Tortoise shell nails, one of the trendiest manicures of the fall season, are back, baby! And this year, they go wild with the color combos, blending the specific warm caramel, chocolate, and amber tones that are found into a glossy, marbled effect, with greens, blues, nudes, and gold elements that will make your jaw drop.
Whether you wear them on bold stilettos, long almond tips, or short squares, as an accent paired with a neutral base, a plain design, or 3D nail art, tortoise-inspired nails strike that perfect balance between simplicity and sophistication.
Open Pinterest and be ready to fill that fall inspo board with the prettiest designs that are versatile enough to complement your cozy fall outfits, yet stylish enough to be your new source of daily confidence.
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Long stilettos
Fall stiletto nails are all about bold lengths and seasonal palettes used to recreate the most stylish designs you’ve ever seen. These gel-X tips, for example, combine gorgeous shades of green with tortoise shell nail art and a white tip, all the elements aligning in perfect visual harmony.
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Short fall nails
Starting from a similar design to the one above, but in a miniature version, this cute mix of green auras with darker outlines, French tips with little olives in 3D representations, tortoise shell nail art with gold chrome outlines, and gold folds on the tip of one of the nails will definitely introduce you properly to the new season.
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Simple tortoise shell nails
Start with a milky white base on your short nails and ask your nail artist to play with one of the trendiest designs of the season, the tortoise shell design, to recreate this pretty and classy manicure with gold 3D accents that match the vibe.
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Gel-X fall manicure
Animal print takes a whole new, subtle form in this almond shape fall manicure. Let’s break it down: we have a translucent white tip with half cheetah and half zebra print on the middle nail, olive green aura, and outline on the ring finger, another white tip with a cute element in the middle, a gorgeous tortoise shell design, again, transulcent, and, if I were to guess, I’m sure another French tip on the thumb.
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Cold and stylish
Combine the brown shades that recreate the tortoise shell with a mix of colors that match a colder palette for a more serious look, which goes great with elegant, professional outfits.
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Tortoise shell nails
Here, the tortoise shell nail art is highlighted in all its splendor. Starting from an orange-brown base and playing to build the spots with two other darker shades, this design is so indirectly representative of the fall season.
The gold lines added vertically and horizontally on the nails complete the picture with that extravagant touch.
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Blue and brown mani
One of the less obvious fall color combinations, but also one that looks so balanced. Blue and brown, in multiple shades, from navy and cobalt for blue to caramel, chocolate, or dark for brown. There are so many ways in which you can make them work for your style!
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Elegant fall nails
However much we are beating around the bush, you might love the tortoise shell nail art in a simple, elegant manicure, with brown and white tips and framings on a clean, nude base that lets the design be the main character.
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Transition manicure
This design gives off such ocean nails vibes that I’m seeing it as a transitional mani between the hot summer season with all its vacations and the fall season with its cozy outfits and cooler color palettes.
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Classy fall palette
When you hear brown nails you immediately think fall manicures, I’m sure. Own the trends with a simple one that you can even attempt to recreate at home.You’ll need a dark brown shade and a light, warmer one for the base of the tortoise. Also a little nail art sponge would help but I’m sure even a cotton swab will do in this case.
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Bold stiletto tortoise nails
If you’re going for glam and want to show off your bold side, this long, pointy stiletto mani in shades of cherry red, white tips, and glossy tortoise shells will more than impress. I mean, just look at the 3D elements, if not at the length and design mix!
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Short tortoise shell nails
If, instead, you’re going for simple and seasonal, this is another idea you can DIY using pretty much the same technique as above. Just set some time aside in your self-care session for the mani.
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Classy sage green and tortoise
There’s something about a square shape that almost always gives off classy and elegant. In this fall nail design, the muddy sage green complements the tortoise shell nail art in orange shades.
If the rest of the designs in this list were more abstract when it came to the shape of the shell, this one is more on point.
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Brown tortoise mani
Complete your outfit with a stylish tortoise shell nails design in all-brown shades, soft auras on a nude base, and matchy framings of the nail. Besides the manicure, it is all about the attitude, and this one will help boost that confidence in a matter of seconds!
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Cute fall nail art
A sure way to add a cute touch to your manicure is a pretty bow nail art, in a look that makes you take your lunch outside and eat somewhere on the grass, surrounded by nature.
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Dark tortoise shell nails
Go dark brown with the abstract tortoise nail art in either gel for more durability, or plain nail polish for a quick and polished look. You can explore lots of colors with this type of design this fall season, if you don’t necessarily want to stick to the basics.
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Enriched nail art
Isn’t it amazing how a little bit of gold foil can transform even a simple manicure into one that gives off luxurious and ready to spend like crazy? Manifest riches in your life this fall with a design that matches the frequency you’re in.
If you already feel the cozy fall vibes in the air, the tortoise shell nail design is a must this season. You can make it suit your style because it’s versatile enough to go in many, many combinations, both when it comes to colors and shapes, or lengths.
So the next obvious step now would be a salon appointment, don’t you think?
If you need more seasonal inspiration that is also all about the attitude, you’ll find plenty here:
