Fall is my favorite season; in fact, surveys have shown that it’s the majority of people’s favorite season. Cute fall nails can take inspiration from the warm and cozy feelings, Halloween, and other fall favorites.
As someone who likes to do my nails myself, I love that so many of these nail designs can be easily recreated at home.
So many of these designs can be recreated with simple nail tools, which makes them ideal for DIY nail artists. Get inspired by the colors and patterns of these cute fall nail ideas.
1. Falling leaves
One of the most beautiful features of fall is the colorful leaves. With these beautiful fall nails, you can get the experience of leaf peeping right on your own fingers. Red, orange, and yellow leaves are delicately drawn over bare nails. And the addition of silver glitter gives the perfect pop of sparkle to this fall manicure.
2. Mix and match fall designs
These nails just exude fall! With a different design on each nail, you’re able to get all the fall feelings in one. The plaid and colorful leaves are two details so emblematic of the season. The French manicure with a gem and the black sparkle add a little bit of glamor. All the nails are neutral except for the leaves, so they really stand out as a pop of color.
3. Creepy cuties
A must-have for fall nails is a Halloween set. But these are as cute as they are creepy. With sparkly drips, spiders, and ghosts, there’s no doubt these nails have a spooky Halloween vibe. The little hearts and glitter add a cute accent to the seasonal creepiness. And the red and pink color schemes add a feminine softness to the set.
4. Delicate glitter nails
Just because the weather is getting cooler doesn’t mean you can enjoy some fun florals. There are flowers that bloom in fall, too, after all. Lovers of anything flowery, so these delicate little blooms using shades of orange and yellow are the perfect fall manicure. It creates a pretty twist on the classic fall manicure.
5. Sweater weather
Who doesn’t love a good chunky knit? The nail art on these have a simple but realistic cable knit pattern on them. And since it’s raised and not simply drawn on, it gives these nails plenty of texture. The warm pinks and purples are a fun deviation away from the typical fall colors, and the matte finish really makes it feel like a cozy sweater.
6. Spooky season
If your favorite holiday is Halloween, raise your hand. This spooky set is perfect to celebrate Halloween, perfectly capturing the spirit of the season. The little ghosties, spiderweb, pumpkin, and bat are too adorable not to want to recreate. What really stands out is the black ooze with metallic details. Works amazingly well with short nails.
7. Mod fall brown tones
Arguably, brown might be the perfect neutral because of its warmth and depth. This manicure takes a bunch of the trends and combines them into one. The trick to getting the perfect brown fall manicure is to look for warm undertones, ie browns that have red, orange, or yellow tints to them. And floral nail art is just too cute.
8. Fall freckled
Sometimes a fall manicure doesn’t have to be filled with fall details. This matte freckled manicure certainly does the trick. It captures the feeling of fall perfectly with the colors. And then, to add unique detail, are adorable little speckles. Recreate the look by diluting the Batsy topcoat by Rogue Lacquer as the artist did.
9. Pretty fall nails
The smattering of simple flowers is the perfect way to show off your favorite fall colors. A mix of beige, brown, and pops of green makes these pretty fall nails feel so natural. Do the look yourself with a nail dotting tool and mini nail brushes. And you can reuse the design for every season. Just swap out the browns for other seasonally appropriate tones.
10. Illusion Ombre French tips
If there’s one manicure that you’re going to see everywhere, it’s this ombre French tip. This trend has been blowing up on social media lately, especially with tutorials on how to do it yourself. All you need is to use a makeup sponge and a French tip guide to create these delicate ombre nails.
Swapping the colors creates a fun optical illusion that makes your nails a feature. You can use your favorite fall colors to customize the manicure, though this pink to dark purple is so fun. Try it using a matte top coat to highlight the illusion.
11. Mystical and celestial
Bring the witchy vibes to your nails with this celestial manicure. These nails have everything you might need to cast a spell this fall. The pops of yellow and orange bring in a pretty fall color scheme. But the back drawings add something a little creepy.
