Fall/Winter 2011 Nail Trends

One of the biggest nail trends for Fall 2011 is nail art. Now I’ll admit that in the past I have not been a huge fan of nail art but I’ve come across a few DIY nail designs that are simply too irresistible to pass up trying at home. One design that I fell for was the Mermaid Nails design posted on Cupcakes and Cashmere. My take on this nail tutorial is to swap out the blue glitter for gold and try the design on all of my nails.

Dior Vernis St tropez and Duri nail polish in all that glitters — Dior Vernis in St. Tropez and Duri Nail Polish in All That Glitters

Step 1. Apply base coat, let dry.

Step 2. Apply watery-blue color of your choice, I chose Dior Vernis in St. Tropez.

Step 3. Add topcoat to glitter nail polish in a dish and apply mixture to the bottom half of your nail bed. (I wanted more graduated rather than intense gold sparkles ).

Duri-nail-polish-all-that-glitters — Duri nail polish in All that Glitters

Step 4. Apply top coat and enjoy!

Mermaid nails Fall 2011 nail trends and nail polish — Final result!

I’m still working on technique but so far I love it the combination of the a bit of glitter on top of a soft blue. Very beach-y and a perfect way to transition out of Summer into Fall. Would you give this nail trend a try?

During NY Fashion Week clothes weren’t the only thing that we had our eyes on. Makeup and nails are as important to a polished look as a handbag and shoes. Many of our favorite nail looks consisted of not just one shade of lacquer but sometimes up to three different shades. Spotted on the runways were rich elegant jewel tones, muted earth tones are even texture. The nail colors are included so that you can do it yourself! Let’s take a closer look at some of the looks that we spotted on the runway.

The first look that I fell in love with was at 3.1 Phillip Lim, by simply painting the arcs of our nails we can create a pretty modern manicure.

CND nail polish at 3.1 Phillip Lim — CND nail polish: Desert Suede and arcs in Midnight Sapphire

Another manicure that stood out were the nails at Monique Lhuillier. This subtle play on a french manicure is modern and sexy with just a sliver of color on the tips.

Monique Lhuillier Fall 2011 — CND Nail Polish: Silver Chrome, Desert Suede, Dark Amethyst

Jason Wu also gave a modern day twist to the french manicure by using deep burgundy and gold.

CND Nail Polish at Jason Wu Fall 2011 — CND Nail Polish: Gold Chrome, Dark Ruby and Bloodline

Aside from the twists on french manicures, there were more demure but equally beautiful options. Another stunning manicure was at Catherine Malandrino runway show. To achieve this dreamy look apply one coat of Dark Ruby, one coat of Copper Shimmer and one coat of Super Matte Top Coat then carefully blot with a pad.

CND Nails at Catherine Malandrino — CND: Dark Ruby, Copper Shimmer

Kevork Kiledjian (in his first runway show in NYC) presented models with oval shaped nails in Desert Suede, I love the simple elegance.

CND at Kevork Kiledjian — CND nail polish: Desert Suede

At Jenni Kane nail artists created a sueded effect by combining Desert Suede, Copper Shimmer and Sheer Rose Water. The look was then finished with Super Matte Topcoat & Solar Speed Spray.

CND Jenni Kayne — CND nail polish: Desert Suede, Copper Shimmer, Sheer Rose Water

To achieve some of these beautiful manicures you can purchase CND The Look: Fall 2011 box set of Midnight Sapphire and Dark Amethyst Colours and Sheer 24K Sparkle Effect. The set is $29 and will be available in September 2011. For more information, please visit CND.com.

What was your favorite look for the 2011 Fall/Winter shows?

[Images courtesy of CND]