34 Dynamic Looks for Short Nails ...

By Lyndsie

There are so many fantastic looks for short nails that you don't need to fear getting a manicure just because you don't have long nails. It doesn't matter if you're trying to stop biting, if you need to have short nails for practical reasons, or if you simply like them that way. You can still go crazy with polish, and either highlight your short nails or make them look a little longer. You're sure to find some great looks for short nails here, so get all your manicure tools ready!

Get notified about new quizzes like this.

1

Neutral and Accented

nail,finger,nail care,nail polish,manicure, Via chellogorgeous.com
Neutral nail colors create some of the best looks for short nails, so don't shy away from a shade just because you think it's boring. Wow with an accent nail instead, because sometimes all you need is a little glitter.

2

Variations on the French Tip

nail,finger,nail care,hand,manicure, Via myfashioncents.com
Here's yet another variation on the French tip that lends itself well to shorter fingernails. Go under the edge of your nail, keep everything else clear and glossy, and once again, embrace the glitter!

3

Polka Dot Tips

nail,finger,nail care,nail polish,manicure, Via trendsfever.com
As you'll see, French tips and all the variations thereof really work with short nails. Here, the white makes the shape stand out, while the innovative tips lengthen and pop.

4

Neutral and Glam

nail,finger,nail care,manicure,hand, Via learnsomethingwith.me
Keeping it neutral also makes it easy to include some really incredible designs. Look at how those floral-inspired curves elongate even the shortest fingernails!

5

Striped Nail Art for Short Nails

nail,color,finger,green,red, Via 15 Christmas Nails Ideas To ...
You might shy away from stripes on your clothes, but embrace them on your nails! Look at the way the diagonal stripes elongate, especially with a gently rounded square shape.

Famous Quotes

Men in general judge more from appearances than from reality. All men have eyes, but few have the gift of penetration.

Niccolò Machiavelli
6

Graffiti Gorgeous

nail,color,finger,blue,black, Via Nail Designs: Pretty Nail Designs ...
Darker colors can often bring out the gorgeous shape of your nails and hands. All you need is a little finesse to kick it up a notch – even freehand hearts!

7

Naked and Sparkly

nail,finger,nail care,hand model,hand, Via pinterest.com
I really can't emphasize the beauty of a nude color on a short nail. Just make sure you keep it from being boring by adding some sparkly accents.

UPD:

Nude nail colors are incredibly versatile and can be used to create a variety of looks. When wearing a nude color on short nails, it is important to add some sparkle to the look. This can be done with tiny rhinestones, glitter, or other sparkly accents. A great way to make the look more interesting is to use multiple shades of nude and mix them together. This can add depth and dimension to the look. Additionally, nude colors can be paired with bolder colors, like a bright red or neon green, to create a unique manicure. With a little creativity, nude colors are a great way to create fabulous looks for short nails.

8

Simply Red

nail,nail care,finger,nail polish,red, Via curvy girl style: sophia at ...
I told you red looked amazing on short nails. If you want to keep it simple but still sophisticated, just get a little vampy, ladies.

9

Leopard Accents

finger,nail,nail care,manicure,hand, Via Nails
See? You really can't go wrong with a nice neutral base, which leaves room to go beautifully wild with your accent nail. Rawr!

10

Colorful French Tips and Accents

nail,finger,pink,nail care,nail polish, Via Nails
And who says French tips have to be all natural and white? Bring some color into the mix, and don't forget the accent nail, because it draws attention away from the length.

11

Drippy Designs

nail,finger,manicure,nail care,hand, Via Cool Nail Design
Any design that begins at the tip and points to the cuticle will make your nails look longer than they actually are. In this case, the drips are just tons of fun!

12

Variations on the French Tip II

nail,finger,leg,manicure,hand, Via nail - Bing Images
You'll see a lot of variations on French tips when you're scouting out looks for short nails. Here the glitter and the smoothly painted accent lines highlight the length of your nails, but it's important to shape them beautifully for the best effect.

13

Bright and Accented

pink,nail polish,nail,finger,nail care, Via Nail Art For Short Nails
You can still rock a bright polish if you have short nails, too! Just create a subtler accent in a tamer shade – neon always works with white!

14

Dynamic Designs

nail,finger,green,nail care,manicure, Via Nail Art
You might not think your shorter nails give you much room for different designs, but that's simply not the case. Even if you try something different on every nail, don't be afraid to experiment!

15

Bright and Bold

nail,finger,red,nail care,manicure, Via NAILS!!!
Short nails look just as lovely with bright, bold designs as long nails do. Choose a really bright central color, then play around with different designs – there's no hard rule stating you can only have one accent nail, after all.

16

Flower Fun

nail,finger,manicure,nail care,hand, Via fashion world: April 2012
Choose a design that takes up a lot of surface area and you're golden! Bonus points if you have a matching pedicure!

