Nails

10 Best Nail Art Ideas from Fashion Week

From hot new polish colors to elaborate techniques, we've got nail art inspiration for every aspiring DIY nail artist

by Dawn Davis

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It's no secret that over the last few years nail art has gone mainstream. What started as a niche look that most of us couldn't pull off has evolved into something so popular that women of every age -- even dedicated Mademoiselle-wearers -- are giving it a go. And really, what's classier than chic nail designs?

Like so many trends, this one began at Fashion Week, and it continues to gain momentum and evolve backstage. Virtually every polish line (think Essie, Creative Nail Design, and Deborah Lippmann) is now represented on the runway. The artists work with designers to create unique nail styles to complement the collections -- and a lot of the manis receive as much attention as the clothes.

Backstage at the shows, the scene is usually beauty mayhem with hair extensions flying, glitter powder in the air, and row after row of press-on and acrylic nails. But the most recent Mercedes Benz New York Fashion Week was a little different: A lot of the nail art was done by hand, and many of the looks were original and attainable.

See 10 nail art ideas you'll want to try now.

While we wouldn't call the latest trends easy, they definitely require fewer tools and less time than you might imagine. You just need to stock up on polish, steady your hand, and grab some toothpicks to make a go of it. Whether you're an expert looking for inspiration or a beginner just wanting to mix up your mani, here are 10 nail art ideas you'll want to try now.

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Older comments

i dont like any of these prefer to get some rockstar nails lol

by brianna121791 Saturday, May 11, 2013 at 07:44AM Report as inappropriate

Interesting ideas; some are a tad outrageous for me, but they are charming.

by GigiSD Saturday, April 13, 2013 at 11:11PM Report as inappropriate

Very much like the obmre! Bllack goes with everything and is very sleek, and if all black it too much you can always add some gold sparkels!

by allison_rodriguez Tuesday, January 8, 2013 at 11:36AM Report as inappropriate

Don't care for the crystals. They might be fine for a couple hrs. but they would snag on everything. To make polka dots, I bought tools that you just dap into the polish. They were very cheap. You can also use the tip of a pencil point that is rounded. Don't use a freshly sharpened pencil. It works and is free.

by lori_testy Tuesday, January 1, 2013 at 07:43PM Report as inappropriate