Patent Leather Nails are perfect for the classic fall mani

As the days become shorter and the weather turns cooler and crisper, you might feel the need to not only layer up and order a PSL but also to change your manicure from vibrant and bright to deep and dramatic. It’s almost a fall ritual to swap out burgundy for cherry red, chocolate brown for neutrals, and hot pink for black as the temperature drops. Fall manicures are not about bright turquoise or ultraviolet. They’re all about cozy warmth, coffee tones, dark grays, and even spooky-chic blacks.

If you are tired of the same old dark shades year after year, and want to change things up for fall 2022, then patent leather nails might be the perfect solution.

The Trend

Patent leather nails look exactly like they sound: very short, dark, and super glossy. They have a patent leather finish that gives them a mirror-like shine. They are elegant and sophisticated, making them perfect for evenings out, hot dates, or openings of art galleries. Think Machine Gun Kelly’s Vegas-chic glamour and Megan Fox’s love story with Kravis, but in manicure form.

Patent nails are becoming more popular due to intricate nail art and extra-long nail extensions. The trends in nail length are always changing. Brittney Boyce, celebrity nail-artist and founder of Nails of LA, says that while long, extravagant nail art with 3D bedazzled nails isn’t going away, simple, statement-making nail looks are moving in the right direction.

This is a trend Olivia Rodrigo would love. Patent leather is rock ‘n’ roll. You will be noticed if you wear patent leather pants or a gown. Boyce says that a patent leather manicure can achieve the same effect. She says that dark, shorter nails are a common look for fall. However, adding a patent leather coating to them gives them that extra edge. It tells people to treat you seriously and not to be fucked with by you.

The shine and inky colors are important, but don’t forget the shorter length. You can do the manicure on stiletto nails as well, but the tips are shorter and make it stand out.

Get the Look

It is very easy to make a patent leather manicure. You will need to trim your nails and then apply a dark, deep polish. Finally, finish the manicure with a shiny top coat.

Boyce shares a few tips that will make your mani sparkle like a patent pump. She shares that a shiny, viscous topcoat like ORLY’s Shining Armor Long Wear Top Coat ($15 or Seche Vite Fast Top Coat ($7) is best for shine. For a glossy shine, we also recommend Static Nails Liquid Glass Top Coat ($16). It is important to choose the right polish. Avoid the glittery glazed donut shimmers, and instead opt for a classic cream formula. Choose creamy, ultra-pigmented nail colors. Boyce advises against anything shimmery or sheer.

There are many shades you can experiment with, including deep purple and black. Patent leather nails are more unusual in dark greens, mocha browns, and beet reds. Boyce likes ORLY polishes that have a shiny finish, such as Persistent Memory, which is a deep and romantic red. Canyon Clay is a deep brown. Liquid Vinyl is a creamy, easy to work with black that has the perfect name. Opulent Obsession Olive & Pear Nova’s Absorb ($14), a deep, dark black that is so rich and dark you could almost fall into.

You can also get patent leather nails in the salon. Just tell your technician that you want super-shiny, dark nails. This look is well-suited to gel formulas. If you want to have a reflective look, such as light reflecting off a patent leather gown, your tech can apply a chrome powder. Avoid shimmery designs, as patent leather nails are shiny and not frosted.

This versatile manicure takes fall and winter’s most popular shades and shines them up to 11. It is not intimidating. You’ll feel ready to take on the world once you have your patent leather manicure in place.