Nails are having an unexpected swing from previous trends. This year, nails put aside the charms and the ultra-long claws for short, buffed, and barely there finishes. The clean girl of nails, if you will. And while that’s still an option, those looking for a middle ground can be rest assured with the recent onset of fall nail trends. Picking up from the SS27 runways, the pieces that please the algorithm, and of course from Bella Hadid, these are the nail ideas worth screenshotting before your next manicure.
Fig Nails
Inspired by the fruit and its beautiful combination of plum and greenish hues, it’s a colour combination that works in both light and dark iterations. We even saw the green and plum pairing executed perfectly at Tory Burch’s SS27 show, which makes us believe that this look will fare even better in nail format.
Deer Print
If “Bambi core” hasn’t gotten to you yet, why not incorporate the trend into a nail design? A soft brown with white dots made to resemble deer fur, this design may be an animal print but it’s an overall demure look.
Droplet Nails
For those who can’t let go of the charms, take a page from McQueen’s runway. Nail artist Ama Quashie created opaque droplets that “fell” off the bottom three fingers. Complemented with a blue-grey colour and we have the season’s moodiest design.
Nude Ombre Claws
Similarly, for those who prefer not to tune in to the short, bare nail trend, artist Nina Nguyen just gave us the inspo on how to achieve a fall claw that doesn’t go over the top. For the Dreaming Eli SS27 show, Nguyen created a series of long, almond-shaped nails that are nude at the base and turn into a dark ombre. It teeters close to the bare nail trend but still stays in a gothic lane.
Reverse Polka Dots
A nail trend that has been going strong all year, for fall, switch up the design with the classic autumnal colour pairings—pink and brown, teal and red, or olive and dark khaki.
Plum Nails
Working on the same concept as fig nails, plum nails borrow the rich plum colour for a deep, cosy look. This can then be accented with a chrome finish, a cat eye, or even be kept lighter with an aura gradient.
Plaid Nails
Since plaid patterns like houndstooth, tartan, gingham, and more recently, the Burberry check, has been on our minds, why not incorporate them into our nails? A medium oval shape with a glossy finish is the best way to ensure that the design has plenty of real estate on the nail bed without looking too extreme.
Tortoiseshell Nails
Consisting of two of the best fall colours, you really cannot go wrong with this design. This is especially great for those with warmer undertones as the colour perfectly complements the skin.
Short, Swashes of Colour
Since SS26, we’ve noticed that certain runways have opted to have their nails kept short and with one swash of colour. Now as SS27 goes on, we see the same on Proenza Schouler, Sabyasachi, and more. Nails are shaped in a short squoval shape and coloured with warm earthy tones—think moss green, burnt orange, taupe, and terracotta—alongside sharper, more dramatic colours like blood orange and black. Sometimes less is more and this approach works best for those who prefer not to fuss over their nails.
Chocolate Glaze
Chocolate glazed nails are by no means a new trend but after spotting them on Bella Hadid earlier this year, it’s back on the inspo rotation. With brown being the perfect fall neutral, you can go as light or as dark with this colour so long as you remember to glaze them after.
