As fall approaches, brights, pastels and nudes lose their appeal and our nails welcome rich, deep colors and dark neutrals. We dust off our sultry reds, edgy blacks and sophisticated taupes, but shades of brown rule the season.
Why do brown nails dominate fall manicures year after year? Because brown is easy to interpret any way we want—minimalist, cute or cool—but it brings a level of softness to each look we crave as the days get colder.
Ahead, the trending looks we’ve picked out to show you how we’re wearing brown nails this year.
1. Mix And Match Brown Nails
Here’s how to make mismatched nails look elegant instead of busy: coordinate them. This mani features deep brown, French tips and a white leopard design, but it looks harmonious because it’s all tied together by color and style.
2. Coffee Bean Glitter Nails
Short nails in a rich coffee bean hue are cute, but why stop there? Take your manicure up a notch with glitter and you’ve got a glam look.
3. Brown Ombre Nails
This nude-to-brown ombre is warm and understated, but pair it with an edgy outfit and and suddenly, you’ve got bold mud-tipped goth nails.
4. Brown Chrome Nails
A dusting of chrome powder brings any manicure up to date—this shimmering finish continues to be one of the reigning nail trends. Here’s a set of fall-ready chrome nails in cappuccino brown.
5. Brown Rainbow Nails
The trick to pulling off a multi-colored manicure without it looking too chaotic is in the color palette. Choose different tones from the same color family, or play with different shades of a single hue and the effect will be sophisticated and subtle.
6. Chocolate Brown Nails
With all the fun nail art out there, a simple deep chocolate brown might sound plain, but this gorgeous color proves that sometimes, less is more.
7. Brown Coquette Nails
Brown coquette nails might not have been on your bingo card, but they’re here and they’re adorable. Pink and brown together look like a yummy strawberry chocolate dessert, and with a few pearls and bows this look is extra sweet.
8. Short Brown Chrome Nails
Ultra-shiny gold chrome looks stunning on medium-brown nails, especially when they’re short. The metallic effect looks cool and futuristic.
9. Brown Half Moon Nails
This manicure combines two design elements—a half-moon manicure and a multi-colored palette—but still looks understated. The key to the harmony? Keeping the colors within the same family.
10. Brown Fall Nails
The accent nail with a sweater pattern in matte brown is adorable and perfect for chilly weather. Can’t you just see yourself holding a pumpkin spice latte and admiring your nails on the cup?
11. Matte Nails With Glossy French Tips
The single-color French manicure—where the nail is painted matte and the tip is glossy—looks so sophisticated in deep brown.
12. Brown And Gold 3D Nails
This look in different colors would be a perfect summer manicure, but this combo of nude nails with brown nail art and gold 3D details is great for the colder months.
13. Brown Aura Nails
Transparent brown dabbed on nude nails is a subtle, modern take on aura nails and a great way to wear nude nails while adding a little depth.
14. Brown Cow Print Nails
Animal pattern designs are popular because they look great, but also because they’re surprisingly easy to do—this one included. You can do a whole hand like in the inspo pic or only a few accent nails.
15. Brown French Tips
The finish of these brown French tips is like wood or leather, contrasting with the lighter base. It’s a classy and elegant look.
16. Brown Rainbow French Tips
French manicure looks lovely on square nails that aren’t very long, and doing them in shades of brown makes the look even softer.
17. Glossy Dark Brown Nails
For fall and winter, nothing beats a glossy, deep shade of nail polish. This striking dark brown is vampy, stylish and cool.
18. Brown And Pink Nails
Brown and pink may seem like an unexpected pairing, but they create a beautiful contrast. The warm, earthy brown complements the soft, feminine pink, resulting in a manicure that’s incredibly pleasing to the eye.
19. Shades Of Brown Manicure
The best part of doing your nails is playing with colors. This mani is a beautiful example of how a monochrome color palette can create a stylish, interesting look.
20. Nude And Brown Nails
Dark nails can sometimes feel a bit intense, but you can tone them down by adding a few accent nails with a nude base and a hint of the main color. It’s an easy way to soften the look.
21. Brown Outline French Tips
Double French tips, or the outline French manicure, usually feature just the outline in the shape of two connected French tips that isn’t filled in. But in this look, the space is filled in with a different color, so the outline really stands out.