Fall Fashion Starts At Your Fingertips: What nail colors are chic this fall season?
Written by Avery Charlesworth
When it comes to accessorizing for the new season, what is better than a fresh set of nails? Every year has its shade, and 2025 is no different. Expect a mix of earthly cool tones and timeless neutrals that perfectly mirror the seasonal moods. Here’s your guide to the must-have nail colors of the fall.
Starting with the forever favorite: cherry mocha. This rich, chocolatey red hue took over Fall 2023 and has seemingly stuck around. Its roots trace back to the '90s shade “Vamp” (now called Rouge Noir) by Chanel. The moodiness of cherry mocha, a kind of late-night cafe, where warmth and melancholy co-exist. What screams fall more than a pair of low-rise jeans, deep cozy tones, and a glossy cherry mocha manicure?
Next time you are at the salon, sorting through the hundreds of nail color options, turn to the brown section. Pantone's 2025 color of the year, “mocha mousse,” perfectly captures the season's warm, grounding energy. Each year, Pantone picks out a color of the year that captures the year's aura, engaging the design community and fashion enthusiasts. As the leaves fall, Thanksgiving approaches. And your coffee order gets cozier, let your nails follow suit.
Sleek enough for fall but dark enough to carry you into winter without a refresh, deep navy has been a stand-out transitional nail color. While not as trendy as a cherry mocha color, it is just as smoky and moody, especially with grey-blue undertones. Think midnight skies, soft cable knits, and a touch of quiet luxury.
If not navy, earthy green tones can offer a rich alternative that carries into the change of seasons seamlessly. More specifically, a deep forest or moss tone has emerged as a superior nail color choice. The green wave is bold and turns heads in the best way. It might take a little confidence to go green, but for the risk-takers, this one’s a winner.
At the end of the day, nails have been an intricate part of fashion trends that are often overlooked, but there will always be colors that stand out and complement each changing season. Each person has a set shape, style, and length that they may gravitate to but within the millions of colors and combinations, they’re a small but powerful form of expression that can ultimately pull your fall looks together. Fall fashion starts on your fingertips.
Edited by Claudia Rothberg, Polly Drebin, Ava Palmieri & Isabella Zapata
