Selecting the right nail polish shade can be challenging (especially when you’re standing in front of a wall of shade selections). Do you want to go bold and bright or quiet and versatile? Is it complimentary of your skin tone? Does a higher price always mean a high quality product? Luckily, if style presides all else for you, there’s a group of highly visible people who’ve built their career or based their hobbies on the very notion of style: the fashion crowd. Today, we’re diving into the world of street style bloggers, cool girls, and off-duty models who’ve got an eye for aesthetics when it comes to anything from the perfect wash of their denim to camera-ready manicures.
Who better to ask for guidance on the shades fashion people are wearing than the talented nail artists behind them? According to celebrity nail artists Gina Edwards and Sonya Meesh, the four colors that have been requested by their fashion-forward clients are bright shades of orange (particularly in jelly polishes), lavender with blue tones, vibrant fuchsia, rosy pinks, and electric greens. You’ve heard it here first, it’s time to retire your sheer shades and break out the ones with eye-catching pigment. For fashion people this season, it’s the brighter, the better.
The secret to the perfect manicure? Prepping your nails before you ever reach for the polish. “You will never have a smooth, long-lasting manicure if you don’t put in the proper work and maintenance—that means exfoliating and hydrating,” explains Meesh. “Hydration and treating your nails as well as you treat your face will set you up for a long-lasting manicure.” Their favorite products to ensure gorgeous nails are Orly’s Cutique Cuticle and Stain Remover to remove stains and exfoliate dry skin and Dermelect’s Revital-oil Nail & Cuticle Treatment.
For smooth and easy application, Edwards encourages using a ridge filling base coat to effectively smooth out ridges and help lock in the base coat and nail polish. She also recommends carefully wiping the brush with a paper towel pad to remove any lint or air particles trapped in the brush. Now that you’re ready to paint, keep scrolling for some inspo from our favorite fashion people and nail artists. Believe me, you’ll want to screenshot these!
According to celeb nail aorange is in for spring and summer. We’ll be reaching for this creamy, tangerine shade inspired by Lauren Crowe’s mani to get started.
Remember: it’s important to eat your greens, but even more fun to wear them. NYC-based content creator Devin Arielle shows us how by matching her vibrant nails to her outfit.
Here, Amaka Hamelijnck sports magenta-hued nails with delicate floral detailing on the pinky and index finger. Edwards has also seen a major rise in shades of fuchsia!
What better way to celebrate the arrival of warm weather than with diving into sunny hues? A creamy, white color like Essie’s All Fun & Games compliments all skin tones.
It’s been months since Kylie Jenner was spotting with this sweet peach-colored manicure and I’m still in love with it. I’ll definitely be recreating it with ILNP’s Sunny Days.
Don’t worry, neutral lovers, barely-there polish shades are also on the rise. Crowe’s pretty pink manicure is a simple and effective way to keep your nails looking chic.
Bright nail colors may be everywhere in the months to come among the fashion crowd, but so are earthy tones (the ‘Coastal Cowgirl’ aesthetic is definitely having a moment on TikTok). If you’re not ready to don a cowgirl hat just yet, a brownish-orange nail polish may be the way to go.
Spotted: Hailey Bieber upgrading her signature glazed donut nails for a neon mani. Iridescent nails may not be on the way out just yet, but yellow nails are definitely making their long-awaited comeback.
Another shade on the rise? Earthy greens. Elif, content creator, founder, and creative director of Iriss Studio, shows us how a stylish green manicure is done.
Fashion girls across all social media platforms are leaning hard into the mermaidcore trend this summer. Try it out by opting for a shimmering manicure in neutral hues for a classic touch.
While I normally gravitate towards manicures in neutral shades, I always have a soft spot for bright blue once warm weather finally hits. Here, celeb nail artist Zola Ganzorigt pairs a blush base with minimalist blue nail art.
Have you been looking for a fun way to upgrade your everyday french manicure? Fashion people all over my Instagram Explore page have been spotted with metal-toned tips.
This one’s for the people who love their nails clean and short. Take a cue from celeb nail artist Betina Goldstein and give them a splash of color with a classic green shade.
Versatile manicure looks are easier to achieve than you think (and won’t class with your outfits). A shade like Duri’s White Cream is a must-have to capture all the neutral vibes.
Break out the pastel! Powdery pink polishes will be flying off the shelves of your nail salon this season (better grab your own just in case).
Whether or not you believe in the TikTok viral ‘Red-Nail Theory,’ red manicures are in for the fashion crowd. Hermès Nail Enamel in the shade Orange Poppy looks nearly identical to what model Camila Morrone wears in this shot.
I’m always a fan of a iridescent nails (especially when the polish deviates from creamy whites or blush pinks). We’ll be using Londontown’s Sugarplum to bring this look to life.
A nude pink nail polish is the manicure equivalent to the fresh ‘no makeup’ makeup look. I’m loving this look celeb nail artist Queenie Nguyen created for Kaley Cuoco.
How gorgeous are these nails on Hamelijnck? As proven by this Amsterdam-based content creator, vibrant blue nail polish looks especially good when you match your makeup to it.
Fashion people are embracing gold and silver as the finishing touch to any look. Ganzorigt created this effortlessly glam manicure for Vanessa Hudgens at last year’s SAG Awards.
Is it any surprise that Edwards’ celebrity clientele have also been obsessed with lavender nail looks? Try Static Nails’ nail polish in Lavender Fields to create a playful and stylish mani.
Here’s a great example by Goldstein of how to update your simple orange manicure with minimalist details. I can’t wait to try a delicate french tip during my next trip to the salon.
Don’t wait until fall to play with purple shades for your manicures. Take this daring nail look by Nguyen for example: its shiny, textured, and edgy in all the best ways.
If you’ve been searching for the perfect rose-colored polish to pull off the ‘quiet luxury’ trend that’s been taking over TikTok since Sofia Richie‘s wedding, Essie’s nail polish in Final Stretch is a good place to start.
Bring the intrigue and mystery of the desert with you wherever you go with this dusty, earth-toned orange. Our top pick to pull this look off? OPI’s nail polish in No Tan Lines.
Next up, This Type of Nail Polish Ensures a Sophisticated Vibe With Literally No Effort