It uses eyes, moons, stars, snakes, leaves, and mushrooms all over the nails, which feel like they should be going to a cauldron. These nails definitely cast a spell to make you love them.
12. Pumpkin patch
This manicure is reminiscent of a day spent at the pumpkin patch. The shades of orange, green, and brown scream walking through the field on the hunt for the perfect pumpkin to carve. The 3-D petals and leaves add texture and intricate detailing to the accent nails.
And the swirls of gold glitter and little gems make these nails showstoppers. Definitely a set you’ll want to get before finding the perfect jack-o-lantern.
13. Simple fall colors
You don’t always need to go all out when it comes to your manicure. Sometimes, showing off the beauty of a solid color is the right thing to do. These short nails are perfect for the simplicity they bring, showing off warm shades of brown and beige in an ombre effect that goes across the hand.
A manicure with simple solid fall colors is perfect for anyone who wants to celebrate the season in an understated way.
14. Autumn nights
Another manicure that perfectly uses warm fall neutrals. This simple French manicure swaps out the classic white for a warm shade of beige and a matte finish. Plus, little drawn-on stars add a pretty accent to the nails. Simply recreating a clear night sky with autumn colors proves that neutral doesn’t have to mean boring.
15. Fall of ‘79
These nails are reminiscent of the 70s, a style that’s currently trending. The swirls have been a popular nail adornment for months and they’re not going anywhere. Plus, they work so well with fall colors to create the perfect groovy manicure.
The solid mustard yellow nails allow those swirls to pop. And since the color is in both the swirl and the solid, they tie perfectly into each other. This look is pretty easy to recreate with nail brushes. But you can also use nail stickers to avoid the mess.
16. Pumpkin spice nails
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These nails make you want to hold a mug of your favorite coffee, cuddle up in a sweater, and watch the leaves turn. They feel comforting, just like a pumpkin spice latte. The pop of orange on the ring finger adds bold bright color and the plaid details feel just like fall. The little heart is reminiscent of latte art in the best way.
17. Racing into fall
Checkers are another pattern that has trended for manicures recently. While this does have the traditional black and white, it also adds in some warm browns and tans to bring in the fall tones and a warm blue for a pop of color. Each checker print is a different size, creating a more visually interesting manicure.
18. Fall marble nails
Marble nails are classy and chic on this acrylic set of ballerina nails. So why not bring them into fall using yellows, browns, and golds?
This manicure using multiple shades of each color to add depth, which really adds to the illusion of being made of marble. Plus, the glitter detail adds a little something extra. Want to try this look on coffin nails? Check out our article on “Coffin vs Ballerina Nails” to see how the design would look different based on the nail shape.
19. Bobbing for apples
This manicure is like walking through an apple orchard on a crisp fall afternoon. It has all the colors of the apples you’d pick and turn into apple pie or cinnamon doughnuts. This fall nail art design is simple and chic, adding a colorful autumnal twist to classic French tip nails.
20. Cute little ghosties
Not every ghost is out to terrify. These cute little ghosties seem like a ball to be around. The warm neutral is a trend that’s going to be everywhere this fall, so using it in this manicure, along with the adorable ghosts, is perfect for the season. The little flowers only add to this manicure’s cuteness.
21. Chocolate glazed donut nails
And last but not least, chocolate glazed donut nails the nail trend that is shaping up to be this seasons hottest fall look.
Mmmmm yum, must try this manicure next!
Cute fall nails you need to try
What do you think of these cute fall nails? Any that you’re dying to try? A lot of these are easy to recreate at home and can be customized using your favorite fall colors. Leave your thoughts in the comments and share with someone who loves fall and cute fall nail ideas!
Alexandria is a writer and content creator, writing about beauty, style, homes, and food. She also works in fiction, writing young adult novels. When she isn’t writing, Alexandria loves doing her own nails, trying new style trends, and finding a rooftop with a view to enjoy a fruity cocktail.