Many girls nowadays style their nails to match the classy trends of 2023. Bold or faded hues, stripes or spots, glitter flakes or simple shades. There is no doubt that everyone has their own favored combinations. However, as the time of year changes, so do our preferences. Listed below are some steps to getting the perfect nails for the colder seasons.

Shapes of Nails

Regardless of the theme you are trying to follow, the foremost decision you must make is how to shape your nails. The most common nail shape we see is the everyday, natural nail. The name is self-explanatory; the nail is curved naturally around your finger tip with no extra filing needed. Some other typical nail shapes are almonds, ovals, and squares. These looks, however, normally require longer nails to pull off. This is where extensions come into play. A nail extension is a lightweight, plastic material that is glued on the tip of your original nail. These are used in place of growing out your nails, which could cause both chipping damage and hygiene problems.

Senior Kailani Yamashiro describes her vision for the perfect nails. “I think coffin nails are the best [when using] acrylic, but if it’s on a regular nail then [I’d] probably [do] rounded,” she said.

Colors and Themes

“I think dark colors and nudes are the best choice when finding the perfect colors for fall,” said Yamashiro. 

I’ve personally been more inclined to darker nail polish colors as the summer days are left behind. My reasoning behind this: California summers are undeniably warm. Bright colors seem to be a perfect match for the sunshine, and dark colors go with the goth and chilliness of the latter months in the year. A spooky combination of red and black for Halloween, maybe a dull orange and pink for Thanksgiving, and perhaps a galaxy indigo for the snowy season. If you want the paint on your nails to last for a longer amount of time, apply two layers of the base color and a top coat of clear nail polish to finish it.

Freshman Angie Wong doesn’t decorate her nails often, but she has seen a pattern in choice of themes.

“I think for fall you could go for more warm and auburn colors [because] most of the time they’re on the darker side,” Wong said. “For winter you wanna go for that ‘winter wonderland’ vibe, so I think lighter colors would be super cute.”

Designs and Patterns

Adding the final touch to your nails could be the basic clear coat or it could be applying an elaborate design by using a stamp. If you are an artist by heart, painting your own designs may be the most enjoyable part of styling your nails. Whether it’s a tiny heart, cute cherries, or glimmering stars, Yamashiro explains that using smaller brushes are evidently more proficient in getting a precise look in your nails. Sprinkling on some glitter is always a fun thing to do as well

“I love acrylic nails, so with those, probably a dark red or matcha green [color] with French tips … or a little outline with [some] squiggly lines,” Yamashiro stated to be her go-to autumn design. 

As for winter, Wong would choose a “blue and white with silver sparkles” blush nail.

Decorating your nails is a mature yet fun way of showing your inner self. With the arrival of fall months and winter months just around the corner, it leaves you plenty of time to plan your next manicure session. Maybe you’ll decide to include elements mentioned in this article!

Photo Courtesy of FREEPIK.COM