Whether you're a self-proclaimed academic (or just have have a soft spot for antique books, century-old mysteries, and dimly lit libraries), there's no denying that the dark academia movement gives us an escape from our everyday lives in ways other nostalgia-fueled beauty movements can't. I've always appreciated seeing POV videos pop up on my TikTok's For You Page with prep school inspired style guides set to The Chamber Orchestra of London's "Secret History" or Norah Jones' discography, but there's something so enchanting about blending lived academic experiences with fictional ones.Since I've been cozying up with lengthy mystery novels and pulling out all my favorite oversized, wool sweaters, I'm taking this as the perfect opportunity to share my favorite dark academia-inspired manicures. From moody polka dots to gold-speckled gilded hearts, there's something for everyone.Negative Space There's nothing more classic than combining two neutral shades, but I'm a huge fan of playing with negative space for an unexpected twist to any nail look. To achieve the manicure above, nail artist Betina Goldstein placed two black circles on the lower, right-hand corner of her index and middle finger against a creamy, neutral base.

Simple-yet-effective, this is one way to take your next manicure to the next level.Shop the Look Nailberry Oxygenated Nail Polish in Black Berry Londontown 'Kur' Tinted Fortifying Ridge Filler Collegiate Brown If your goal is to achieve a moody manicure just in time for donning trench coats and knitted scarves, consider reaching for a chocolate brown shade that's rich and ultra-pigmented. To really pull of that mysterious look, you might even opt for a nail polish that's only a couple shades above and inky black with warm undertones and some extra shine.Shop the Look Essie Expressie Quick-Dry Nail Polish in Take the Espresso Nails.INC It's Topless 1-Step Gel Manicure Nail Polish in Kourtney Polka Dots and Graphic Lines Polka dots have experienced a renaissance recently, but we're also seeing a rise in animal textures and traditional prints (i.e. stripes and plaid). Why not take some notes from this manicure by Paragon Nails and combine several trending patterns? From an amber tortoiseshell and realistic cowhide print to graphic lines and dots, these neutral nails have everything covered.Shop the Look OPI Nail Polish in Alpine Snow Essie Nail Polish in Save a Cowboy Poisonous Green Deep, green manicures dominate the dark-academia aesthetic, but adding texture through a hint of shimmer to add a certain edginess and elegance to the look.

For the manicure above, Mate Janova used Manicurist's Green Nail Polish in the shade Poison ($14) . A shimmering forest green, the polish offers opaque coverage and looks stunning against any skin tone.Shop the Look Manicurist Green Nail Polish in Poison ILNP Cosmetics Holographic Jelly Nail Polish in Holly A Gilded Heart Nails in metal tones have been taking over my Instagram's Explore Page lately, but so have been timeless gold foil designs. Iram Shelton's take on the trend combines jelly nails with a delicate heart design against a shimmering gold foil background. Not only is it a festive way of upgrading a neutral nail look, but it also delivers a design reminiscent of the hand-painted, architectural details of the past.Shop the Look Essie Gel Couture 2-Step Longwear Nail Polish in Of Corset U.S.

Art Supple Imitation Gold Leaf Schabin Flakes Practical Plaid It's no secret that plaid has deep ties to academia (especially prep schools and ivy league institutions), so incorporating the pattern to your nails is an easy way to add a timeless design to manicures. While I tend to associate plaid with fall and winter, the pattern is perfect for year-round elegance. One of the best ways to wear them are as accents against a deep berry tone, like these Pink Oblivion nails.Shop the Look Duri Nail Polish in Aries ILNP Nail Polish in Avalanche Sporty Stripes Here's one unexpected ways to add a sporty twist to your manicures. These neutral nails, by Queenie Nguyen, blends a cinnamon brown base (Orly's Nail Polish in Canyon Clay) with an eye-catching white stripe above the tips.

While this design does resemble a french manicure, the brown shade remains consistent from the top to bottom.Shop the Look Orly Nail Polish in Canyon Clay OPI Nail Polish in Slip Dressed Up Preppy Neutrals For longer nails, consider creating a chic, striped nail design using three of your favorite neutral polishes and one shimmering one (I'm partial to silver, as shows in this manicure). Images of polo players in their signature shirts and stripes come to mind whenever I see nail that look like these make an appearance on my Pinterest.Shop the Look Nailberry Oxygenated Nail Polish in Coffee Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Nail Color in White On Time Good Penmanship An an ex-English literature major, I love a good "olde English" print like this one for an academic touch. To create this manicure, start with a creamy, neutral polish and then, with time and patience, use a skinny design brush to create the a creamy, neutral polish elegant swooping curls and sharp of the Blackletter font to create an initial.Shop the Look OPI Nail Polish in Black Onyx OPI Kyoto Pearl Nail Polish Classic Tortoiseshell Looking for a glowy, tortoiseshell manicure to show to you nail artist for the next nail appointment? I'm loving Shelton's take on the classic print, which features a luminous amber base and creamy, black organic-shaped flakes to form a molted pattern.

For something lighter, consider trading out the warm, amber shade for a blonde, brown color.Shop the Look Manicurist Paris Green Nail Polish in Chestnut Wet n Wild WIld Shine Nail Color in Black Crème Moody Patterns This manicure by Charlotte Cliff is proof that the ideal moody, fall manicure consists of polkadots, tortoiseshell pint, a french tip, and chocolate brown. It's a playful take one a number of the trends we've been seeing over the past year with neutral tones and eye-catching details that are sure to earn your a few compliments from strangers.Shop the Look Londontown Nail Polish in Murray Me OPI Nail Polish in Brown to Earth Minimalistic Metals Small details in minimalistic metals can add intrigue to nails without being overly bold. Inspired by the warm and cool tones of fall, this manicure was created by Cliff by combining amber and blonde tortoiseshell prints with simple negative space designs. For a finishing touch, she added retro, starburst nail art stickers and small gem stones.Shop the Look ILNP Radiant Magnetic Nail Polish in Mirage Essie Expressie Quick-Dry Nail Polish in Never Skip a Beat Deep Leather Shop the LookDark brown nails are my favorite for creating bookish manicures, but I'm drawn to shades with intense purple undertones like the one used for this sophisticated nail look by Julia Diogo.

I love how it catches the light and leaves the skin with a glowy appearance I think it would look stunning paired with a glitter top coat in the same shade. Ella+Mila Elite Nail Polish in Holiday Fling Nails.Inc Caught In the Nude Nail Polish in Copacabana Beach Sinister Red Another color I associate with the dark academia aesthetic that's taken over TikTok is this bold shade of red. Deep and romantic, it adds a measure of drama to your manicures. To create her jewel-toned manicure, Janova used Manicurtist's Green Nail Polish in Hollyhock ($7).Shop the Look Manicurist Green Nail Polish in Hollyhock Essie Nail Polish in Wicked Toasted Caramel With all this talk of vivid jewel tones and neutrals, it wouldn't be fair of me to skip mentioning the amber nail manicures that have been popping up on all the most stylish people.

Dubbed the "toasted caramel" manicure by celebrity nail artist Queenie Nguyen, these nails feature an ombré melt of golden brown tones with a soft, velvet finish for a golden glow.Shop the Look Essie Gel Couture 2-Step Longwear Nail Polish in Of Corset ILNP Radiant Magnetic Nail Polish in Fawn Explore More: Manicures Nail Art
Disclaimer: This story is auto-aggregated by a computer program and has not been created or edited by jennertrends.
Publisher: Source link