15 Chic Purple Nail Designs Every Fashion Girl Is Wearing for Fall
It's timeless with a trendy twist.
Purple is popping up everywhere in fashion right now (especially when paired with a little red action), so naturally, it's making its way onto my manicures, too. From soft lavender and dusty lilac to rich plum and deep blackberry, the color has been dominating both runway collections and street style looks. It's easy to see why: Pastel purples feel practically made for spring, while deeper, jewel-toned shades are right at home during fall and winter. "For fall, I especially love deep plum, aubergine, muted mauve, blackberry, and rich wine-purple shades," says nail artist and educator Vikki Swan. "They feel seasonal and sophisticated without being as predictable as traditional burgundy or brown."
And then you have to get into all the nail art possibilities. From glossy, gemstone-inspired finishes to delicate French tips and dimensional chrome, purple nail designs are as versatile as they are chic. "Purple pairs beautifully with some of the biggest nail finishes right now, especially cat eye, chrome, glossy jelly, effects, and French tip designs," says Swan. As fashion continues to embrace the color, purple manicures offer an easy way to incorporate the trend into your everyday look. Ahead are the chicest purple nail designs worth saving for your next salon appointment.
Rich Royal Purple
Sometimes, simple really is best. This deep amethyst shade looks so expensive and matches with any fall look. As a loyal single-color manicure girl, this is for sure going to be a go-to for me this season.
Trendy Grape
Play with all the shades of purple with this on-trend look. It incorporates all the coolest nail art right now, from checkerboard print to blooming gel to the always-classic French tips.
Playful Polka Dots
Personally, I'm never getting over polka dots, whether that's on my nails or in my wardrobe. I've seen the cute pattern done about a thousand ways now, but using purple as a base is something I haven't seen very often—and I want more of it!
Loveliest Lace
Lace nails are some of the sexiest yet understated manicure looks ever. As beautiful as they look with a sultry black-and-gray color palette, using an expensive-looking purple shade like this elevates them even more. I'm so sold.
Skinny Frenchies
I will almost never say no to a French manicure. Make it a micro French manicure, and I'm even more on board. One of my favorite ways to wear skinny Frenchies lately is with a little pop of color instead of the classic white, and opting for this plum shade is perfect for fall.
Shades of Purple
No need to pick just one shade of purple with this design. Pick your five favorite options to create a multi-color look. It's ideal for transitioning into your moodier fall manicures.
Lavender Swirls
Marbled, swirled manis are not only gorgeous, but they're so reminiscent of a hot latte—and this is giving ube or lavender latte vibes. Exactly what I want to be sipping on for cozy season.
Mulberry Cat Eye
This cat eye mulberry-meets-olive design is fall bottled up. The unexpected color shift is super moody, super chic, and super autumnal.
Juicy Plaid
Juicy, shiny, and glossy, these jelly-like plaid nails are oh-so fall. The cabernet color palette and autumn-friendly pattern go together perfectly for a manicure I'm ready to turn into a total fashion statement.
Marbled Agate
For a marbled, gemstone-like effect, look no further than this purple agate mani. The lighter-toned lavender proves that you can wear this shade all year long, no matter the season.
Isolated Chrome
Not ready to fully commit to a purple nail design? That's fine—just try one nail. This isolated chrome mani features one shimmery purple nail, so you can ease into the moody shade easily.
Glazed Lavender Milk
Upgrade summer's lavender milk nails by glazing them. Just a little chrome powder subtly transforms the mani. But it's not too in-your-face. In fact, I consider it a neutral.
Glass Amethyst
Channel your inner crystal ball with this glassy amethyst manicure. This stunning design proves you don't always need intricate nail art to make a major statement.
Shimmering Mauve
Add a little shimmer to your fingertips with this darkened mauve shade. It's simple enough that it works on any nail shape and length, so consider it your most versatile purple mani yet.
XL French Tips
The bigger the better, when it comes to these Frenchies. The XL size makes an XL statement, and though they work well with the plain royal purple finish, there's plenty of room to add your touch with personalized nail art too.
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.
Meet the Expert
Vikki Swan is a Los Angeles–based nail artist and educator specializing in Russian manicure, hard gel nail architecture, and advanced nail techniques. She has been working in the nail industry since 2017 and teaching professional nail artists since 2022 through both in-person training and her online education platform.
