Looking to spice up your fall nail ideas without going too crazy with the creativity? Animal print nails are starting to make a bold comeback, and in this list, they’re all about cozy autumn tones, subtle boldness, and just the right touches of wildness.
Whether your spirit animal identifies more with a cheetah, a leopard, a tiger, a zebra, a tortoise, or with all of them in different areas of your life, you’re sure to find a design that will suit your vision for the next manicure down below.
Oh! And also, be ready to discover some playful twists of the trend! The inspiration will hit you in no time.
1/17
Blue tortoise
Blue and animal print designs are a combination that you’re going to see a lot of this fall season. Mix a sky blue shade with a tortoise shell nail art on a sharp almond shape, and add a few 3D details for a manicure that has both dimension and style.
2/17
Leopard print nails
A little bit of class, a little bit of wildness, and plenty of style. Start with a nude base, cover with a black and brown leopard pattern, and add a layer of blue French tips for that extra bit of color. This manicure will do wonders for you this fall.
3/17
Tiger print nails
Let your fierce side shine through with this pretty, realistic tiger pattern on your next mani. Again, start with a nude base, use an air sprayer, a sponge, or a pigment palette to recreate the orange center, and add some black strips for a close-to-reality image. The long almond shape is also the best choice for this kind of design.
4/17
French animal print nails
Tropical nails are all about the vibes, and these beauties certainly exude them through every pattern of the tip. Transition from bright summer colors to the brown and cream fall palettes on a clean and classy milky white base, and explore with zebra stripes, Hibiscus flowers, and starfish nail art instead of the simple French manicure.
5/17
Translucent tiger nails
If you love a translucent gel-X manicure, no matter the time of year, this caramel brown base with tiger stripes, framed with thin blue margins for extra sass, is worth saving on your fall nails inspo Pinterest right now!
6/17
Dangerous stilettos
Sexy, bold, and simply impossible to ignore? You can’t go by this design if long stilettos and daring nail art are part of your style. The nude base balances with a little bit of style, while the leopard pattern and bright blue tips make the biggest impact.
7/17
Diverse animal print nails
Set your fall color palette with shades of brown, cream, and black, and go to your nail artist with an inspo pic that will allow creativity, with guidance. Tortoise shells, zebra or tiger prints, following the designs above, or other animals that bring out the wild part of you.
8/17
Classy French x Animal print
Combine class and elegance with Savannah style in this gorgeous manicure that showcases all your favorite animal print nail art at once. We have the zebra print, the cheetah print, the crocodile print, and the tortoise shell, all on a stiletto tip and a clean, natural base.
9/17
Simple cow print
Ready for a DIY manicure project that will slay this season? Try this cow print that, even if you’re not a nail art master, you’re sure to nail on first try. Start with a clean base, add a rounded shape of white on half of each nail, and top it all up with some abstract small shapes in shades of brown.
10/17
Layered cow print
A more abstract cow print option—layered copper brown and dark chocolate brown shapes, on a cream nude base. These short cuties are a good fall nail art design option if you started planning your seasonal manicure.
11/17
Bright matte colors
If this list featured a lot of clean designs with tiny bits of color, this is a full-on bright animal print nails idea that is perfect for transitioning between seasons or if you simply love a bold look.
12/17
Cow print tips
Dark brownish cherry red and white cow print tips that you, again, can try DIYing at home. This fun idea will get you into a full cheer mood, and also be a cute Halloween nail art inspo to match your cowboy outfit.
13/17
Simplified cheetah nail print
If you’re thinking simple but with a sparkle of style, in tune with fall, and still replicable in every single season, you’ve landed right on! This dark brown theme color, alternated in plain and simplified cheetah print on a sparkly or cat eye nude base, will do everything on your nails.
14/17
Gel cow nail art
A milky white base is the perfect canvas for any nail art design you can think of, especially if you wanna make sure your painting skills are put into the spotlight. Take your two favorite shades of brown and create simple shapes to replicate the cow print.
15/17
Short and stylish
If you’re thinking simplicity with a dash of richness for your next manicure, try these short nude base nails with tortoise nail art and chrome gold accents alternations. The look will complement both your fall outfits and your jewelry.
16/17
Beige nails with animal print
When simple feels too simple for your own taste, some animal print patterns will solve the problem instantly. Replicate this one at home or ask your nail artist for a little bit of creativity and completely transform your manicure.
17/17
Fall stiletto nails
In case you didn’t already take the hint, tortoise shell nail art is a trend that rules this fall season, which I’m definitely not mad about! With a pointy stiletto shape and a chocolate brown base color, you’ll have a manicure that will increase your confidence every time you expose your hands.
From timeless leopard spots to edgy tortoise and zebra twists, animal print nails are a fun, fierce way to welcome fall without saying a word. Whether you go for a subtle accent or a full-on safari set, there’s no wrong way to wear the trend.
Save your favorites, pin them for later, or bring one straight to your next nail appointment, as a screenshot. Your fall mani deserves to roar a little.
Here are more seasonal ideas I think you’ll love:
