This fall will be all about ugly nails Forget Instagram-worthy manicures for a moment

The latest Paris Fashion Week turned out to be rather interesting for fashion and beauty enthusiasts. On one hand, Anthony Vaccarello bid farewell to Saint Laurent’s creative direction with a show that lit up the Ville Lumière, featuring looks tied together by one lavish common thread: gold is more. On the other, Miuccia Prada, at the helm of Miu Miu, managed to surprise even the boldest fashion personalities with a nail look by renowned manicurist Mei Kawajiri, one we had perhaps been waiting for far too many years. Enter ugly nails, irreverent manicures that finally challenge the standards of the flawless manicure.

Autumn 2026 nail trends: the coolness of ugly nails

In recent years, social media has accustomed us to nails that are always perfectly polished or meticulously groomed. As if looking presentable required perfectly symmetrical lengths and polish applied with millimetric precision. Well, the ugly nails trend, which has been gaining fans ever since Lady Miuccia’s runway show, including among it-girls, is ready to turn this belief almost entirely upside down. The difference from the Instagram-worthy nails sported by celebrities such as Hailey Bieber is striking. Colored polish, whether red, black, or any other shade, no longer stays confined to the nail plate but spills over onto the surrounding skin, creating brushstrokes that look as imperfect as they are irresistible. The result? A deliberately smudged manicure, irregular and light-years away from the reassuring clean girl aesthetic.

How to embrace the ugly nails trend

If you want to experiment with the boldness of ugly nails, all you need to do is follow a few simple how-to tips. First things first, get into the party mood by choosing the songs you think will best accompany your DIY manicure ritual. After filing your nails to your preferred length, apply your favorite shade of polish, starting at the nail’s edge and extending your brushstrokes onto the nail plate. This time, try not to worry about smudges, because those very imperfections and splashes of color are what make this nail art truly unique. To keep the color intact throughout the day or evening ahead, seal everything with a thin layer of clear top coat. And just like that, uglyness is served.