40 Best Fall Nail Colors: Prepare for the Season!
Updated on September 16, 2021
There’s something about the Fall that makes us feel very warm, comfy, and contemplative. Maybe it’s the orange and brown leaves that are on the ground and crack under your steps, or maybe it’s the fact that the weather is getting colder, greyer, and induces a sense of nostalgia.
Whichever the case, the highlight of the Fall is Halloween, and it’s not a holiday that’s only for kids since adults can also engage in all sorts of activities to celebrate the spookiest night of the year.
Some like decorating their house, some like wearing costumes and going trick-or-treating, and some do both, and for the ladies out there that really want to get into the Halloween spirit, this is an excellent time to showcase their creative side when it comes to nail decorations.
That’s precisely what we will be covering in today’s article, as we will be showcasing the best Fall nail colors and art that you can try out so that you can show everyone just how much you’re into the spirit of the season!
Which Are the Best Fall Nail Art Ideas for 2021?
1. Fall Nails – Bronze
Bronze color is one of the go-to choices not only in 2021, but in pretty much any year, since the color itself is a mix of orange and brown,basically encompassing the entirety of the Fall’s color palette.
Besides, this particular polish changes its colors slightly depending on the angle from which you are watching, with golden yellow and reddish tints of brown also being visible.
As you can see from this Etsy post, this particular color idea also comes with a metallic sheen to it, so if you want to mix drawing attention to yourself while still being elegant and simple, then bronze is the choice for you!
2. Great Fall Nail Ideas – Holiday Colors
Unlike Spring where everything is green or Winter when everything is white, Fall cannot be defined by a single color scheme, as it’s arguably the most colorful time of the year.
The sky is mostly gray, the trees are yellow, orange, and brown, and you can still see some hints of green from the coniferous forests, so with so many chromatic options surrounding you, limiting your manicure to just one color would be a shame.
That’s why trying an assortment of multiple Fall-themed colors can be a very good idea, as you can see from the picture above.
Another great advantage of this design is that you can mix whichever colors you want to obtain the same result, and you can do it during other times of the year as well!
3. Elegant Fall Manicure – Metallic Fall
This one is partially inspired by our previous entry, since it involves using multiple colors on your nails that are all autumn-themed.
The only difference here is that they all have a metallic shine to them, and that the colors are much more similar to each other, with the example above showcasing a palette of metallic brown and gold, making it ideal for anyone that likes to wear monochromatic attires.
All in all, this is an excellent autumn pick if you’re looking to decorate your nails, just as long as you make sure that you find a brand of polish that has a wider range of color options with metallic finishes.
4. Simple Fall Nails – Pumpkin and Black
We’ve mentioned in the beginning of the article that the Fall is about simplicity and elegance, and if that’s something that you want to showcase through your manicure as well, go ahead and try this neat combination between orange and black tips.
These two colors represent the Fall very well, especially around Halloween, and they go well with lots of wardrobe choices, especially if you have plenty of clothes that are in warmer colors.
Don’t forget that you can customize your manicure in whichever colors you feel most comfortable, but the truth is that there are few other combinations that work as well as orange and black, especially given their contrast.
5. Cute Nail Designs – Marbled Orange
When it comes to nail art, it’s all in the details, and since we all know that orange is pretty much a must-have, knowing how to work with it in neat and interesting ways while ensuring that your manicure will indeed showcase your love for autumn.
For example, you can’t go wrong with a marbled design, unless you apply it to all of your fingernails, in which case it may look a bit much.
However, if you only apply the marbled design to one or two fingernails, just like in the picture above, it can also be a great way to showcase whatever jewelry you’re wearing as well.
Remember that this marble design can be used with any colors, so if you prefer brown, bronze, burgundy or any other Fall-themed color, go right ahead and choose that instead.
6. Fall Themed Nails – Fall Gradient
Mixing up multiple colors when it comes to doing your nails is something that pretty much everyone does at some point, so the only way you can make yours stand out is by arranging the colors in a certain way.
For example, you can’t go wrong with color gradients, transitioning from one color to another as you go from thumb to pinky.
While the example above showcases a transition from camo green to white, you can go ahead and try out your own color palette, although the real challenge will be finding a brand of polish that has all the right shades.
Then again, you can always put your artistic side to the test and mix up the colors yourself before using them on your nails, since that way you can be sure you get just the right nuances.
7. Cool Nail Colors – Harvest Palette
If you want to try out a more country look, keep in mind that for farmers all around the world, the fall is that time of the year where they gather harvests, so what better way to showcase your seasonal love than with a harvest-themed manicure?