17

Variations on the French Tip IV

nail,finger,nail care,green,blue, Via Nail designs for short nails ...
See, I told you! Here, it's that diagonal line again, plus the combo of polka dots and glitter elongate your nail while emphasizing the shape. Lovely!

18

Nautical Nails

nail,finger,nail care,red,manicure, Via naildesignsite.com
This combines the winning duo of red nails and stripes. It's a fantastic summertime manicure, don't you think?

19

Vertical Stripes

nail,finger,color,pink,manicure, Via nails
See how vertical stripes work with short nails? If you really want to make yours look longer, go with all-over stripes – hearts optional, but adorable!

20

Stripes and Solids

nail,color,finger,pink,nail care, Via beautyhigh.com
Really, you just can't go wrong with stripes, no matter what you're base color. It's worth it to choose something vivid enough to make your metallic stripes pop, though!

21

Sparkles and Stars

nail,pink,finger,manicure,hand, Via Nail design/polish inspiration
Don't worry, even though your nails are short, they can still handle a busier manicure. Embrace confetti looks, even stars and sparkles!

22

Argyle Gorgeous

nail,color,finger,nail care,nail polish, Via bloglovin.com
Honestly, I just love the argyle. However, this also takes up a lot of surface area, and it's just busy enough to work beautifully.

23

Pretty Polka Dots

nail,finger,nail care,green,manicure, Via Nail Love
This is almost a variation on the inverted French tip. It works well because of the neutral but colorful base and that adorable sprinkling of dots.

24

Variations on the French Tip III

nail,finger,nail care,nail polish,manicure, Via Nail Art
Having short nails myself, I love variations on the French tip, clearly. This one's a winner because that thin, thin line creates an illusion of more length, plus it's very low maintenance.

25

All-over Variation

nail polish,finger,nail,nail care,blue, Via Purple Geometric Nail | fashion ...
Because your nails are short, you can seriously get away with doing something different on every nail. Again, pay attention to the stripes and the inverted variation of a French tip – perfection!

26

Color Craze

nail,finger,hand,fashion accessory,nail polish, Via when I'm older, I'll wear ...
Whether you go with purple, pink, coral, or green, playing around with different shades in the same family will definitely serve you well. Just pick your favorite and go to town!

27

Pretty in Pink

nail,finger,nail care,manicure,hand, Via images.search.yahoo.com
A light, Chanel-inspired pink like this makes a great base. Play around with different accents and designs, especially the inverted French tip!

28

Variations on Red

color,nail,finger,nail polish,pink, Via Nail design/polish inspiration
Red polish actually looks gorgeous on short fingernails, so don't skip it out of fear. To really embrace your short-nail-status, however, get a little wild and delve into the world of animal prints.

29

Bling Bling

nail,finger,nail care,red,manicure, Via nails2014.com
It might take a steady hand, but add a little bling to your petite manicure. A black base will always serve you well.

30

Sparkle Sparkle

color,pink,nail,finger,nail care, Via ♡ N A I L ...
In fact, sparkles will almost always look gorgeous on your nail. Just try not to go too overboard with bigger pieces of glitter, because a fine glitter like this will work beautifully.

31

Sexy Sparkles

red,nail,finger,nail care,hand, Via Wish List
This look combines several elements as well: the red nails, the sparkles, and the freehand designs. It's a triple threat, so you can't go wrong with this manicure.

32

Get Tribal

nail,finger,blue,manicure,hand, Via Latest 60 Simple Nail Art ...
Do you in fact have a steady hand? Because your short nails will go perfectly with a tribal design, which is one of the biggest trends right now.

33

Cheetah Nail Designs

nail,finger,manicure,nail care,hand, Via ηαιℓѕ
If you love an all-over animal print look, go for it! It's just detailed enough to highlight the length of your nails in the most positive way.

34

Candy Crush

nail,color,finger,nail care,nail polish, Via Dream Nail | fashion hairstyles
This is the one time where larger glitter-looks really work. How delicious is this manicure?

So you don't have to have super long nails to rock a gorgeous manicure! Do you have short nails? If so, what are your favorite looks?

Feedback Junction

Where Thoughts and Opinions Converge

Lol number 19 looks like a daycare worker took that pic at work, there's little kid toys in the background

I have short nails now that I finally stopped the gel nails. Yes, some of these look longer compared to what I have😞

They're nice

but some of this nails r not even short 😧

I agree with Isabella, less is better!

So apparently we should all do our nails like clueless junior high girls? There were three that weren't so bad but the rest are something a child or stripper would do! SO TACKY! Seriously people, get some style sense.

Related Topics

sally hansen best nail polish red mani pedi combo classic french tip acrylics paris color riche le stylo blue spark clear gloss nail polish how to hide painted nails buntys jewelers essie terracotta nail polish wicked inspired nails pure ice nail polish

Popular Now