Nail trends straight from the fall 2017 runway, are playful, creative and add a little spice to your end-of-year style. These trends are a great way to transition from bright colors to bold, metallic and textured nails. Take your manicures and pedicures to the next level this autumn with these trendy colors and styles.
1. Bold Burgundy
Oxblood dominated the runway and the street style scene at the Fall/Winter 2017 fashion shows. This trend easily translates from coats and statement bags to the fingertips. Bold burgundy is a “moody’ update to the traditional red manicure, modern yet sophisticated. Fall wardrobes are all about warm neutrals and a burgundy manicure adds a subtly bold touch to any outfit.
How to wear it: Pair it with a nude pink as the crescent tip of a French manicure or tone it down it with a matte top coat.
2. Textured Metallics
This fall, metallic nails go the extra mile, creating complexity and texture by using mixed shades and coarser materials. Metallic nails have an ornate, jacquard-like quality to them, mimicking the heft and weave of brocade fabrics. Metallics popular for holiday parties, but this edgy twist keeps the trend gives more of a rock inspired vibe.
How to wear it: Let your imagination run wild as you create a mosaic of high-shine polish, chunky glitter and even gold leaf on your nails. If subtle nails are more your speed, add metallic accents in unexpected places for a sparkly gold touch.
3. Modern Marbling
Ever have trouble giving yourself a manicure at home? Here’s some good news, this fall, smooth is out and messy is in. Adding polish unevenly across the nail can create a cool, marbled effect that’s offbeat and unexpected. We’ve seen marble nails before, but never like this.
How to wear it: Start with a neutral base and build on it with a couple of complementary darker tones. Use an almost-dry nail brush to create light, random strokes of color across the nail.
4. 3-D Fringe
Fringe is a recurring feature in autumn wardrobes–it’s a great way to add movement to an outfit when chilly temperatures demand a shift to heavier fabrics. This fall, even your nails can get in on the fringe trend thanks to the innovation of nail piercing. Adding a string or two of beads to your manicure will definitely turn heads.
How to wear it: This trend is not for the faint of heart. It’s possible to pierce your own nails, but better for their long-term health if you embellish a pair of press-on nails instead. Once you’ve created a hole in the nail tip, put in a lightweight post earring with long, beaded tassels. Stick to one or two nails at most, unless you’re not using your hands all day.
5. The Accent Nail
Who says you have to paint all ten of your nails to pull off a chic manicure? The accent nail is the ultimate lazy girl hack for statement fingertips. By highlighting a few nails on each hand and leaving the rest “au natural”, you can achieve a high-impact look with minimal effort.
How to wear it: Make sure that all of your nails are clean, buffed, and nicely shaped. Choose which nails you want to emphasize, aiming for an asymmetrical effect (try the index finger of one hand and the thumb and ring finger of the other.) Apply two coats of a bold attention-grabbing colored polish like orange-red or chartreuse. Treat the rest of your nails to a fortifying top coat.
6. Go Graphic
Take inspiration from the Pop Art movement and transform your nails into a miniature masterpieces. Whether you’re referencing Warhol or wallpaper, you can create a retro-mod manicure that’s playful and snappy.
How to wear it: If you’re planning to DIY, you’ll have to consider steadiness of hand when picking a pattern. Luckily, there are plenty of options available for beginners, like bold stars, a two-tone go-go girl tip, or a graphic color block that calls back to Mondrian-via-YSL. If you’re seeing a professional nail artist, you might as well go all-out and ask for a 60s-style print.
7. Walk the Line
So subtle it’s barely visible to the naked eye, the fine line will be every minimalist’s favorite fall nail trend. The look is built around a sheer or neutral nail base embellished with a single slender stripe. Since your nails will feel almost bare with so little coverage, make sure they’re healthy and well-maintained–this isn’t the style to go for if you’re trying to hide imperfections.
How to wear it: You can position the stripes horizontally or vertically using black polish or even metallic nail tape. The base coat can be completely clear or you can opt for a neutral like taupe or oyster grey.
8. Total Eclipse
We were all caught up in a in the total solar eclipse this past summer. This astronomical event inspired everything from eclipse-themed donuts to t-shirts to wine. Months later, the trend is still sticking around in the form of “eclipse nails,” a cool manicure option for fashion-forward amateur stargazers.
How to wear it: The sky’s the limit, your nail art can be straightforward, depicting little suns and moons in various phases, or be more abstract, hinting at the cosmic theme through the use of negative space. Sport your scientific style this season.
