Fall French Tips Are the Only Manicure I Want to Wear Right Now

Rich, warm shades for the win.

fall french tips
(Image credit: @nailartbyqueenie | @nailsbyzola | @nailgirlnic)

I fell off my monthly manicure routine over the summer—I was going to the beach a lot and the sand and salt water went to work on my paws—but now that we’re firmly in the depths of my second favorite season, I’m eyeing several fall nail art ideas to bring with me to the salon. At the top of my list is a perfect fall French tip nail in various rich, warm shades. Because while I love a classic French mani as much as the next beauty fan, I sometimes grow weary of the traditional cream and peach combination. Why not switch things up with a few autumnal nail colors?

Sure, any nail polish can work for any season, but I’m partial to moody, luxe deep hues, jewel tones, and taking inspiration from the changing foliage outside. I’m talking chocolate brown, silky burgundy, and burnt orange for an unexpected pop of color in place of the quintessential white tips. If you’re also looking to rock a fall French tip this season, keep scrolling for the nail polish shades I’m turning to for both an at-home manicure and my next BIAB appointment.

In Your Orange Era

I’ll credit Taylor Swift with sparking the current orange nail craze, but I’ve loved a burnt orange shade for my manicures long before Showgirl hit the airwaves.

Red Rocks

An umber, reddish-brown tone is fall personified and makes for the most stunning manicure, especially in a French tip style.

Chocolate Brown

Brown nails are the manicure shade of 2025, and fall is the ideal time to indulge in a chocolate French tip.

Like Fine Wine

So dark it’s almost black, this is the epitome of a bad bitch nail polish, just in time for spooky season.

Great Gra(y)pe

A cross between a gray-ish blue and violet, this is my favorite shade of stormy blue to wear on my nails in the fall.

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Hannah Baxter
Beauty Director

Hannah Baxter is the Beauty Director at Marie Claire. She has previously held roles at The Zoe Report, Coveteur, and Bust Magazine, covering beauty, wellness, fashion, and lifestyle. Her writing has appeared in Harper's Bazaar, Allure, The Cut, Elle, InStyle, Glamour, Air Mail, Vogue, Architectural Digest, Byrdie, Nylon and more. She is also the founder of Anxiety Beer, a weekly newsletter about the intersection of culture and mental health. In her spare time you can catch her reading too many overdue library books, thrifting, or hanging with her hairless cat, Norman. You can find her on Instagram and TikTok @hannahbaxward.