Suddenly These 6 Pretty Nail Colours Are Trending, and Now They're All I Want to Wear
As someone who dresses in an almost exclusively neutral-toned wardrobe, colour is something I rarely experiment with sartorially. So it's perhaps for that very reason that when I sit down in the salon chair for my monthly nail appointment, I'm far more likely to embrace colour. I love wearing deep reds and burgundy in winter, bright corals and vibrant greens in summer, and in spring, pops of pastel are my most reached for hues. Not groundbreaking, I know, but much like floral prints and basket bags, synonymous with spring.
You might not think it, but pastel nail colours are actually surprisingly versatile. Although colourful, their muted and pale tones are much less likely to clash with whatever you're wearing than, say, neon or bold shades. Plus, they lend themselves to all manner of nail art designs. From pastel ombrés across each hand to pastel French tips or graphic colour block designs, there are hundreds of trending options. Whichever you choose, scroll below to see the six pastel nail colours you should consider for your next manicure this spring.
1. Butter Yellow
Want to inject a little colour into your minimalist neutral aesthetic? Butter yellow is the way to go. Creamy, milky yellow tones are universally flattering and will give neutral outfits an instant lift without looking too garish and bold.
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2. LILAC
Lilac tones will literally never go out of fashion. Whether worn as a plain nail design, as an alternative to a classic white French tip, or even as an accent nail (we love a green-lilac colour combination), you can't go wrong with a muted purple hue.
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3. MATCHA GREEN
Probably the "coolest" shade of green out there, matcha green is a fresh alternative to traditionally minty pastels.
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4. APRICOT
Vibrant orange and coral shades always makes a comeback for summer, but right now, delicate apricot and muted peach shades are perfectly on trend for spring.
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5. SKY BLUE
What better way to lift your mood than with a flash of light blue at your fingertips. Reminiscent of clear spring days, sky blue is a real mood booster.
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6. BALLET PINK
Classic, chic, and universally flattering, a pale ballet shoe pink is the most elegant way to do pink nails.
Get the Look:
Maxine Eggenberger is Who What Wear UK’s deputy editor and has over thirteen years of experience in fashion journalism. She been creating engaging and elevated style content specifically for Who What Wear UK since 2018, covering runway reports, emerging trends, long-form features, self-styled shopping stories and columns, including her edit of the best new-in buys. She ensures the highest editorial standards are met across the site, leads the editorial team in their SEO strategy and keyword planning, works closely with the beauty team on content initiatives, represents the brand at industry events, and regularly contributes to social media, including her own Who What Wear UK TikTok franchise, French Style Fridays. Previously, Maxine appeared on ITV's This Morning in her own fashion segment and has interviewed countless celebrities—everyone from Victoria Beckham to Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o.
Prior to Who What Wear UK, Maxine’s career began when, after completing her first-ever internship at Look magazine, she was offered a position on the brand's fashion desk. She accepted, leaving university a year early in the process. Her passion and natural talent for writing and styling meant she swiftly rose through the ranks to become the title's fashion news and commercial content editor, with a stint as InStyle.co.uk’s fashion and beauty writer along the way. She later served as Look’s acting Editor in Chief, overseeing both print and digital, before embarking on a successful freelance career, working with Grazia, The Pool, and Marie Claire amongst others.
Maxine is based remotely from her countryside home near Edinburgh where she spends her downtime renovating her house, walking her dogs, hosting friends and trying to master the art of making Old Fashioned cocktails.
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