If you've never seen a Tabi shoe in your life, you're probably wondering what the hell we're talking about. What Are Tabi Nails? "Tabi nails are inspired by the Japanese socks and popular shoes characterized by their signature split-toe design," says nail artist Ramon Duran. However, Tabi nails aren't for everyone — your nail length does play into whether or not this trend will work for you. "Tabi nails look best on medium-length, rounded [or] oval nails because you need that extra space for the design to really come through.