Nail technician woman doing nails design in a spa
Bath & Beauty

Beautiful Nail Designs Perfect For Every Occasion

Want a new set of nails to match a cute outfit? Here are 14 different nail designs to create the perfect first impression.

March 29, 2022

Any outfit requires exciting nail art. Taking care of your nails is an essential step in your beauty routine

However, not all nail designs or shapes are perfect for every situation.

That’s why we’ve put together a quick list of cool nail ideas for you to match to your outfits in any season. Just use your favorite colors and you’ll be all set.

Some of the nail options you can choose from include:

  • Coffin nails. They have long, slightly tapered bases and square tips.

  • Mountain peak nails. These are filed into points at the end.

  • Square tips. They’re known for their strength and durability.

  • Round nails.

  • Almond-shaped nails.

 Summer nail designs 

Common trends will include bright colors, bold designs, and artistic interpretations of the classics. Square tips, round nails, and almond nails are popular, as they’re all easy to manage alongside those easy-to-use summer beauty products. Low-maintenance nails are perfect for a day at the beach or a weekend picnic. 

1. Neon nails

Neon is consistently popular for lacquer, acrylic, gel, and press-on nails. Best of all, their relative simplicity means that you can DIY your nails at home, too. 

With neon nails, make sure that you pick a topcoat that flatters your skin tone. Use general manicure tools to keep those nails looking clean.  

624298ff4514e17f594d9eae_neon-nails.jpg

Persona Mockups - unsplash.com

2. Ombre nails

Ombre is a color gradation from light to dark shade or one color to another. They’re one of several fake nail ideas that are downright perfect. This design looks great on longer acrylic nails, too. 

Once again, pick a nail color that matches your skin tone.

624297932cab7314a73353e0_ombre-nails-concept.jpg

Ruan Richard- unsplash.com

3. Pastel nails

Sometimes you want colorful nails without the vibrancy of neon. In that case, you should go for pastel acrylic nails with designs that complement the color, like simple flowers or polka dots. This laid-back summer style works great for anyone whose fashion choices veer toward the romantic.

624297f338d8d7266823a200_blue-pastel-nails.jpg

Anna Kumpan - unsplash.com

4. Nail art design ideas

This is a larger category in itself, but all of these designs for fake nails follow the same principle: add custom art to acrylic or gel nails, ideally with a theme in mind. 

For those warm, lazy months between June and August, think of summer-themed objects: sunflowers, suns, butterflies, tropical fruit, or anything reminiscent of the beach. 

6242a51986635437ea4df080_nail-art-design.jpg

Alehandra13 - pixabay.com

Summer nail colors

Are you planning to self-paint your mani or pedicure instead of going to the nail salon? Here’s a list of polish colors perfectly suited for the task:

  • Royal blue.

  • Neon blue.

  • Sky blue.

  • Pastel blue.

  • Lavender.

  • Neon purple.

  • Red.

  • Pink.

  • Baby pink.

  • Coral.

  • Orange.

  • Pastel yellow.

  • Bright yellow.

  • White.

Design ideas for fall nail suggestions

Colors change with the season, both on the trees and your nails. Once the cooler weather rolls around and your days are consumed with school, work, or leisurely fall drinks with friends, you can pick cooler hues for your autumn nails designs. 

1. The accent nail

This matte nail design is simple to complete but striking. Both hands have a solid color base, except for one or two accent nails painted with a different hue entirely. This makes the nail design “pop” and adds visual interest without overwhelming.

62429b834514e152df4eca45_accent-nail.jpg

kropekk_pl - pixabay.com

2. Jewel-toned nails

During the warm summer months, warmer colors are recommended for your nails. As the months grow colder and darker, you can try richer tones in the same color family. 

Wine red nails are a great option, for example, instead of picking bright red or pastel pink. 

62429c4265d1d632a501251d_wine-nails.jpg

Laura Chouette - unsplash.com

3. Holiday season nails

Try some festive-themed nails. Halloween and thanksgiving are great examples of where you can draw inspiration to match the theme. (This is great practice for some Christmas nail art, too.)

62429d3d76e34f6b9caeefc5_autumn-trend-nail-color.jpg

Kamil Kalkan - unsplash.com

Fall nail colors

If you’re on the hunt for nail polish, look for the same color families as summer nail colors, but richer, darker, or potentially on the cool side. Try:

  • Dark brown.

  • Light brown.

  • Medium brown.

  • Royal blue.

  • Purple

  • Ruby.

  • Wine Red.

  • Dark Red.

  • Dark Orange.

  • Deep Yellow.

  • Black.

  • Gold.

Avoid pastels. 

Cool nail designs for winter

Winter gives you a lot of opportunities to experiment with your nail designs, but their shape doesn’t matter much: you can leave them as long or as short as you please. Depending on where you live, you might be spending most of your time with your hands stuffed into mittens, anyway. 

Some perfect winter designs include:

1 . Candy colors

Winter holidays are known for their abundance of sweets. To take full advantage of the sugary cheer, experiment with painting your nails a bright, candy-like color to match the confectionary delights on hand.

6242a070866354108547f837_candy-color-nails.jpg

Analia Baggiano - unsplash.com

2. Add glitter to everything

Glitter can receive a bad reputation for being the go-to option for “fancy nails.” However, there’s a good reason it’s a staple of the party season. Easy to apply and hard to mess up, glitter nail polish is sure to dazzle when paired with the right dress. 

In the winter, use silver or blue glitter to invoke a stronger sense of “winter” than the golden counterparts.

6242a183e91dd1831265a5b6_glitter-nails.jpg

allison christine - unsplash.com

3. Holiday-themed nail stickers

Like in the fall, you’ll find holiday-themed options that can be applied to your winter nails. You can have Christmas nail designs with evergreen trees or fireworks for the New Year. Don’t forget to throw Valentine’s Day designs in there too, like candy-colored polka dots or mini hearts.

6242a21063e9bbabc93c7842_christmas-nails.jpg

Alehandra13 - pixabay.com

Winter nail colors

If you’re shopping for holiday nail polish, look for the following options:

  • Baby pink.

  • Bright pink.

  • Red.

  • Dark red.

  • Emerald green.

  • Gold.

  • Gold glitter.

  • Silver.

  • Silver glitter.

  • Blue.

  • Navy blue.

Nail designs for spring

Want some cool options for spring? The length of the nail doesn’t matter, although round and almond-shaped nails are famous for designs during this season thanks to their delicate, elegant shape. Add a French tip of any color to really shake things up this spring. 

Spring is all about new beginnings, so some fresh, simple designs will help you shake off the winter and celebrate this season. 

1. The classic French manicure

No introduction is necessary, as everyone’s generally familiar with the clear base and white tip concept. These nails have a delicate edge that themes well with the soft colors of spring. If you want to change it up a little, try a different color for your tip. 

6242a48863e9bb4c243e9334_french-nails.jpg

Jodene Isakowitz.- unsplash.com

2. Floral patterns

Spring is a flowering season, and your spring nails should reflect this. Retro flowers, realistic flowers, tiny flowers — if you can name it, there’s probably an acrylic design for it.

624299c238d8d78a6b24003c_nail-art-design.jpg

Mountainbeehive - pixabay.com

Spring nail colors

Although you can use any nail polish for your spring aesthetic, these shades are an excellent starting point:

  • Baby pink.

  • Baby blue.

  • Soft green.

  • Soft yellow.

  • Soft red.

  • Soft pink.

  • White.

Need some other nail-based beauty products? Browse through Gopuff’s virtual aisles, where you’ll find all the essentials in one easy spot.

    Order in seconds, delivered in minutes.Start Shopping
    promo-banner