ICYMI: polka dots are so back. Over the summer, the pattern has managed to show up on all types of clothing items from boots and shoes to blouses and summer dresses. Now the polka dot trend has made its way to the beauty world and is shaping up to be one of the biggest nail trends of the year.
"Polka dot nails add a fun twist to manicures that transitions beautifully from summer to fall," says manicurist and OPI global ambassador Natalie Minerva. "I especially love white polka dots over a nude or light wash of color for a playful, chic look."
Polka dot nails are actually pretty versatile; you can wear them in a variety of ways, from oversized polka dots to miniature ones, classic black and white to colorful dots. It all just depends on what mood you're in and the look you're hoping to achieve with your seasonal manicure.
"Play with color dots if you want a look that pops and feels a bit bolder," Minerva says. "I love adding chrome over any dot look to give it more dimension and shine." Polka dot nails are also pretty easy to achieve at home, so long as you have a dotting tool on hand, or even something as simple as a bobby pin or toothpick. "Make sure to seal the manicure with a top coat all the way across the nail and down the free edge so your beautiful artwork stays intact without chipping," Minerva notes.
Read ahead to find all the polka dot nail inspiration you need for your next fall manicure.
Inverted Base Colors
For a manicure recently worn by Sydney Sweeney, celebrity manicurist Zola Ganzorigt completed the actress's look by inverting her color combination.
Polka Dot Tips
In lieu of the all-over dotted look, Dua Lipa recently wore a manicure featuring black French tips decorated with white polka dots. Each hand featured an accent nail that was dotted all over.
Red & White
Simone Biles recently wore a pretty classic iteration of the design, with a deep red base color underneath small, white polka dots.
Nude Polka Dots
For the "Manchild" music video, Ganzorigt painted Sabrina Carpenter's nails with a nude base color before adding small, white dots on top. She later wore the same manicure again while celebrating her song's placement on the Billboard Hot 100, only this time she added a twist with a few rhinestones.
Lemon Drop
Over the summer, Hailey Bieber declared butter yellow was "played out," and instead opted to wear a bright yellow manicure with gray polka dots. Ganzorigt called them "lemon drop martini" nails, as they were meant to mimic a lemon drop cocktail and the sugar that typically sits on the rim of the glass.
Disco Polka Dots
Kylie Jenner has been playing with fun ways to wear French manicures all summer. In July, she tried a manicure with white tips and rhinestones, which acted as polka dots. Her nail tech, Michelle Humphrey, called them "disco polka dots."
Ombré Polka Dots
This dotted manicure features a gradient pink design that slowly fades from a hot pink color to a soft baby pink.
Polka Dot French Manicure
This look seamlessly blends the polka dot look with the French manicure, adding tiny dots to each nail as opposed to just the tips. It perfectly spices up the manicure without getting too dramatic.
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