pale ivory to blush with a glossy finish, and it is the one that looks closest to baby boomer nails. Icing On The Cake is sheer nude with lilac ombré tips and confetti glitter. It's Science, Duh is baby pink with iridescent teal and purple tips and velvet shimmer. He's Cuter In Person is a pink and purple gradient with velvet shimmer and magnetic heart accents. The brand also has a pale off-white strip set with a baby pink ombré and velvet shimmer.

Here is a pairing I like: wear the soft milk and latte shades with denim and a white tee, and let the tulip or the teal-tipped set be the only bright thing you have on.

What I would skip: sets with magnetic heart accents or glitter for a long workday. Take a plain milk or blush gradient if you touch a keyboard all day.

I think ombre nails short are the easiest way to get a nail look without a nail look. The fade hides chips and regrowth, and your hands look done even when you are not.

My rule is to match the base to your skin, not to your outfit. Pick the nude, pink or beige that sits nearest your cuticle, then choose how loud the tip is. Go pale and milky for everyday, and keep the lilacs and teals for a night when you want your hands noticed. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together The Good Molecules Discoloration Correcting Serum and the Patient Way to Fade Dark Spots and Best Fake Nails, From a Dentist's Broken Thumbnail to Your Kit.