Fingernails as a metaphor

Mine are my own.
They are trimmed short.
They naturally grow in a nice shape, but I sometimes file them to square them off a bit.
The tips are white.
The cuticles are OK - not too rough, but sometimes non-existent.
They aren't particularly ridged or bumpy.
They are a nice cap to my somewhat manish hands.
My hands are like my dad's.

Hers are trimmed severely short when they're not chewed to the quick.
We don't let them grow, for when they are too long, they are tools with which she can scratch her skin until it bleeds.
Her nail bed is wider than mine.
Her fingernails are not like mine, but they are beautiful.
Her hands are like her dad's.

The stand in's are fake.
They are long and pointed.
They are professionally polished weekly, and completely replaced every month or so.
They are painted in garish designs and colors.
The cuticles are perfect.
They are flashy and perfect.
They require a lot of maintenance and fuss.
They are shallow.