Fall's Top Nail Trends Are All About Keeping Summer Vibes Right At Your Fingertips

I admit that at first, thinking about fall 2019 nail trends bummed me out. I'm just not ready for summer to end! That said, my mood changed when I realized just how summery this autumn's nail trends are. They're a great big ode to everyone's favorite warm-weather season, but they'll still look cute paired with fall's cozy sweaters and posed with autumn candles in your Instagram flatlays. What a relief! Personally, I've always used the start of September as a reminder to begin transitioning my nails to fall tones — so long, lime green and hot pink, hello, deep navy and berry! That said, this year's biggest trends are all about keeping summer alive, with bright, fun styles from florals to fruits to creative, colorful ombres. Read on for the top looks that keep summer's vibes at the tips of your fingers.

Fruit By The Foot (Err, Finger)

Fruity nails took over when Gigi Hadid was spotted rocking the trend on the Instagram feed of nail artist Mei Jawajiri, also known as @nailsbymei. Suddenly, drinking a health juice and ordering a salad were no longer enough — fashionistas had to eat their fruit and wear it, too! And thus, the fruit nail trend was born.

Here's Hadid's cute mani, complete with meticulously painted limes, watermelons, and more:

And a similar one Khalea Underwood received when she visited Olive & June:

Nail artist Katie Masters, also known as @nailthoughts, also did a great interpretation of fruity nails with this take-me-to-Sicily lemon design:

If you aren't quite as skilled as the above nail artists, nail decals are your friend for nailing this look. Order a cheap set of fruit "slices" like the Fruit Polymer Clay Slices Wheel ($3, etsy.com), which are teeny, tiny slivers of clay that look like fuit and will lay almost-flat on the nail. Whether or not you choose to use a colored polish underneath the slices, prep with a base coat so the slices have something to stick to, then finish off with a top coat to lock them in — the Sundays Base + Top Coat Set ($32, originally $36, sundays.com) is a great buy.

Full-Hand Ombre

I'm pretty sure Kylie Jenner made this a ~thing~, but now, pretty much everyone has given this trend a whirl, and for good reason — if you can't tell, boring, basic nails are out, and bold and bright is in. That said, not everyone wants to have fruit and flowers adorning their daily mani, so an ombre is a great way to spice up a more neutral palette.

These nails by Sundays Studio are fun and fresh, but still wearable and work-friendly, if you know what I mean:

Plus, if you use a different color per finger, your favorite shades will last way longer. Just saying!

Olive & June are my go-to brand for great neutral shades, and the ombre example above is proof. I'd start with my fave, the Nail Polish in "MM"($8, oliveandjune.com), and pick a few shades lighter and deeper to complete my nude ombre colorstory.

Neon Ombre Tips

Into the ombre, but still wanting those summer vibes in fall? Rather than shifting colors from finger to finger, try an ombre that transitions from your cuticles to the tips of your nails — and to up the ante, choose a neutral color for your base and a neon for the tips!

Think of this fade as the 2019 version of a classic French tip:

It's another Kylie Jenner favorite, and she and her friends prove it works with any bright shade:

Don't have a particularly vibrant color in mind for those standout tips? Don't worry, the OPI Neon Collection has you covered. My personal fave color is "Orange You A Rock Star?" ($11, opi.com), but there are six stunning shades in the collection to choose from.

Flirty Florals

In the same vein as the fruit trend, florals are also on the rise. Again, this can be credited to a few marvelous celeb manis, as both Gigi Hadid and Kendall Jenner rocked this trend in the same week. The best versions of this look feature simple strokes and minimal color palettes, so don't feel like you need to hand-paint a field of wildflowers to get it right. A few simple daisies will do the trick!

Mei Jawajiri is also responsible for Gigi Hadid's floral french, which I'm so obsessed with:

And Kendall Jenner took to her Instagram Story to showcase some sunflower fingers done at the Modern Pamper Salon:

You'll need a great, long-wearing polish to ensure your mani lasts longer than a bouquet of real flowers, so choose wisely for this one. If you're trying to mimic Hadid's white daisies, go for the Gabriel Nail Polish in "Iceberg" ($9, gabrielcosmeticsinc.com). If you prefer Jenner's sunflowers, pick up the ZOYA Nail Polish in "Darcy" ($10, zoya.com).

Summer might be ending, but according to these fall trends it's safe to say you can channel summery vibes on your fingertips all autumn long. It's not quite the same as going to the beach, but it's better than nothing, right?