No, we’re not talking about drawing pumpkins, apples and corn on your nails, but rather using colors that you’d usually find during the autumn harvest season.
In the example above, the model used a mix of orange, brown, purple, green and yellow, colors that more or less make you think about all the fruits and vegetables that you’d gather before winter.
8. Good Nail Colors – Burgundy and Gold
Another great way to make a manicure stand out both in terms of simplicity and elegance is to use totally different colors so that one is highlighted even more.
In the example above, the model went for a mix of burgundy on 4 of her nails, and gold on her ring finger.
Both colors are elegant and in theme with the Fall, yet the burgundy’s naturally dark shade somehow makes the single golden nail seem all the more brighter.
As with our other entries, you can try other color combinations, just as long as the contrast between the 2 is as noticeable as possible.
9. Fall Nail Polish Colors – Pink and Blue
This manicure is particularly clever since it combines a shade of pink that is almost the same as the color of the model’s skin, while the blue perfectly matches her sweater, resulting in a design that also matches her entire attire, as well as showcasing the blue via color contrast.
Of course, you don’t have to use the same colors in order to produce the same effect. First of all, look for a base color that perfectly matches the tone of your skin, and replace the complementary color with the color of whatever you are planning on wearing at that particular moment.
Basically, if you’re lucky enough to own several dark green blouses, replace the blue with a similar dark green color and you’re pretty much done.
10. Nail Color Ideas – Glossy Crimson and Matte Obsidian
While on the topic of contrasts between colors, another way to make the colors stand out is to use nail polishes with different finishes.
In the example above, the model uses a combination of matte black and bright red, the latter of which seems all the more brighter because of its glossy finish.
While you can try this with different color combinations, what’s great about the one showcased above is that it goes well with a vampire-themed Halloween costume, especially if you want to lean more towards elegance instead of bloodthirsty.
Best Halloween Nail Art Designs
11. Spider Web Halloween Nail Art
Most people have an innate fear of spiders, and since the essence of Halloween is the art of being spooky, decorating your nails with spiders and spider webs should come as second nature.
This design is easy to pull off, since all you need is a very light color (preferably white or silver) to draw the actual spider web, while using a dark color (preferably black) to draw the background and highlight the web.
Not only that, but drawing the spider web itself is extremely easy, and there’s pretty much no way you can mess it up, even when drawing with your non-dominant hand.
12. Bats Fall Nails
While the Fall officially starts on September 1st and ends on November 31st, most people think of Fall as the time before and after Halloween, so it’s no wonder that Halloween-themed nail art is very popular during this time of the year.
One great example of classic Halloween nail art is designing typical Halloween icons using Fall-themed colors, just like the bats drawn over an orange background in the picture above.
You don’t need to be an artist to pull this off since the bat design is simple, and even if you can’t draw at all, you can always simply use nail stickers.
13. Frankenstein’s Monster Nails
This Halloween-themed nail art idea is particularly fun because it’s basically you drawing stitches on your nails, so there’s no exact rule regarding how you need to draw them.
Not only that, but you can play around with whatever color you see fit, just as long as they fit this particular theme. For example, the model above used a combination of green and purple since it’s a very typical combination used to showcase monsters, slime, zombies and ghouls.
For an even spookier look, you can also color the dips blood-red, but in an irregular way so that they look like one wound.
14. Ghosts Fall Nails
Ghosts are arguably the epitome of what it means to be spooky, and that’s why they make for great Halloween nail art ideas.
What’s great about ghosts is that they are easy to draw (basically white blobs with smaller black blobs for eyes and a mouth), so you can go ahead and unleash your imagination as far as details go.
While the model in the picture has ghosts made with white nail polish, you can also go ahead and try a very light shade of green, or even go with glow-in-the-dark nail polish to amp up the scary factor.
15. Complete Halloween Art
Many can’t decide whether they like bats, pumpkins, skeletons or ghosts, and if you’re one of them as well, you can go ahead and use them all on your nails, especially if you have a wild side.
Combine whatever colors you want and decorate your nails with either nail polish art or stickers, and for an added touch of spookiness, try to find glow-in-the-dark materials, since those will really stand out during the night when you’re out trick-or-treating.
The best part about this particular idea is that you can draw whatever you want on your fingernails, so it doesn’t matter if you get a drawing wrong or not.
If you’re particularly interested in spooky and creative Halloween-themed manicure ideas, we’ve written a dedicated article featuring 50 designs for you to try out.
Which Are the Best Fall Nail Colors for 2021?
If you’re ready to make a change this autumn and you need ideas, check out these 25 best fall nail colors and prep for the season.
