The 40 Best Red Nails of All Time

(Image credit: Getty Images)

last updated 6 October 2021

Walk into any salon, and you're bound to find The Wall (no, the other one) dripping with red lacquers—and as many women agonizing over which one sets off their hands to the greatest advantage. Our affinity for the jewel-like polish springs eternal, so ahead, 40 of history's greatest examples for inspiration/an extra 55 minutes spent trying to match the color.

1/36

Marlene Dietrich in 'Angel'

1937

2/36

Rita Hayworth in 'Blood and Sand'

1941

3/36

Carmen Miranda in 'The Gang's All Here'

1943

4/36

Joan Crawford

1945

5/36

Lauren Bacall

1950

6/36

Lucille Ball

1955

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7/36

Dior

1960s

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8/36

Natalie Wood

1965

9/36

Liza Minelli in 'Liza with a Z'

1972

10/36

Barbra Streisand in 'Funny Lady'

1975

11/36

Dolly Parton

1978

12/36

Joan Collins in 'Dynasty'

1980s

13/36

Chanel

1980s

Chanel, $28

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14/36

Cher

1981

15/36

Lana Turner

1984

16/36

Diana Vreeland

1990

17/36

Princess Diana

1992

Revlon, $3

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18/36

Anna Nicole Smith

1994

19/36

Uma Thurman in 'Pulp Fiction'

1994

Chanel, $28

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20/36

Gwen Stefani in "Hollaback Girl"

2005

21/36

Iris Apfel for MAC

2011

22/36

Tom Ford

2012

Tom Ford, $36

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23/36

Kate Moss for Rimmel

2012

Rimmel x Kate Moss, $18

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24/36

Rihanna

2013

25/36

Daria Werbowy for Céline

2013

26/36

Selena Gomez

2013

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27/36

Beyoncé and Blue Ivy

2014

28/36

Janelle Monae

2015

29/36

Grace Jones

2015

30/36

Taylor Hill for Michael Michael Kors

2016

31/36

Erykah Badu

2016

32/36

Rihanna

2017

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33/36

Celine Dion

2017

34/36

Charli XCX

2017

35/36

Janelle Monae

2017

Shop similar: CoverGirl, $6

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36/36

Charlize Theron

2017

Shop similar: Dior, $27

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Chelsea Peng is a writer and editor who was formerly the assistant editor at MarieClaire.com. She's also worked for The Strategist and Refinery29, and is a graduate of Northwestern University. On her tombstone, she would like a GIF of herself that's better than the one that already exists on the Internet and a free fro-yo machine. Besides frozen dairy products, she's into pirates, carbs, Balzac, and snacking so hard she has to go lie down.