The 6 Fall Nail Color Trends You Need to Know About

I have to be honest: Many of the same nail colors tend to trend every fall. Associate editor Annie Blay-Tettey and I were recently lamenting (and laughing) about how “vampy” and “foliage-inspired” hues continue to dominate. But seeing the same shades come back each fall isn’t necessarily a bad thing. “They stick around because they feel natural for the time of year, like the changing leaves and shorter days,” says Mazz Hanna, a nail artist and founder of Nailing Hollywood, a boutique agency. These colors have their place, just like sipping pumpkin spice lattes, blasting Folklore through your speakers, and going apple picking.

Deep Navy;

Black cherry is the trend that won’t quit, and you’ll likely see the shade continue its reign this fall. (Choi even says so.) But if you’re looking for an unexpected hue that’s just as smoky, try a dark navy, which Hanna describes as “bold and crisp without the starkness of black.” Hanna recommends the extra-moody OPI Midnight Mantra, while many of us at Allure are partial to Chanel Le Vernis in Fugueuse. For a take on the trend with see-from-space shine, try Mooncat’s The 13th Hour, a black polish swirled with finely-milled navy glitter.

Off-white;

Warm-toned off-whites are everywhere this season, say Hanna and nail artist Elle Gerstein. Think of them like your plain white tee: basics that go with just about everything. The two artists suggest wearing the various options in different ways. Gerstein favors opaque, parchment-colored polishes, calling them fall’s “pastels.” And Hanna prefers a milky vanilla with warm undertones, saying that the semi-translucent take on the trend “keeps the lightness of summer but adds a softer, blurred finish that pairs perfectly with early fall layering.”

Dirty plum;

Instead of the usual brown tones of fall, consider a brown-tinged plum. “It provides the perfect contrast against neutral tones, adding a pop of color that isn’t overwhelming, as it’s still an earthy tone,” says nail artist Sarah Chue. She recommends Manucurist Paris in Victoria Plum, which is an amalgamation of purple, pink, and brown. I also like Essie’s Mismatch to Match, which is slightly loamier, and Gitti 012 for a deeper hue that still reads as plum against beiges.

Caramel;

Full-bodied, deep browns dominated our feeds for the past two years (last year it was espresso, thanks in part to a song we couldn’t get out of our heads, and the year before, gray-brown), making this season’s glossy caramel feel extra refreshing.

Black;

Ask any New Yorker: Black can be worn all year round. But the reason why it’s trending this season has a lot more to do with how people are feeling these days. “Black isn’t just another nail polish color, it’s a whole mood,” Miss Pop says. “It was the big shade in the ’90s and indie-sleaze eras.” Grunge is one of this season’s biggest trends, and we previously reported on its influence on makeup; makeup artist Alex Levy told Allure, “I think politically and socially, makeup is being used more to provoke and unify—either as a middle finger to social norms or a way to connect with other like-minded folks who see beauty in a similar way.” The same sentiment can be applied to nail polishes.

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