16. Chocolate Cranberry Nails
A deep, chocolate tone is perfect for fall but if you find one that has a dash of cranberry in it too you’ll get an extra layer of femininity to flaunt. And we’re loving this rich shade. (via)
17. Eggplant Fall Nails
So Lonely in Gorgeousshowcased this darker shade of purple. Go for a warm and rich eggplant – maybe even with some sparkles – to highlight October.
18. Skin Tone Fall Nails
Over atHeart Over Heelsyou’ll find a beautiful, skin-tone shade that can act as your go-to neutral for the season. It isn’t too bright or light, evoking that sense of spring.
19. Army Green Nail Colors
Here’s a classic, green shade that will shine all throughout the fall season. Evoke a feeling of days and the nights with this gorgeous shade. (via)
20. Slate Purple Fall Nails
Here’s a romantic, slated purple that we’re drooling over too. We found this beauty on The Polish Squirreland have been swooning over it ever since.
21. Peacock Blue
All Lacquered Upfeatured this peacock blue beauty and we couldn’t help but think of the fall, night sky and how perfect this would be to dawn this season. Your digits will pop!
22. Gold Glitter
Nails on the Gois where we found my absolute favorite pick on the list. A bit of texture and lots of glitter can be wore year round in the right shade of gold.
23. Royal
All Lacquered Upalways has great ideas when it comes to color inspiration. And just because it’s fall doesn’t mean you can do something vibrant like this royal shade of blue.
24. Burnt Orange Nails
Burnt orange is a classic autumn color and it looks magnificent on those fingers. Dip the digits in this offbeat shade and celebrate the changing leaves. (via)
25. Cream Autumn Nail Colors
We found this beauty onPinterestand thought it was a nice, creamy white that can be used outside the usual realms of bright neutrals. It’s rich enough that it can set off your fall ensembles nicely.
26. Charcoal
VisitThe Beauty of Lifefor a better look this charcoal color. Again, it’s a neutral that is versatile throughout the entire season while blending and topping off outfits nicely.
27. Mustard
The Crumpetshowcased this vibrant, mustard nail polish color and it too is the perfect addition to your fall color collection. It’s got that golden tone we love for autumn but with a punch!
28. Forest Green
If you want a sexier shade of green than a muted army tone, go for something with a dash of forest. It’s more vibrant and feminine. (via)
29. Lilac
Bubbly Michelleshows us how to flaunt a pastel shade for fall. Not all of these light tones have to be fixated on summertime, do it in a way that autumn shines through as well.
30. Dusky Grey
Pointless Cafeshows off another grey tone that works for fall too, one that’s a bit more muted and romantic. If you like the haze, go with this shade!
31. Periwinkle
Blushing Noirgives us a powerful periwinkle that we can see floating throughout the sunflowers and hay. Carry your pumpkins in style with this one.
32. Wine Red
Here’s a wine red that we’re drooling over too. It’s a bit more traditional and sexy in terms of nail polish colors. (via)
33. Midnight Blue
Makeup and Beautyshowed off this midnight blue and w’re in love. It catches the light beautifully and evokes a sense of the early nights that fall brings.
34. Taupe
We found this fabulous neutral onPinteresttoo. It goes with a variety of skin tones and, of course, all year round you can use this one.
35. Black
Love Maeganfeatured a beautiful manicure and shows us how to do black in the most stylish and feminine of ways. Flaunt this around Halloween!
36. Fuchsia
If you’re looking for something with an extra pop of girlish charm, go with a deep fuchsia shade. It can blend well within the season and still have you feeling prim. (via)
37. Emerald
Nail Nerdshows us another fabulous green to dive into for the season. This emerald tone has a bit of glitter too!
38. Gunmetal
Over at So Nailicious you’ll find this texture gunmetal tone. We love this shade because it takes both blue and charcoal in its best form.
39. Rose
Here’s another feminine shade that we’re swooning for. It’s great for the season but has the romance we all crave. (via)
40. Merlot
And finally, here’s another shade of red evocative of a beautiful wine. It’s smooth, it’s rich and it works all season long. (via)
Fall Nail Design Ideas: Closing Thoughts
This concludes our article, and we hope that it has provided you with enough inspiration so that you can go ahead and try something different on your nails.
As you may have noticed, our entries are a mix of simple color schemes as well as complicated Fall and Halloween-themed designs, so that both beginners and advanced nail artists can have something to try out.
If you have any other nail arts and design ideas that would seem perfect for the Fall that we haven’t already included, go ahead and leave your suggestions in the comments section below, and we’ll update our article as soon as possible!