You know the top-of-the-world feeling when you’ve been upgraded from economy to first class? Suddenly, you’re not just getting from point A to point B. You’re being served complimentary champagne and have plenty of room to stretch your legs. That’s what 2026 is going to do for your nails.
The classic French manicure is leveling up with sparkly, bejeweled tips. Dainty polka dots have become bold, San Tropez beach-worthy stripes. We’re giving our go-to black manicures a piercing (or five) for a little extra edge. And glass nails have become blown-glass nails—not just shiny, but sculpted, holographic, and three-dimensional.
There’s nothing wrong with the classics, of course. But if you could cash in your frequent flyer manicures for a little luxury, why wouldn’t you? Below, we asked the experts to break down the biggest nail art trends they expect to see in 2026.
Stripes
Courtesy of @madnails
Courtesy of @manicuredbysimone
Courtesy of @unghiedellamadonna
Courtesy of @unghiedellamadonna
The entirety of 2025 belonged to the polka dot. For 2026, a different design has, well, earned its stripes. Pinstripes were a major touchstone at the last Met Gala, and since then, the sartorial-inspired pattern has been on runways and celeb fingertips.
Miss Pop created white and red stripes for Alice + Olivia’s spring/summer 2026 runway that ran the gamut from thick, bold, vertical lines to sporty “athletic sock nails” that feature two thin, horizontal red stripes on the tips. But, as with polka dots, there are a thousand ways to do it. Draw inspiration from wide, beach umbrella awning stripes, the varied width and colors of barcode stripes, or diagonal candy stripes. All you need is a steady hand and a striping brush. This nail art tool from Olive and June is dual-ended, so you can make teensy hairline stripes or lay it on thick.
Glitzy French
Courtesy of @nailsbyzola
Courtesy of @naominailsnyc
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