35 Fall Nail Art Trends Worth Trying This Season

1. Negative Space French Mani

Put a chic (and unique) twist on the classic French manicure with a ’90s-era squared nails shape, and maintain your fall-forward look with a black color palette. The unexpected shape and color are a fresh take on a timeless fall mani. 

2. “Pierced” Nails

For an edgy yet minimalistic look, try this faux-piercing nail art. Paint your nails with a neutral nude or pink, and add dots of chrome to create the illusion of jewelry. 

3. Snake Skin

Perfect for Halloween but cute enough for everyday, these snake skin nails perfectly lean into the animal print trend. Try experimenting with different colors depending on which reptile you want to channel. 

4. Chunky Cherry French Mani

Lean into this fall’s burgundy trend with this chunky French manicure, and add some cherry details for some fruity fun. You can either paint the cherries on, or sculpt them with builder gel for a three-dimensional effect.

5. Chrome Accents

3-D texture nails and chrome nail art are big this year, and this mani combines the two effortlessly. Pick your desired shapes—or go freestyle—and add them as a statement to your minimal nail look. 

6. Aura Ombré

The transition between summer and fall is a tough one, but you can embrace the chance within your manicure. Take a bright, warm-weather shade and layer it on top of a darker color for a look that doesn’t do away with vibrant hues just yet. 

7. Silly Scribbles 

Fall is back-to-school season, and it looks like art class is next on your schedule. Even if you’ve long graduated from the school bus, try out this colorful mani for a playful look. Don’t worry about drawing inside the lines—the messier, the better. 

8. Pumpkin Chrome

Orange may be one of the most obvious polish shades for fall, but you can breathe new life into it by changing up the finish. A layer of chrome dresses up the classic mani, without losing the pumpkin-y fall feel. 

9. Red-Hot Tips

Lean into the autumnal color palette with a colorful French manicure. This skinny red version looks elegant with every outfit, and is surprisingly easy to replicate. 

10. Moody Marbling

This marbleized manicure perfectly encapsulates chilly fall evenings. Get the look by layering a drop of dark blue polish over a lighter coat, then drag the darker shade out with a linear brush. Be careful not to add too large of a drop, otherwise your look will be more murky than moody. 

11. Autumnal Orange Glitter

Match your mani to the fall foliage with this shimmering design. With a mix of squiggles, chunky glitter, and French tips, this nail look will surely (pumpkin) spice up any outfit. 

12. Tortoiseshell Accents

Tortoiseshell is a fabulous nail look on its own, but combining it with autumnal color-blocking elevates your mani even further. Make the fashionable fusion yourself by blocking out parts of your tortoiseshell nails with a pea-green shade, then finish off with delicate white borders. 

13. Cat-eye Cheetah Print

Cheetah print is one of this year’s biggest fashion trends, and it turns out, you can wear the look on your fingers too. Give your mani a real feline feel by using a cat-eye base, which will add dimension to this wild nail art. 

14. Preppy Stripes

If you can never decide on a polish color, settle on stripes. The preppy look matches most, whether you stick with a complementary color range or go bold with mismatching shades. 

15. Tiger Print

If you’re looking for nail art you’ll go wild over, consider getting this tiger print manicure. Its orange and black pattern works well for fall, without feeling too on-the-nose. 

16. Cute Chains

Break free from boring manicures with this chain nail art. A green base really makes the gold of the chains pop, while sparkle details keep the look from feeling too edgy. Make sure to accessorize with your favorite gold jewelry.  

17. Dark Florals

This manicure is proof that floral nails aren’t just for summer. By using a black base with deep red details, this look is vampy enough for spooky season. The only thing scarier might be attempting this brushwork (kidding, you got this!), but the final results are worth it. 

18. Plaid

Nothing quite says fall like a cozy plaid. Make the timeless pattern feel modern by adding it to an accent nail, while painting the rest of your nails with autumnal shades like green, brown, and orange. Then, pick out your favorite flannel to match. 

19. Skull Flowers

If you’re someone who loves spooky season, this deathly floral manicure is for you. Unlike obvious Halloween designs, this nail art is subtle enough for you to wear to the office, as well as all your costume parties. 

20. Chrome Webbing

For a minimal manicure that still looks otherworldly, consider adding chrome webbing as a finishing touch. The details are relatively easy to freehand, and you can add an extra pop with a colored chrome like this one. 

21. Butterfly Wings

Take this season’s orange nails to new heights with butterfly wing nail art. A chrome base gives your nails an iridescent look, while intricate black lines and white accents turn them into full-on wings. Pair this mani with a holographic orange eyeshadow for a look people will bug out for. 

22. Mocha Squiggle Nails

Pumpkin spice lattes may be the season’s hottest coffee order, but these nails make us rethink the mocha. With swirls of light and dark brown, this manicure encapsulates the cozy feeling of snuggling up to your morning coffee. 

23. Venom Green Bubbles

Whether this shade of green reminds you of venomous Halloween villains or brat summer, it makes for a great nail art. Use a black base to really help the bright color pop, then grab your dotting tools (or the eraser end of a pencil) and get to stamping.

24. Bandana Print

Western wear isn’t just limited to cowboy boots and hats—you can also rep the trend on your nails with a fun bandana manicure. First figure out the shades and shapes of your respective finger’s bandana, then add in all the details with a linear brush. 

25. Cherry Mocha Glitter 

If you’re going for a Practical Magic fall, you can’t go wrong with this cherry mocha mani. Its dark color fits the season well, while a glitter outline brings the magic. 

26. Bow French Manicure

Bows are one of this year’s biggest nail art trends, but you can give them a fall makeover with a bright red color palette. The end result? A cute mani you can’t look away from. 

27. Groovy Florals

The ’70s are back, even when it comes to nail art. Embrace the retro look with some groovy floral graphics, using a dotting tool (or bobby pin) to add any details. 

28. Chic Brown Lines

Upgrade an otherwise neutral manicure with some asymmetrical nail art. Easily recreate this look by using tape (on a dry base) to get those lines super-straight. 

29. Green Aura Stars

How cute are these green aura nails? Complete with a forest-y palette and chrome star details, this manicure has been expedited to our fall beauty moodboards.  

30. Fall Colorblock

This geometric blend of autumnal colors works well for any occasion, but looks especially good at a pumpkin patch or hot cider stand. With so many seasonal shades included, you can’t go wrong. 

31. Quirky Squiggles

Pairing neutral shades together can feel boring, but not when you add in some quirky squiggles. This DIY-friendly design is minimal yet chic. 

32. Martini Mani

Whether you're a martini lover or more of an eat-the-olives-out-of-the-jar kind of gal (or both), this martini-inspired mani is meant for you. All you need is an olive green polish, red accent polish, and a steady hand—dirty martinis sold separately. 

33. Earthy Ombré

These earthy ombré nails live in our head rent-free. To transition the dark brown shade to its lighter green counterpart, reach for a makeup sponge and dab lightly. 

34. High-Contrast Cutouts

This mani proves cutouts aren’t just for clothing. Instead of using a seasonal shade across your whole nail, try painting on some thick lines and triangles to make the negative space on your nails pop. 

35. Floral Tortoiseshell French

Elevate the classic tortoiseshell design with some playful nail art, like these dainty flowers. It may take a skilled hand to create, but the cute result is totally worth the time. 

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