I Can’t Wait to Cozy Up With a Crushed Velvet Manicure This Fall

As a chill returns to the morning air and you find yourself reaching for your coziest cardigan again, prepare for things to get moody… manicure-wise. Fall 2023 nail art trends are here in autumn’s expected palette — midnight blues and black, the finest wines, and deep purples — but this season, those usual suspects have a whole new edgier edge.

On fall runways, manicures were multidimensional: The most basic black manicure shone with a patent finish at Rodarte and metal was sculpted into nail art at both Off-White and LoveShackFancy. And on her social feed, nail artist Betina Goldstein is already edging simple French manicures with tiny, 3D decals and attaching delicate jewelry to the tips.      

For Allure’s fall nail shoot, nail artist Nori Yamanaka reached for rich hues and an assortment of accessories to give these trends of the moment her own twist. But first things first: Every look began (and ended) with very well-moisturized cuticles. “Pretty, healthy nails are trendy now,” Yamanaka says, referencing the glazed manicures that have dominated fingertips on the red carpet and beyond for well over a year. 

If you are more of a maximalist (or perhaps looking to add more excitement to your solid, neutral look) you’ll want to stock up on sponges, powder pigments, studs, and broken chains. Used separately — or occasionally together — these craft-store finds and random doodads have a way of spicing up two coats of polish. 

Ahead, you’ll find nine bold nail art trends — including crushed velvet, bold ombré, and a dazzling gilded French manicure —  that we predict will have their own viral moments this fall both on the internet and on you.