Photo: Instagram
Nail Art
Basic manicures in shades of nude or red are great for spring, fall, and winter. But summer is the time to let loose and go for a nail look that's a little more sunny—and a thousand times more fun. We rounded up 30 of the cutest and chicest nail art ideas for summer 2019 for minimalists, maximalists, and everyone in between.
1. Something's Fishy
If you're bored of the basic nail patterns like checks and stripes, try this fish-inspired look from nail artist Jessica Washick.
2. Life and Lemons
Upgrade a lemon-yellow manicure with actual lemons traced on a few accent nails.
3. Salty Snack
Pretzel nails. Does anything else need to be said?
4. Tie Dye
Summer's biggest nail trend is tie dye nails. Pick any combination of colors and patterns—you can't mess this up.
5. Jelly Tips
Layer jelly acrylics over an opaque nail polish for a manicure that is guaranteed to make you smile every time you look at it.
6. Golden Chain
We're obsessed with everything nail artist Betina Goldstein creates, but this sheer nude nail topped with a three-dimensional golden chain detail is swoon-worthy. It's nail art for those of us who can't get too adventurous with our nails for whatever reason.
Related article: The Coolest Nail Trend For Fall 2019
7. Three-Dimensional
You don't need 3D glasses to see how cool this blue-and-red manicure is (though the glasses help).
8. Cow Print
One of 2019's biggest nail trends is...cow print. The black-and-white design is not only cute, but it pairs with everything.
9. Boho Stripes
The mix of stripes and abstract shapes traced on a base of unusual tangerine makes for a fresh new manicure idea.
10. Moroccan-Inspired
We love this cheery Moroccan-inspired nail art by LA's @NailArtbyQueenie.
11. Feeling Fruity
Two macro fruit designs on a metallic green base is summery without looking too cutesy or juvenile.
12. Ripple Effect
Kim Kardashian West tapped manicurist Tom Bachik to create this water-effect manicure for her second Met Gala look.
13. Painted Porcelain
Just like fancy china, these nails are almost too pretty to use. Except their on your hands, so you kind of have to. Just invest in a good top coat.
14. Chrome Rainbow
A rainbow manicure looks fresh and feminine when done in chrome.
15. Bandanarama
A bandana-inspired print is perfect for summer.
16. Kawaii Ombré
Celebrity nail artist @NaomiNailsNYC used two shades of OPI's new Tokyo nail collection to create what she dubs a kawaii ombré look.
17. Negative Space Glitter
Celebrity nail artist Miss Pop showed off the look she created for the Moschino fall 2019 show—clear acrylics with confetti glitter flecks.
18. Pretty Produce
Hand-drawn summertime produce like pineapple, citrus, and cherries look adorable against punchy shades like orange, yellow, and blue.
Related article: 7 Best Matte Nail Polish Designs To Copy Asap
19. The New Logo Nail
The new logo nail is subtle and soft—like this Dior-inspired negative space manicure.
20. Hexagon Glitter Bits
Why wear confetti only in New Year's Eve? Make the look right for the warmer months by concentrating the glitter toward the tips.
21. Tortoiseshell Inspired
Tortoiseshell print is a way to upgrade a nude manicure without straying too far from the color palette you know and love.
22. Evil Eyes
An evil eye manicure is cool. But matching it your earrings? Even cooler.
23. Going Graphic
The best part about these summery graphic nails is that you won't even know when they've grown-out.
24. Graphic Dots
This is another nail art look that is amazing for those of us too lazy to get our nails done every two weeks on the dot. The clear base near the cuticles and navy dots is fresh and fun.
25. The Minimalist Mani
If you're not into the whole nail art thing, try getting just a single stripe painted down the center of a bare and shiny nail.
26. Cloudy Day
27. Sequin Florals
The way to make a floral manicure look less romantic. Make the flowers out of sequins, and pair them against a sheer nude nail polish.
28. Orange Burst
We don't exactly know what to call this nail art. Is it galactic? Retro? Whatever it is, we're into the matte finish and orange creamsicle vibe.
29. For the Birds
We never thought of getting birds traced on our nails. But now that we know it exists, it's the manicure we want right now.
30. Cherry Tips
A classic French manicure gets even cheekier thanks to two hand-painted cherries on an accent nail.
Related article: 8 Instagram Beauty Trends That No One Was Ready For In 2018
This article originally appeared on Harper's BAZAAR US.