These Are the Only 18 Summer Nail Designs That Matter, According to IG's Fashion Crowd

Attention: major manicure inspiration ahead.

Summer Nail Designs

I'll be honest—I don't do my nails at home very often, but you can count on me to screenshot manicure ideas I see for my nail artist to tackle. Instead of scrambling to scroll through Pinterest while choosing my polish color, I like to have my inspo right where I can reach it: tucked away in my Instagram Saved folder. Lately, it's been overflowing with a plethora of bright and fun nail looks I've gathered from Instagram's fashion crowd and celebrity nail artists. I've decided that this summer is going to be the one where I finally dive into them.

I'm already starting to comb through them and decide which polish colors, 3D nail art designs, and lengths I'll be wearing to lounge by the pool and check off my travel bucket list. Luckily, as aBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing beauty editor (and avid social media user), I have endless sources at my fingertips from my fellow beauty and fashion enthusiasts, so I'm never hunting for too long. If you want to know which ones 'll be wearing this season, keep scrolling for the top 18 nail looks I keep coming back to.

Ditsy Daisies

Ditsy daisy manicure by Mate Janova

(Image credit: @matejanova)

Mate Janova's ditsy-daisy print is further proof that while classic florals may not be "groundbreaking" for the summer months, there will always be elevated takes that capture our attention. This manicure features butter-yellow French tips, a bubble-bath-pink base, and white petals.

Diamond Tips

Diamond fingertip 3D nail art by Iram Shelton

(Image credit: @iramshelton)

Nail piercings have steadily been rising in popularity among Instagram's fashion crowd over the past few months. Iram Shelton's take on the trend features a milky pink shade with diamond details on the tip of every other finger.

Butter Chrome

A chrome manicure with butter yellow french tips by Queenie Nguyen

(Image credit: @nailartbyqueenie)

If you've been hunting for a manicure look that captures two of this year's biggest nail trends (butter-yellow polish shade and chrome finishes), save this one by Queenie Nguyen for inspo ahead of your next nail appointment. These glazed butter French nails have a chic glassy sheen.

Neons and Pastels

A bright, marbled manicure on content creator Celeste Vignois

(Image credit: @celmatique)

Eye-catching marble nails are in year-round but can be especially striking with bright colors for summer. UK-based content creator Celeste Vignois, who is no stranger to electric shades, shared her take on the artistic trend with a mix of neons and pastels.

Star Prints

A silver star manicure by Brittney Boyce

(Image credit: @nails_of_la)

Come summer, I can always count on astral-inspired manicures to pop up again on my feed, but fashion people seem particularly drawn to nails with a hint of sparkle. This manicure, for example, was created with the help of chrome nail stickers, 3D nail gems, and a neutral pink base coat.

Turquoise Cowboy

A western manicure with turquoise details on Symphani Soto

(Image credit: @symphanisoto)

The kickoff of Beyonce's Cowboy Carter tour in the U.S. and Europe has sparked a love for all things Western, and manicures like these on content creator Symphani Soto are setting the standard. Her chic nail looks included cow pint, a sacred heart design, and a turquoise polish resembling the famous stone.

Lavender Swirl

Lavender 3D nails by Queenie Nguyen

(Image credit: @nailartbyqueenie)

If you've noticed a rise in 3D nail art while looking for nail inspo on TikTok and Instagram, you're not alone. Nguyen's lavender manicure offers a twist on the trend with a manicure of French tips on some nails and 3D art on all of them. Just look at how it catches the light!

Coffee Colors

A retro-inspired manicure by Iram Shelton

(Image credit: @iramshelton)

While Shelton's signature manicures are frequently minimalist and natural-looking, this retro-inspired set has lived rent-free in our minds since we came across it. Using shades of coffee brown with black, white, and caramel, these nails leave us craving a steaming cup of coffee even as the weather heats up.

