These simple and classy design ideas let you be a a manicure minimalist, with flair.
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Crisp white nails are a classic choice — a simple white polish manicure can be an effortlessly chic look, adding a touch of sophistication to your style. But there's another reason that white nail polish should be a year-round staple in your polish rotation — it's one of the most versatile shades out there, making it an excellent base for all kinds of creative nail designs.
From cool new twists on the classic French manicure to elaborate white nail art ideas featuring gold flakes, glitter, and metallic rhinestone studs, we've rounded up some of the best white nail design inspo for when you're looking for something, well, a bit more fresh than a basic French tip. Whether you're captivated by a simple pink-to-white ombre style or a fun starry sky-inspired look, these pale and pretty designs will work for the office, weddings, parties, and beyond — not to mention keep you on trend during every season of the year.
1
Reverse White French Manicure
Add a cool modern twist to a basic French tip with this elegant reverse French manicure. It's perfect for a wedding, or even just a chic everyday look.
2
White Nails With Black Stars
For a unique yet understated mani, try this dainty starry night nail art. It's as easy as painting small black dots on with a brush and then applying these cute star stickers (they come in gold and silver, too).
Get the tutorial at So Nailicious »
RELATED: 11 Best White Nail Polish Colors
3
Jungle Jewelry on White Nails
This fun design created with a striping brush is a look that's simultaneously bold and clean. Give your manicure extra flash by experimenting with different colors and patterns.
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4
White and Gold Nails
These nude-to-white nails are a great choice for all kinds of occasions. If you want your nails to glitter, add some gorgeous gold foil accents on top.
5
White Geode Manicure
Nature lovers, take note: Each nail in this manicure is different, but it all plays together beautifully. To make the organic geode designs stand out against a crisp white backdrop, layer bold and cool-toned shades — then stick on a gold-textured accent with foil glue.
6
White Nails With Tropical Flowers
Channel summer vibes with this pretty-in-pink floral design — the cute tropical accents can easily level up a basic manicure. To perfect your design, use a dotting tool to create the petals before adding a dot at the center of each flower.
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7
Watercolor White Nails
To achieve this look, start with a base of white polish, then add soft colors for a delicate watercolor effect. To make your mani even more unique, add gold flakes and studs for on-trend metallic accents.
8
Silver and White Nails With Glitter
This glittery silver and white design is a simple yet fashionable mani that can take any holiday party outfit to the next level — all you need to recreate the sparkling look is silver glitter polish and some striping tape.
9
White Nails With Rhinestones
Upgrade traditional white tips with a mani that plays with negative space. Recreating the look is as simple as applying two parallel nail vinyls and then painting your nail tips white. To take things to the next level, add a rhinestone on each finger.
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10
Pink-and-White Ombre Nails
For a natural and understated look, this delicate pale pink-to-white gradient works great on both short and long nails. Just use a makeup sponge to create a pretty gradient of white on top of a sheer pink polish.
11
White Nails With Flowers
You can celebrate spring any time of year with this colorful floral manicure that features delicate pansy designs on white. It's a gorgeous look that can be recreated by using a thin liner art brush for the leaves, and a dotting tool for the flower petals.
12
White Chevron Stripe Nails
With geometric chevron stripes on white, this mani makes your nails look longer by using elongating "V" shapes that point towards the tips. It's a simple and minimalistic look that's still classy.
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13
"White on Time" Manicure
This is the perfect manicure to show off as the clock is ticking down to midnight at your New Year's Eve celebration. Just add a base of white, then draw on the numerals and dials with acrylic paint.
14
Double-Corner French White Nails
For a twist on a basic French tip, this "double-corner French" mani is a fresh alternative that keeps your hands looking chic and modern. All you need is a detail brush to make a line along the top and bottom corners of your nails.
Sam Escobar
Contributor
Sam's enthusiasm for makeup is only rivaled by their love of all things relating to cats. In their spare time, they enjoy watching scary movies, putting avocado on everything, and seeing how many shades of the rainbow they can dye their hair before 30.
