Coffin-style nails are one of the longest and chicest nail designs growing in popularity, and it’s not hard to see why. They’re stylish, elegant, and easy to customize with your personal design preferences and styles. Whether you’re looking for a professional style or you want to stand out with your next manicure, a coffin nail design is the way to go.
And when you’re ready to create that next unique design for yourself, turn to Nailboo. We’re the team you can trust for everything from cuticle care to easy-to-use nail dip kits and all the tools you need to achieve a strong, beautiful manicure every time. Create a gorgeous coffin-style look with Nailboo.
Coffin Nail Designs
Coffin nails are shaped like coffins, which is where they get their name. They are tapered at the edges and come to a flat tip, which gives them an elegant and dramatic design. You may also see them referred to as ballerina nails because they also take the shape of a ballerina’s dance shoe.
Coffin nails are one of the longer and larger nail shapes, which makes them a great option for larger designs and decals. Try one of these unique styles for your next coffin nail manicure.
1. ‘70s waves
One of the vintage looks coming back into style is the wavy pattern from the 1970s. Pick out a few of your favorite colors and create a beautiful wave-like design across the whole set of your nails using thick and thin lines. This gives your manicure a sense of movement and the bright colors of ‘70s designs add that extra touch of fun and color to every look.
2. Geometric
Coffin nails are great for geometric patterns because they already have straight lines to work with and cut across. Draw triangles along the edges of the nail, mix and match thin and thick lines for a dynamic, moving style, or create a style that moves and evolves across the entire nail set. Use neutral colors for a more subtle style, or make your manicure stand out with bright or pastel staples.
3. Marble
You can never go wrong with a marble design. They’re chic, elevated, and unique every time. Coffin nails are particularly great for marble designs because they’re long, which means there’s plenty of room for intricate styles and designs.
Marble nails look great in neutrals, but you can also add your favorite colors for a brighter manicure. If you really want to make your look stand out, add a touch of gold flake or sparkle for a genuine marble design.
4. Matte
One style that always looks professional and put together is the matte texture. It’s smooth and flat, rather than the shiny, glossy texture of traditional nail polish. You can find matte polish in a wide range of colors, so you can wear it for plenty of different occasions and match it with all the different looks in your wardrobe.
5. Neon tips
Tips really stand out on coffin nails because they have thick, flat tops. And when it comes to standing out, you can’t go wrong with neon tips. Create classic French tip styles across the flat top of the nails, try out curved tips, or go for very thin edges. Pick your favorite neon color or try out a full set of bright and bold designs.
6. Holiday Nails
Do you love dressing up for the holidays? Your nails can help to make the look extra special. Coffin nails are larger, which makes them a good choice for holiday designs, like snowmen and candy canes for winter, hearts, and arrows for Valentine’s day, or even fireworks for the Fourth of July. No matter what your favorite holiday might be, you can create an adorable coffin nail design to fit.
7. Flames
Coffin nail designs are unapologetic, which means you can definitely go for an unapologetic pattern or style—and what’s better than flames? Try out flames with a clear background, against black, or with your favorite color details. Flames also look great as accent nails, to add a little something special to your set.
8. Cow Print
For the manicure enthusiast who loves a little bit of fun, cow print is a great way to go. Cow print is a fun animal print but it isn’t seen as often as some of the more common leopard and zebra prints. It’s great for the whole set, but it’s also a cute and quirky accent nail, matched with pastels or neutrals. You can even try out cow print styles for a truly unique final product.
9. Checkerboard
Coffin nails are perfect for geometric shapes and lines, which makes them a great option for checkerboard and gingham patterns. Go for a harlequin style, plaid, buffalo print, or the classic black and white check design. These are great for accent nails, holiday nail sets, vintage vibes, and a whole lot more.
10. Florals
Florals are a classic nail design for a reason. With the larger canvas of coffin nails, you can create lots of great patterns and styles. Try out daisies, sunflowers, roses, and a whole lot more. You can put the flower large and at the center, or create a repeating pattern that really stands out from your favorite base color. This is also another great option if you want to achieve those classic vintage vibes.
11. Ombre
Ombre nails have a beautiful cascading design that changes in color from the top to the bottom. This design gives the nails a fluid look that almost makes them appear in motion and gives them a chic, elevated design. You can create a lovely ombre look with matte colors, glossy shades, or even glitters.
12. Decals and Gems
Another great way to really upgrade your coffin nail design is with decals and gems. You can find a wide range of charms, sparkles, stamps, and decals that can help to take your coffin nail design to the next level. Use them at the tip or base or add them to your favorite marbled, ombre, or floral look. That extra shine will really help your manicure to stand out.
Conclusion
It’s no wonder that coffin names are a favorite of manicure enthusiasts. They’re long and elegant and provide a large canvas to work with if you’re interested in creating unique designs and patterns. Just check out looks like vintage waves, flames, and cow print. You can even decorate your coffin nails for the holidays—all year round.
And when it comes to the next great coffin nail design, trust Nailboo to help you find a look you love every time. We make it easy to try out dip manicures at home, and we’re sharing all of our favorite looks for every shape and style of nail, no matter what your fashion might be. Explore our growing collection of nail tools and resources and find the best guides and inspiration for your next coffin nail design.
Get the Look
You’ll look moo-velous with a cow print coffin nail design. Grab the colors for the job right here at Nailboo, with our lineup of black and white shades:
- White-Gray: Sugar Crisp
- Dark White: Sweater Weather
- Pink White: Nail-Flex and Chill
- Soft Black: Dark Dreams
- Bright White: Here’s a Tip
- Purple-Black: Cashmere Cloud
- Satin White: Wedding Cake
- Dark Purple Black: Deep Dreams
- White Glitter: Superstar Shine
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Black Glitter: Magic Moon
Sources:
Coffin Nails Are a Spooky-Chic Trend That Only Look Hard to Re-Create | Popsugar
The Ancient Art of Marble Painting Gets a 21st Century Update | New York Times