Chrome on Chrome

A silver chrome manicure with cross details by Brittney Boyce for Megan Fox

(Image credit: @nails_ofl_la)

Instagram's fashion crowd still hasn't tired of the chrome-on-chrome nail trend, and neither haveBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing 's beauty editors. Brittney Boyce created this bold manicure for actress Megan Fox with silver chrome polish and delicate crosses on every other nail.

Western Whimsy

A western-inspired manicure by Queenie Nguyen

(Image credit: @nailartbyqueenie)

Here's another Western-inspired nail look we love that will earn you endless compliments. This one, by Queenie Nguyen, has everything from cow print and sparkling denim blue shades to delicate jewels and a paisley design that almost looks as if it's been folded onto the nail (just like a bandana).

Dirty Martini

A simple and clean martini manicure by Iram Shelton

(Image credit: @iramshelton)

One martini, please! This dirty-martini manicure by Shelton is everything we could want from a boozy nail look and more. We can't stop thinking about how stunning these hyperrealistic, handmade 3D olives look against the milky pink base. (The delicate cocktail skewer is even hanging off the tip slightly.)

Baby-Blue French

A baby blue french manicure by The Mani Club

(Image credit: @themaniclub)

We've all heard of the winter blues, but powder-blue shades like the one featured in this manicure scream summer. Olive and June's The Queen Takes Her Tea shade takes center stage in this colorful twist on a French nail against a classic, flesh-toned base.

Summer Sorbet

A summer sorbet manicure by Queenie Nguyen

(Image credit: @nailartbyqueenie)

Craving something sweet? Nguyen has affectionally dubbed this a "summer sorbet" manicure. The citrus shades of orange and red are offset with a milky white border that resembles a blood orange when it's been cut open. It's the ideal tropical vacation manicure.

Gold-Dipped

Gold dipped manicure by Iram Shelton

(Image credit: @iramshelton)

Whether you're going into this summer as a bride or just love romantic and delicate manicures, this nail look will have you falling head over heels. The natural, milky base puts the gold tips on display. We could definitely imagine this looking just as amazing in silver.

Mixed Media

A mixed metal manicure with 3D nail art by Queenie Nguyen

(Image credit: @thehangedit)

Clearly, we're fans of metal polish for the summer, especially when its used to add even more detail to a mixed-media manicure like this one. Not only does it feature 3D nail art, but it also includes velvet polish, raised French tips, and a whimsical start design that gives all the whimsigoth vibes.

Formula One

A colorful F1-inspired manicure by Mate Janova

(Image credit: @matejanova)

In cased you missed it, F1 has taken the fashion crown by storm (especially Gen Z and millennial viewers). This colorful F1-inspired manicure is perfect for fans and includes everything from a playful checkerboard print to race car numbers. Ready, set, go!

Minimalist Cherry

A sweet cherry nail design with nail gems by The Mani Club

(Image credit: @themaniclub)

There are few things that are sweeter than the juicy fruits that come along with summer's arrival. If you're not one for bold fruit prints, try this delicate take on a cherry design by combining a green, hand-painted stem with red nail gems as the cherries on just two of your nails rather than going all in.

Lemon-Yellow Tips

Clase azul manicure by Queenie Nguyen

(Image credit: @nailartbyqueenie)

Butter yellow may be the color of the season, but we're not quite ready to retire lemon yellow. This charming manicure draws inspiration from Clase Azul bottles, pairing the blue-and-white print found on its packaging with sunny French tips.

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Maya Thomas
Associate Beauty Editor

Maya Thomas isBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing 's Associate Beauty Editor. Her strong love for all things beauty and fashion stems from a strong childhood interest in the fine arts. During a gap year spent in Paris studying the history of French fashion, she shifted her focus to English literature and journalism as a student at Loyola Marymount University with the goal of one day pursuing a career in fashion. After graduating in May 2021, Maya began freelancing for Parade.com as a contributing commerce writer while also building a following on her lifestyle blog, Itsmayalala.com. When she's not writing, Maya spends her free time catching up on reading, perusing art galleries, and enjoying a night out at the ballet every now and then.