PHOTO: @OLIVEANDJUNE
Since you’re reading Who What Wear, it’s probably safe to assume that you enjoy keeping up with the latest and greatest in fashion and beauty. Even if that’s not the case, odds are you like to experiment with your personal style every now and again, and what better way to dip your toes—erm, fingers—into a new trend than with your manicure? Taking a new nail colour, design or technique for a test drive doesn’t have to be a major commitment, which is why we’re excited about experimenting with a bunch of exciting new nail trends in 2020.
Of course, as Who What Wear editors, we don’t just follow the trends—we discover them. Thanks to four of our favourite nail industry experts, we’re pretty sure these nail trends are going to be making waves in the next year (and new decade) to come. So whether you’re a classic French manicure devotee looking for a subtle way to change it up, our experts have predicted these following nail trends that should definitely be on your radar.
Keep scrolling for incredible nail art inspiration, subtle new shades, sleek designs and even a few technical innovations to keep an eye out for according to the professionals. These women definitely know what’s up when it comes to the latest and greatest in nail care—just don’t forget the topcoat!
Colour Trends
1. Metallics
PHOTO: @OLIVEANDJUNE
Sarah Gibson Tuttle of Olive and June says we can expect to see metallics continue to dominate our feeds. “Everything from warm rose gold to icy platinum,” she predicts.
PHOTO: @THEHANGEDIT
Celebrity crystal manicurist Mazz Hanna agrees, predicting we’ll see a variety of different hues with pearly metallic finishes. “It’s been a while since frosty colours have been on trend, so I predict this making a comeback in a big way.”
Mavala Mini Colour Nail Polish (£5)
2. Yellow
PHOTO: @JINSOONCHOI
Editorial manicurist Jin Soon Choi predicts that yellow will see a major comeback due to its “undeniably young and fun spirit.” Eva Chen, pictured above, sported a bright yellow Jin Soon shade for the 2019 Met Gala.
Chanel Le Vernis Longwear Nail Colour (£18)
3. Dark Green
PHOTO: @VARNISHLANE
Lauren Dunne, co-founder and CEO of Varnish Lane, predicts that dark greens are going to be big. “It’s a shade that people weren’t comfortable wearing for a long time, and they’re just now realising that it’s an extremely universally flattering shade that gets tons of compliments.”
Barry M Green Origin Nail Paint (£4)
4. Garden Party Shades
PHOTO: @OLIVEANDJUNE
For spring, Tuttle expects to see shades reminiscent of a garden party. “We are in a sage, sunny yellow and pinky lavender mood,” she explains. “Adding a higher concentration of white into shades really makes the colour pop.”
Chanel Le Vernis Longwear Nail Colour (£18)
5. Pastel
PHOTO: @VARNISHLANE
Hanna predicts that pastel nails will be back in a big way. “It feels like a natural progression of the latest ’90s craze,” she explains.”Think Hard Candy–inspired colours with glossy topcoats.”
Barry M Wildlife Gelly Hi-Shine Nail Polish (£4)
6. Soft Orange
PHOTO: @VARNISHLANE
Dunne also predicts that we’ll start to see “soft orange” colours replacing the typical corals that Varnish Lane clients gravitate toward in the spring.
Essie Gel Couture Nail Polish (£10)
7. Blue
PHOTO: @VARNISHLANE
“We’re so excited to see classic blue chosen as the Pantone colour of the year for 2020 because we already see this colour becoming more popular for nails,” says Dunne. Jin Soon Choi agrees, noting that blue is definitely an It colour for next year.
Nailberry L’Oxygéné Oxygenated Nail Lacquer (£13)
8. Nude
PHOTO: @JINSOONCHOI
“I used various nudes during the 2020 fashion week shows for Tibi, Phillip Lim, Alexander Wang, Coach and Longchamp,” recalls Choi. She recommends experimenting by using nude alone, nude/ombré and nude in a matte finish for a cool spin on the nude trend.
Nailberry L’Oxygéné Oxygenated Nail Lacquer (£13)
9. Matte
PHOTO: @OLIVEANDJUNE
Matte manis are definitely making a comeback according to Tuttle. “Matte topcoat has become one of our most requested products as of late,” notes the Olive & June founder.
Sally Hansen Big Matte Top Coat (£7)
Design Trends
10. The ’80s
PHOTO: @JINSOONCHOI
Choi is excited to see vibrant ’80s colours back in the mix, with fun designs or a different colour on each finger as seen during several recent fashion shows.
11. Activism
PHOTO: @VARNISHLANE
“With the upcoming and much-anticipated election happening in 2020, I suspect that people will turn to their tips to support their political views,” says Hanna.
12. Ombré
PHOTO: @OLIVEANDJUNE
Olive & June clients are still not over the ombré mani. “I think we’ll see this design trend transition from a different shade on every finger to a more subtle two or three shade ombré,” explains Tuttle.
OPI Nails – Nail Lacquer (£13)
13. Negative Space
PHOTO: @THEHANGEDIT
According to Hanna, negative-space manicures never go out of style, but she suspects we’ll be seeing even more minimalistic designs as the year continues.
Nails Inc Nails Inc Gel Effect Nail Polish (£13)
14. Metallics ( Again)
PHOTO: @OLIVEANDJUNE
“We’re taking cues from our favourite jewellery brands and incorporating subtle swipes of metallics into our manis,” says Tuttle. This is a clever way to compliment your favourite ring stacks.
Nailberry L’Oxygéné Oxygenated Nail Lacquer (£13)
15. Updated french Mani
PHOTO: @OLIVEANDJUNE
This is not your grandmother’s French manicure! “For 2020, instead of a traditional crescent, we’ll see new tip styles such as heart shapes, double Frenches and asymmetrical placement,” says Tuttle.
PHOTO: @THEHANGEDIT
Hannah agrees, noting that we should expect to see more variations in the tip colour and width of line work on the nail tip as pictured above.
PHOTO: @JINSOONCHOI
Choi concurs, sharing, “Simple nail art, such as tweaked versions of French manicures and halfway negative space, confetti and one big dot on each finger will be popular.” A lot of artists used this modern style of French nail art during the NYFW S/S 20, as seen above at the Rag & Bone show.
OPI Infinite Shine Mexico City Collection (£14)
New Techniques
16. Colour Theory
PHOTO: @OLIVEANDJUNE
Tuttle says she is looking forward to applying colour theory to create more nuanced and custom colours. “We’ll see the layering of polishes to give even more dimensionality to shades,” she explains. Try layering a metallic under a barely there sheen for a subtle glow from within that works year-round.
Jessica Custom Nail Colour (£9)
Next up, the biggest spring/summer 2020 fashion trends you need to know.
