Fall is synonymous with shorter days, which means shorter nails. See what we did there? You’ll have your hands full with autumnal activities, and you don’t want a broken nail to ruin the perfect selfie at the pumpkin patch. Looking gourd-geous has never been simpler than it is with these short fall nails.
Short nails are stepping out from the shadow of their taller counterparts, demanding equal notice. And who can blame them? Certainly not emery boards, working tirelessly to keep your nails trim. They’re the real heroes.
These short fall nail design ideas may be short, but you’ll be impressed with how these nail techs have managed to squeeze ghosts, pumpkins, flames, and other icons on such a small surface area. Now you can carve your Thanksgiving turkey without breaking a sweat. Or a nail.
25 Short Fall Nails to Consider This Autumn
1. Berry Nails
Berries aren’t just for summer anymore. They are plum-sitively decadent. Think of them as maroon’s younger, hipper sister. Can we say it? Yeah, she’s Gen Z.
2. Ghost in the Garden Nails
If the Goombas from Super Mario Brothers met the ghosts from Pac-Man, they would look like this. Both of them are tired of running and need a nap, stat. Good thing nails are known for being soft and plushy.
3. Glitter Harvest Nails
Sometimes spicing up your life looks like naming yourself after something on your kitchen spice rack and then marrying David Beckham. Other times, it looks like pumpkin spice nails.
4. Rock the Vote Nails
No funny business here. ‘Tis the season to rock the vote. Step in line, fill out that ballot, and remember to grab an “I voted” sticker on the way out. It’s the best part. After, uh, democracy, of course.
5. Plaid Shirt Nails
Plaid is a divisive Fall fashion that crosses many lines. But not the picket line. Our favorite actors would never forgive us.
6. Denim Ombre Nails
Once the cool weather hits, it’s time to take your box of jeans down from the attic. Whether you wear ’em long, ripped, or acid washed, denim’s durability is unmatched. Except for maybe that cast iron skillet that’s been passed down in your family for generations.
7. Chrome Nails
Move over glazed donut, chrome nails are revving up for a Fall moment. Click your heels three times and say, “There’s no place like chrome.” Hailey Bieber might appear in your attic, so be warned.
8. Cat Nails
Black cats may be a witch’s familiar, but they look even cuter immortalized on nails. Sounds like something a witch would say, huh?
9. Ouija Board Nails
Nothing says Fall like lighting a few candles and breaking out the Ouija Board. There’s nothing like summoning some spirits to answer yes or no questions. Like “should I DoorDash for dinner tonight” and “did my coworker eat the last donut?”
10. Olive Nails
What do khakis and dirty martinis have in common? Nothing, unless you spot your bartender wearing khakis while stirring your martini. Next do the one about the raven and the writing desk.
11. Mauve Abstract Nails
You probably know mauve as the color of the four bridesmaid dresses that sit in the back of your closet. You never did wear them more than once. But at least you have the same dress in four degrees of color difference now. Heh heh.
12. Chicken Nails
Maybe we’ll finally find out why the chicken crossed the road. Or maybe we’ll just mind our own business and keep picking apples.
13. Fox Nails
Foxes spend autumn foraging food for the winter ahead. Kind of like us at Trader Joe’s. We may or may not have a pantry packed with cookie butter jars. You know, just in case we get snowed in for a couple days.
14. Thanksgiving Floral Nails
It’s never too early to start thinking about your Thanksgiving centerpiece. Or to casually remind yourself what a cornucopia is. Are you smarter than a fifth grader?
15. Horror Movie Nails
Is your Halloween movie of choice Scream or Hocus Pocus? Either way, we can all agree that there’s nothing scarier than finding out your favorite Halloween candy is sold out at Target.
16. Sweater Nails
Forever 21 will forever hold a place in our hearts during the Fall fashion season. Never have we ever seen so many sweater patterns in such a small space. Rock these nails so you don’t have to pick just one.
17. Cow Nails
Cows deserve a round of applause for keep us stocked on dairy-based treats all autumn long. They must be feeling deja moo from all the pumpkin spice lattes they’re churning out.
18. Leaf Spectrum Nails
Green leaves get all the credit for being pretty and shiny. But brown leaves are way more fun to jump in. Throwing yourself into a tree just hits different.
19. Halloween Nails
Like our favorite Halloween detective, Scooby Doo, we always find a mystery to solve. And it’s not always unmasking ghosts and pumpkins. Sometimes it’s solving the mystery of the missing Amazon package. It was the neighbor, with sticky fingers, in the lobby!
20. Brunette Nails
Do blondes really have more fun? Brunettes have chocolate, coffee, and mud masks. But blondes have Barbie. Eh, we’ll call it a tie.
21. Lapis Lazuli Nails
If you have your Ouija Board out, you’d better get a lapis lazuli crystal to clear the air of dark spirits. No one wants a 17th century ghost lecturing them about mildew in the bathroom.
22. Reptile Nails
When you think of Fall, you don’t immediately think of reptiles. Unless you live in Florida, where iguanas literally fall out of the trees. Now that’s a fall to remember.
23. The Very Hungry Caterpillar Nails
Fall means back to school, so “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” is in heavy rotation in classrooms everywhere. Like the aforementioned caterpillar, we’re going to sample all the treats the farmer’s market has to offer.
24. Neutral Halloween Mani
#JusticeForBeige. This neutral has an unfair reputation for being boring. It’s just trying to do its job and let others shine. You could learn from beige, TikTok stars.
25. Black-Tipped French Mani
Our OG favorite can survive any season and looks stunning in any color palette. Now if only we could find a way to Halloween-ify our other French favorites like croissants, baguettes, and two-hour lunch breaks.
When she's not playing with sentence structure, you can find her taking a dance or yoga class. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter as @haverlyink, and on LinkedIn.
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