I Asked Dua Lipa's Manicurist for Cool-Girl Nail Inspo—Apparently, the Wrong-Shoe Theory Is the Secret

Everyone can agree that Dua Lipa, as per a recent Instagram caption, is “never not having fun.” The internet as a whole lives vicariously through the glittering IG dumps of her glitzy tour life and loved-up posts with actor beau Callum Turner, so needless to say, we’re mesmerized by every scroll—often zooming in on the small details that make her so effortlessly cool, like her turquoise lashes and polka-dotted manicures.

Because the latter has become the talk of the beauty-editor town, I decided to go straight to the source—Michelle Humphrey, celebrity manicurist and purveyor of all of Lipa’s coolest sets—to see which fall and winter nail trends we can get ahead of before the in crowd does. Turns out the one thing that makes a set really pop, in Humphrey’s eyes, is when one element is slightly “off.” Allow me to explain.

Whether they’re mismatched, star-spangled, or peppered in black and white florals, the pop star’s nails are all over our Pinterest boards. The chic yet wearable eccentricity that draws us to Lipa’s manicures like moths to a flame is something I liken to the “wrong-shoe theory,” popularized by stylist Allison Bornstein. This theory claims that when most of the elements of a look match besides one (for instance: a dressy shoe with a casual outfit or, in this case, a sheer nude nail polish with 3D bling), your look instantly becomes more interesting. After listening to Humphrey’s musings, it seems that the same applies to nails.

However, if you ask the manicurist, all the credit goes to Lipa. “She’s got the ideas! She’s bringing nail art back,” Humphrey tells me over a video call. “I feel like it went a little flat for a while, and she’s reviving it a bit, which makes my job a bit more exciting, you know?”

Exciting doesn’t begin to cover the incoming trend breakdown Humphrey supplied for us. Ahead, eight nail trends the celebrity manicurist is expecting to see everywhere this fall and winter—and you should get ahead of the in crowd.

8 Fall and Winter Nail Trends to Try in 2025

Contrast Colors

One of the first burgeoning trends Humphrey brings up Iris Law’s trendy color combo at Paris Fashion Week. She credits her friend, fellow celebrity manicurist Imarni, for the mismatched manicure, saying she found the unorthodox placements “really cool” in a wrong-shoe type of way. “It's just a bit off,” she says in an admiring voice. “Very cool, in my opinion.”

To achieve this look, be a bit lackadaisical with your polish approach. Choose two colors you wouldn’t normally pair together and one neutral (e.g., Law’s baby-pink polish) to link everything together. Paint most of your fingertips a different color, besides the two next to each other, and choose opposite fingers on the other hand to continue the pattern. “This mix-up of these strange colors is great,” Humphrey muses. “I thought it was banging.”

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Jewel Tones

Humphrey abides by the notion that sometimes the best trends to follow are the classics. Enter jewel tones: the reigning color scheme of fall and winter runways, makeup looks, and manicures. She complimented my burgundy nails several times (Olive June’s almond press-ons in Obsessed, thank you very much), calling the rich wine shade “perfect for winter.”

Another thing the manicurist loves about these rich, vibrant shades is their versatility. Whether you gravitate toward sapphire blue, rich amethyst, or ruby red, you can wear them alone, as accents in negative-space nail art, or combine them like Law’s lawless color combo. “Do you know what could be really cute?” she asks me. “Do that weird three-color look with jewel tones and mash the shades around. That would be a banger.”

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Autumnal Polka Dots

Sabrina Carpenter was another celeb who hopped on the Lipa-led polka-dot nail train this summer, and Humphrey doesn’t expect this trend to slow down anytime soon. Instead, she predicts that it will shape-shift as the seasons do. Because Humphrey confirmed that this trend was inspired by the runways (“Loads of fashion was polka dot based [this summer], so it was like, why not put this on a nail?”), she expects the trend to take on a more autumnal color palette than the summery shades of yore.

Referencing my burgundy nails, Humphrey suggests adding a smattering of white dots, “and you've immediately transformed your polka dot from a spring/summer into an autumn/winter.” Whether you’re working with lighter and deeper versions of a monochromatic color scheme (e.g., a lilac base and deep purple dots, like the above set by celebrity nail artist Iram Shelton) or pairing autumnal tones with white or black dots, there are endless ways to transition this summery design into fall.

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Cat-Eye Claws

“Velvet nails, cat-eye nails—they're quite huge at the moment,” quips Humphrey. “I think people are just really enjoying how adaptive it is.” Whatever you call them, there’s no denying the power of the magnetic nail polish trend in 2025, and Humphrey urges you to keep experimenting with it in the cooler months.

To make this polish look a bit moodier for fall, she suggests layering a dark color underneath the magnetic coat to add a bit of depth. “I would do a black [layer], a silver, and then you can layer a jelly color on top to bring it to whatever tone you want,” she recommends. I’d have to agree—stacking “dated” trends like jelly nails on top of chrome finishes is totally in this fall.

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"American" Manicure

Not too interested in flashy trends that include things like contrast colors and texture-shifting polishes? Never fear—Humphrey is keeping the minimalists (and chic millennials!) top of mind this season. “There's definitely been a resurgence of something called the American manicure, and that is such a nostalgic nail trend,” she declares. Instead of the pure-white tips we associate with French manicures, the noughties-inspired American manicure involves off-white, more natural-looking tips. “Quite a few of my clients have been requesting that on the regular,” she adds.

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Squoval Shape

Your fall and winter manicure revamp may have nothing to do with nail art or polish but everything to do with shape. According to Humphrey, dated nail trends are more current than ever—and lately, everyone in her chair has been asking for squoval nails. “I think it’s definitely back, and I think it needs to stay,” she states. Humphrey praises its “lovely” shape because it’s “structurally sound,” removing the hard corners that come with square shapes to prevent catching on fabrics and surfaces that may cause breakage. She points out that this also makes them last longer, which is important if you can’t make routine salon sessions happen.

Au Naturel

Humphrey knows one thing for sure: The girls are divided, but it’s all in good fun. “Either the girlies are doing nail art and they're having fun with it, or there is the low-maintenance, super-chic, super-cool girl that is just sort of paring it back,” she explains. If you identify with the latter, you’ll be pleased to know that elevated, barely there nail looks aren’t going anywhere this season.

“Whether you want to call it the princess nail, the lip gloss nail…,” Humphrey trails off, “the sheer nude” is still a fall and winter staple. This is partially due to the enormous focus on nail health that the beauty industry is experiencing, and the manicurist isn’t mad about it. If you too are focusing on rehabilitating your tips versus styling them, then this sophisticated trend is for you. “Less is more, basically.”

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Cup of Color

Yes, jewel tones are the fun “colors” of the cooler seasons, but don’t think that neutrals are going anywhere. Humphrey sees classic warm nudes continuing to thrive as the leaves turn, with shades that resemble “a latte or a cup of hot cocoa” leading the charge among fashion people. If you normally layer your tips in sheer pinks and nudes in the summer, try going a few shades deeper at your next salon visit.

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