The 10 Best Nail Looks of the Week Are Getting Me Excited for Holiday Party Season

Give me every jeweled, bedazzled, or glitter bomb possible or not at all.

a trio of glittery and gemstone manicures
(Image credit: @britneytokyo; @samsungnails; @chuenails)

If there's one thing to know about me, it's that Christmas is my favorite holiday. And other than my annual European Christmas market crawl (those close to me and anyone who crosses my path from October until the new year are subjected to this long spiel), the one other thing that gets me excited is a good holiday party. Give me all the garland, gingerbread, velvet and plaid everything, flowing champagne towers, and—most importantly—all the sparkle.

This week, as I do my IG scroll throughout the day or before bed, I noticed that most of my favorite nail looks had one thing in common: they packed on the shine. With multi-color glitter, velvet cat-eyes, and too many jewel decals to count, this might be the universe's sign that everyone should start thinking about what mani to get for that upcoming holiday soirée. (Yes, even though Thanksgiving has yet to happen. But walk with me through this sparkly festive journey).

Below are the 10 nail looks that I loved this week. You'll want to get the nail glue and jewels ready.

Purple Jewels

Purple Jewels

A photo posted by on

Marc Jacobs has quickly become one of my favorite nail influencers and this jeweled look just makes me smile. Created by nail artist Yulenny Garcia, these purple jelly nails adorned with matching jewels are fun and super chic.

Denim Gems

Denim Gems

A photo posted by on

A nail look that made me actually stop mid-scroll, this jeweled denim on nails by celebrity nail artist Britney Tokyo was made to be marveled at. Out of the box and super fun, it was an immediate save-to-my-favorites.

Retro French

Classic French

A photo posted by on

One can never go wrong with the classic French mani, but I especially love this rounded look on Lili Reinhart for her Marie Claire cover shoot. It gives off retro vibes that are completely fabulous.

Cool Girl Red

Cool Girl Red

A photo posted by on

Screw red nail theory, I'm more interested in cool girl red. For Gabbriette's shoot with Interview Magazine, celebrity nail artist Yoko Sakakura kept it simple with a bright red manicure. It's effortless and bold, like every cool girl you know.

Glazed Cat-Eye Tips

Glazed Donut Tips

A photo posted by on

When I see Zola Ganzorigt post a nail tutorial, I'm sat. Here, Ganzorigt mixes a glazed donut effect with a cat-eye tip to elevate Bieber's signature nail look.

Shimmer Rainbow

Shimmer Rainbow

A photo posted by on

Created by nail artist San Sung Kim, this glitter rainbow look is just fun and full of whimsy. "A glitter rainbow manicure is an easy way to make a sparkling statement without all the fuss," Kim tells Marie Claire. Using multiple shades from the DND Gel DIVA Raise Your Glass collection, it's an easy way to get that multi-colored look.

Her pro tip: "The key to creating a cohesive rainbow manicure is keeping the colors to the same texture or special effect," she says.

Minimal Dazzle

Minimal Dazzle

A photo posted by on

Give me a dazzled French tip any day, which is exactly what Celebrity nail artist Sarah Chue painted on for Stranger Things actor Priah Ferguson. Set against a bare nail, it gives minimal glam in such an effortless way.

Graphic Tortoise

Graphic Tortoise

A photo posted by on

There's just something about the fall that screams "tortoise shell season." Whether it's the mix of warm browns and blacks or that animal prints work for any occasion (fight with a wall if you disagree), you'll catch me wearing this print often until the temps rise.

Dynamic French

Dynamic French

A photo posted by on

As someone who can feel the paradox of choice so deeply, I do appreciate a "throw the kitchen sink" method when wanting to dress up a basic mani. This mix of star decals, stripes, and metal studs is a fun mess in the best way possible.

Confetti Season

Confetti Season

A photo posted by on

I like this mix of confetti-glitter on a bold color from content creator Kaitlin Ricks. It strikes the perfect balance of shine and not feeling too overbearing.

Why Trust Marie Claire

For more than 30 years, Marie Claire has been an internationally recognized destination for news, fashion, and beauty trends, investigative packages, and more. When it comes to the products Marie Claire recommends, we take your faith in us seriously. Every product that we feature comes personally recommended by a Marie Claire writer or editor, or by an expert we’ve spoken to firsthand.

Audrey Noble
Contributing Beauty Writer

Audrey Noble is a freelance beauty editor and writer with 10 years of experience in the industry. Previous to going freelance, she has held editorial positions at Vanity Fair, Allure, and Refinery29. Now, along with Marie Claire, she regularly contributes to Vogue, Harper’s BAZAAR, and more. 

In her spare time, she is either catching every Lakers game on TV (time difference be damned) or binging the latest season of Love Island (both UK and US).