Nowadays, so many manicure ideas are incredibly intricate. Our feeds are forever flooded with 3D nail art, detailed designs, and tips so sharp and long that they almost feel like a hazard. As much as we love bold manicures, we’re also big fans of easy-to-recreate nail ideas.
Meet the expert
- Deborah Lippmann is a celebrity manicurist and founder of an eponymous brand.
- Olivia Van Iderstine is Olive & June’s mani trend expert and vice president of content.
- Mazz Hanna is a manicurist and the CEO of Nailing Hollywood, an agency that represents the top talent in the nail industry.
With that in mind, we chatted with a few nail artists to determine the best simple fall nail designs. Ahead, explore a selection of solid colors, French tips, velvet finishes, and dainty accents, all of which are perfect for autumn 2024.
Autumn Smush Nails
Celebrity manicurist Deborah Lippmann is a big fan of multicolor manicures for fall 2024. “Just choose your favorite fall shades,” she says, noting that you can polish a different solid coat of color on each nail or opt for a few. We especially like this autumn-toned smush nail art by the artists at Paintbox in New York City. To recreate it, place a drop of pumpkin, berry, olive, and dusty blue polish closely together on a paper plate. Dab a makeup sponge into the colors, then dab the sponge onto each nail until you achieve your desired look. Finish with glossy top coat.
Classic French Tips
A classic French manicure may feel too bright for fall but Olivia Van Iderstine, Olive & June’s mani trend expert and VP of content, says it’s a timeless nail art idea for a reason. “The classic sheer neutral and white French is the palette cleanser everyone is craving this year,” she says. “It’s always on trend and always feels like a breath of fresh air. It’s the ideal mani to wear in between dark manis and so easy to achieve.”
Chocolate French Tips
If you love the look of classic arched French tips but want to lean into the season’s tones, consider swapping out your white polish for chocolate brown. You can achieve flawless French tips at home with a nail art brush or stencil stickers.
Caramel Ombré Glaze Nails
Talk about a decadent autumn nail look—and it’s so easy to achieve! Start with a sheer nude and light taupe-brown ombré base, then finish it off with a silver chrome powder and top coat.
Cranberry Nails
No time for nail art? With the right autumnal tone, even a simple solid manicure can look stunning. “It’s red nail season all year round but for fall the must-paint version of the shade is deeper berry,” Van Iderstine says. “To make a perfect fall red even more fabulous, you can add some shimmer on top with a velvet-effect polish. This creates that super on-trend velvet effect that feels instantly cool.”
Cutie Ghosts
For a cute Halloween nail look, try an all-black mani with themed accent nails. These cute little ghosts are easy to recreate with a dotting tool and nail art brush.
Dark Chocolate Glaze Nails
“We know chocolate nails are one of the hottest nail trends right now, but it gets even better when you combine it with the glazed donut trend,” Van Iderstine says. To get the look, start with a chocolate brown base. Then, top it off with a white or champagne shimmer powder and top coat. To make it even easier on yourself, skip the powder and try using an iridescent shimmer top coat instead.
Delicate Floral Nails
Neutral nails don’t have to be boring. Check out this delicate floral design by Nailing Hollywood artist Morgan A. Dixon for proof. “We usually think of floral manis in the springtime, but this delicate floral mani by Morgan includes warm tones that work perfectly with fall colors,” says Nailing Hollywood CEO Mazz Hanna. “The soft florals and gold accents remind me of the inviting coziness that fall brings.”
Glowing Orange Velvet Nails
Lean into the cozy, warm, nostalgic spirit of October with a shimmering orange velvet manicure. “Velvet nails are a great option for a simple manicure that still has a touch of flair,” Hanna says. “Nailing Hollywood artist Tara Haye took this mani to the next level by adding some small rhinestones that make it the perfect simple fall look for those who love a bit of sparkle.”
Gold Linear Neutral Nails
Another way to spruce up nude nails? With eye-catching gold accents. “This design by Morgan is the perfect option for those looking for something elevated and simple that will work in any season,” Hanna says. “The warmth of the gold accents works especially well for fall and the neutral tone of the base is great for all seasons.”
Matte Fall Foliage Nails
Navy blue is one of the most popular nail colors for fall 2024 and matte finishes are always in style this time of year. “I love the matte finish on the navy blue base in this autumn leaf-themed mani by Nailing Hollywood artist Laura Malarkey. “It adds a lot of depth and really makes the color of the leaves pop,” Hanna says.
Midnight Mani
If you don’t have time for nail art, top off your navy or dark blue base with a high-shine shimmer top coat for an autumn-eve nail look. “Darker shades in fall usually mean browns and maroons, but dark blue is the new stand-out moody shade of the season,” Van Iderstine says. “Hailey Bieber was spotted in this shade most recently, and it’s perfectly dark but still has that fun from the shimmer. It works on every nail length and you can control the sparkle level by layering additional shimmer toppers as desired.”
Moody and Mystical Mani
Here’s another example of how a smush technique can create stunning autumn nails. For this one, you’ll want to use rich, moody tones like eggplant, rust, navy, and evergreen. Then, finish it off with ultra-fine gold glitter and a glossy top coat.
Olive Glimmer
We love the look of this short olive nail look. To recreate the Paintbox beauty, start with a dark olive base. Then, use a nail art brush to trace gold glitter half-circle accents onto the side of each nail. Finish with top coat.
Pumpkin Spice Nails
In case you need further proof of just how magical velvet nails can look for fall, feast your eyes on this shimmering pumpkin spice stunner.
Sugar Shimmer Nails
Instead of a sheer coat of neutral polish, consider adding a little glitter to the mix for a sweet everyday nail look. “One of our favorite sources of trend inspo is the treats of the moment, and the holiday season is almost here,” says Van Iderstine. “So we’re looking to sugar treats (particularly sugar-dusted cookies and pies) and translating that to ultra-wearable soft shimmer nails that still work as well in the office as they do at a holiday party.”
Two-Tone Apex French Tips
Another way to transform your French tips for fall? With a unique shape and two-tone approach. You can recreate this apex design with a nail brush, and a second one for acetone-dipped touch ups.
Tortoiseshell Tips
The trick to creating a picture-perfect tortoiseshell nail look at home with ease? The Gelcare Tortoise Kit.
Paint Swatch Nails
Looking to put a little more effort into your simple fall nail design? Consider a paint swatch design. Using a nail art brush and the brushes the come with your polishes, swipe different colors onto each nail. Then, add a touch of gold foil and finish with glossy top coat.
Shades of Brown
This manicure isn’t the most simple one to DIY but the base principles of it are. For a fun and easy DIY fall nail design, Hanna says to follow Dixon’s lead and incorporate a range of brown polishes into a skittle or mix-n-match mani.
