Selecting the right nail polish shade can be challenging, especially when standing before a wall of shade selections. Do you want to go bold and bright or quiet and versatile? Is it complementary to your skin tone? Does a higher price always mean a high-quality product? Luckily, there’s a group of highly visible people who’ve built a career or based their hobby 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 with an eye for aesthetics when it comes to anything from the perfect wash of their denim to camera-ready manicures.
Who better to ask what nail polish shades fashion people are wearing now than the talented nail artists behind them? According to celebrity nail artists Gina Edwards and Sonya Meesh, fashion-forward clients have recently requested bright 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 eye-catching pigments. For fashion people this season, the brighter, the better.
Take Time to Prep
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 or pad to remove lint or air particles. Ready to paint? Scroll on for some inspo from our nail artists and favorite fashion people. Believe me: You’ll want to screenshot these!
Fashion-Forward Nail Polish Shades
According to celebrity nail artists, orange is in for spring and summer. We’ll reach for this creamy tangerine shade inspired by Lauren Crowe’s manicure.
It’s important to eat your greens, but it’s more fun to wear them. New York City–based content creator Devin Arielle shows us how by matching her vibrant matcha nails to her outfit.
Above, Amaka Hamelijnck sports magenta nails with delicate floral detailing on the pinky and index fingers. Edwards says she’s seen a major rise in fuchsia shades.
What better way to celebrate the arrival of warm weather than by diving into sunny hues? A color like Essie’s All Fun & Games complements all skin tones.
It’s been months since Kylie Jenner was spotted with this sweet peach manicure, and I’m still in love with it. I’ll definitely be re-creating 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 among the fashion crowd in the coming months, but so will earth tones. If you’re not ready to wear a cowgirl hat quite yet, brown-orange nail polish may be the way to go.
Spotted: Hailey Bieber upgrading her signature “glazed donut” nails for a neon mani. While iridescent nails aren’t out of style yet, yellow nails are definitely making a long-awaited comeback.
Another shade on the rise? Earth green. Elif, the founder and creative director of Iriss Studio, shows us how a stylish green manicure is done.
Fashion people across all social media platforms are leaning hard into all things iridescent. Try it yourself by opting for a shimmering manicure in neutral hues for a classic touch.
While I normally gravitate toward manicures in neutral shades, I have a soft spot for bright blue once warm weather finally hits. Here, celebrity nail artist Zola Ganzorigt pairs a blush base with minimal blue nail art.
Looking for a fun way to upgrade your everyday French manicure? The fashion people on 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 celebrity nail artist Betina Goldstein, and give them a splash of color with a classic green shade.
