The Art of Beauty & Nail Design

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After you’ve nailed down the side dishes and seating arrangements for Thanksgiving, it’s time to move on to bigger and better pursuits: Thanksgiving nail ideas. Thanksgiving is a big night for catching up and breaking bread, so you’ll want the hands on the knife and fork to be looking fresh and ready for the official start of the holiday season.

Whether you prefer short and simple or long and shaped, seasonal shades or intricate nail art, there’s a little something for everyone at the Thanksgiving nail-design table. The warm, earthy hues associated with autumn are a great jumping-off point for many Thanksgiving manicure ideas, including intricately hand-painted illustrations, subtle ombré, and color-blocked designs. Even if you don’t partake in Thanksgiving celebrations, these palettes and techniques are great for fall—a last hurrah before we shift into the shades and trends of winter.

Halloween costumes come with various levels of commitment: We’ve got the planners who know a whole 11 months prior what their theme is, the creative crafters who get to work two months ahead of time, and the 10-minutes-before-leaving-the-house crew. But did you know there’s another group filled with Halloween spirit? They are your nail-obsessed friends. Now, you might think that a costume takes more planning than Halloween nails, but once you see this collection of intricate and beautiful designs, you’ll realize they’re total works of art in their own right.

Countless nail artists are just as enthusiastic as you are about the eerie magic of October 31, with some already serving spider-web French tips, sleek orange-and-black designs, and candy corn stripes on their grids. These fun manicure ideas can stand on their own if you’re not dressing up or serve as an awesome enhancement to your Halloween costume and/or makeup look. Here are the coolest ways to wear your excitement for the 2024 holiday on your fingertips.

Before deciding what to throw on the grill and which beverages to stock your fridge with, consider the manicure you’d like to get for Independence Day. After all, Fourth of July nails will make your holiday weekend feel that much more festive.

It’s easy to default to a classic American flag manicure, but a more creative design allows you to lean into the year’s already popular nail trends, such as geometric shapes, abstract squiggles, and, of course, the French manicure. If creating these looks at home seems overwhelming, opt for the easy (yet equally Instagram-worthy) route of using nail stickers or press-on nails. Ahead, some inspiration for nail art will prompt more “oohs” and “ahhs” than a fireworks display.