According to Meghan Markle, Taylor Swift, and Dua Lipa the short square nail shape that dominated the ’90s is back. “That supermodel early ’90s nail look is definitely happening,” says celebrity nail stylist Gina Edwards. I’m talking about a full-on square — I’m not talking about coffin or tapered.” But unlike the square nails of the ’90s, we’re seeing the shape with a bit of a rounded edge, lending a bit of softness to the look. “It’s not as severe — of course, we don’t want to knock your eyes out,” says Edwards. “With rounded square, you’re still getting this full effect of square nails.”
To give the short square ’90s nail a try, browse through these 15 looks for inspiration.
Abstract Pastels
These pastel blobs are simultaneously geometric and soft, adding a modern flare to ’90s shapes. Each nail features a different fun color atop a sheer nude base.
Pink and Brown
Pink and brown was the color combo of the ’90s, and this look folds in those colors along with the square shape. Each nail features a different swirled mix of dark brown, tan, cream, and baby pink.
Quintessential French
Edwards notes that the French nail isn’t going anywhere and it’s solidifying this return to the ’90s nail aesthetic. This look features the quintessential ’90s French manicure complete with a clean white tip and a short square nail.
Glitter Square
Chunky glitter nails are a perfect way to embrace the ’90s look. This mani features a chunky gold glitter on every nail finished off with a high-shine top coat.
Square Smileys
Smiley faces were super popular in the ’90s, so this nail look is right on theme. It features cranberry and lilac polishes to create a mixed look with two nails per hand donning the smileys on a nude sheer base.
Smiles and Stars
This blue and orange look mimics those ’90s kids’ notebook doodles. The design features stars, stripes, and smiley faces.
Mini Hearts
Go grunge but make it cute with this black nail design. It features matte polish with four accent nails painted with a mini black heart on a sheer, pinky nude base.
Britpop
These short square nails tap into the Britpop moment of the ’90s led by the one-and-only Spice Girls. To keep the look subtle, the flag is kept to one nail per hand while the other features a glossy pink nude.
Strawberry Syrup
This masterpiece of a manicure makes me feel like I’m strapping on my jelly shoes before I head to school wearing my Lisa Frank backpack. It features 3D strawberries along with white, red, and pink blobs.
Funky Geometric
These geometric nails look like a piece of abstract art you could have easily seen on a wall in the ’90s. Each nail has an opaque nude base with crimson, sky blue, cerulean, white, and black designs.
Brown on Brown
This brown-on-brown mix-and-match design takes the checkerboard, daisy, and smiley patterns that were everywhere in the ’90s and put them into one modern-feeling manicure.
Abstract Strokes
No one was afraid of combining too many loud colors in the ’90s, and that’s embodied in this nail look. It features abstract strokes of blue, yellow, pink, orange, black, and white.
Rainbow Foil
These rainbow foil square tips scream ’90s fun. The multicolored foil adds texture and light reflection for a show-stopping look.
