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Style > Fashion

Looking Polished Starts With Nail Art: Fall Nail Designs You Have to Try

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Montclair chapter.

I’ll admit it, I was one of those girls who thought getting my nails done was a waste of money. I was content painting my nails with a cheap bottle of Sinful Colors and letting it chip away after a few days. After I graduated high school, I upgraded to gel manicures to save myself the trouble of painting my nails every few days. Gel looks natural, lasts weeks and is affordable.

Around the beginning of the pandemic, everyone must’ve collectively decided to step up their game and dive into the world of nail art. I was content with my basic gel manicures until nail art flooded my social media timelines. It was like a whole new world of possibilities opened up, and that gel manicure was not going to cut it anymore. 

Since 2019, I’ve continuously been in awe of the designs nail techs come up with, but the more options I have, the harder it is to choose. I’ve spent countless hours on Pinterest putting together a “potential nails” board. Since fall is right around the corner, I am going to share some autumnal nail ideas and I hope you get inspired to try something new on your next trip to the nail salon. (Shoutout to my Titi Mady, give her a follow at @nails_by_marfil if you live in NJ and want the best manicure.)

The Mismatch

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These nails are perfect for any season because the colors are interchangeable. Throughout the summer, mismatched nails were my favorite. I got them in pink and then purple and I can’t wait to try it out with fall colors. This design never gets old.

Simplicity at Its Finest

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This nail design is for those who don’t want to be too flashy but still want to try something different. Nude nails paired with a design on the base of the cuticle have a classic look but still allow you to get creative. Go with the lotus flower pictured or try out something different like a polka dot or gemstone.

Rose-Golden Hour

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Rose Gold is the star of fall. These nails are perfect for the holiday season and will get you plenty of compliments at Thanksgiving dinner. The colors compliment any autumnal outfit and are great to pair with jewelry.

G-G-G-G-Ghost!

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Halloween-themed nails are one of my favorite things about fall. You can customize this design in many ways. Throw on some skeletons instead of ghosts, or add some glitter if you prefer more of a shine. Some nail techs even have glow-in-the-dark polish so that your nails will be noticed all hallo-weekend long. 

I hope this article inspires you to try something new. A manicure can lift my spirits on any bad day, so I encourage you to treat yourself to one and try out one of these looks. Beware, it becomes addicting.

I’m Jada Bonilla, a contributing writer for HerCampus. My main goal when writing an article is to create an open conversation about the topic. Motivating others to think deeper about issues is important to me. I think different points of view are so valuable and I love to hear other peoples ideas and opinions. I express my own ideas through creativity, HerCampus gives me the chance to channel that creativity.