I'm never more indecisive than when it comes to picking a nail shape. As much as all my friends love their almond-shaped nails, I've never loved them on myself. Ovals aren't sturdy enough, and I've just never been a short, square nail girl. But I recently got on board with the coffin nail trend—and I don't think I'm ever going back.
Coffin nails strike the perfect balance between square and almond. They're similar to a stiletto-shaped nail, but instead of a sharp point at the tips, they're squared off (think: the shape of a ballerina's pointe shoe). Coffin-shaped nails will give you a "sleek, bold, and unapologetically polished look," says Morgan Haile, nail expert and brand ambassador at Morgan Taylor and Gelish. They work best on a longer, natural nail, but you can always opt for gel extensions if you want to test out the shape.
I'm not the only one who's into coffin nails lately. Khloé Kardashian paired two summer manicure trends together—coffin nails and pastel nails—for her birthday last month, and Jennifer Lopez added a designer flair to her own birthday coffin nails as well.
To help you choose your new manicure, I rounded up my 16 favorite coffin nail ideas to try at your next nail appointment. Read on for all the inspo, and get ready to screenshot to show your nail artist.
Floral Coffin Nails
Floral manis are flattering no matter the time of year. These intricate, multi-colored flowers pop against a nude polish base. If these feel too summery, choose fall nail polish colors for the floral designs.
Chrome Coffin
Long coffin nails paired with a simple design will forever be chic. The periwinkle polish topped with chrome powder is proof that a glazed donut manicure looks stunning with any shade.
Golden Coffin
Super long coffin nails were a mid-2010s staple that nail fanatics still love today. If you love this gold-on-gold look, try a sparkly gold nail polish and top it with golden nail decals. Nail art beginners can opt instead for just the sparkling base coat and still get major wow factor.
Smoky Frenchies
Coffin nails are a dream shape for super classic French manicures. Dressing up your Frenchie for a black tie event or just a moody moment? This design combines a subtle smoky marbling design along with gray tips and nail rhinestones for a formal look.
Rosy Coffins
Roses are red, violets are blue, rosy coffin nails are perfect for you. (Sorry, I couldn't help myself.) These hyper-realistic roses work well on a longer coffin-shaped nail extension to accommodate two flowers instead of one.
Milk Bath Coffin Nails
Milk bath nails have been a simple go-to for mani minimalists all year long, but adding some 3D builder gel and metallic accents is a creative way to zhuzh them up.
Color Pop Coffin
There's nothing like a vibrant pop of color on my nails to make me smile, especially in the warm summer months. If you're feeling bold, lean into multiple colors like these super long coffin nails, or stick to one bright color for a simpler take.
Seashell Coffin Nails
Seashell-like nails are equal parts dreamy, intricate, and mermaid-esque. If you have long natural nails, use strengthening structural gel to support them for this look. Otherwise, opting for a medium-length soft gel coffin nail extension will be your best bet.
Moody Aura Coffin Nails
Aura nails are one of my favorite simple nail art design ideas. I usually go with a dark color as the base, like this deep plum shade, and then my nail artist airbrushes a lighter color in the middle, like this lilac shade, to create the aura effect.
Rose Quartz Coffin Nails
More really is less sometimes, especially when it comes to coffin-shaped tips. Pink and white will always be a classic, and this mani takes things to the next level with simple yet stunning ombré and rose quartz marbling designs.
Lemon Drop Yellow Coffin Tips
I know I'm not the first person, and I doubt I'll be the last, to tell you that yellow is beauty's favorite color right now. From butter yellow to lemontini nails, it's the hottest shade this season. If you're not ready to go all in on yellow, simply go for a French tip featuring the joyful color.
Underwater Swirls Coffin Nails
Summer's not over yet, which means I'm still dreaming of weekends at the beach. These seaside swirly nails bring my dreams to life with a turquoise marbling technique and dainty silver caviar-like nail beads.
Animal Print Coffin Nails
Animal print manis have been popular with celebs and nail enthusiasts alike. These zebra and cow print short coffin nails are next-level with the addition of yellow flowers, and they can be created at home with the help of some nail art brushes and 3D builder gel. Not ready to try builder gel? Adhere nail wraps or decals to get a similar look.
Ornamental Coffin Nails
Manicure maximalists, this one's for you. These silver and pearl decorations atop a cream-colored matte mani are chunky, fun, and fit for a princess.
Brown French Mani
Brown is that perfect transitional shade that can take you from season to season. As summer begins to wrap up, thinking about more autumnal shades is going to be top of mind. If you aren't ready to fully leave summer behind (I'm not!), add a touch of brown to your French mani tips.
Blue Splash Coffin Nails
With celebs like Selena Gomez and Anne Hathaway co-signing on the naked manicure trend earlier this year and showing off nails with nothing but clear polish, you can get in on the trend with clear gel coffin extensions, too. Add some splashes of cobalt blue nail polish to dress it up a bit.
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