30 Navy Nail Looks That Range From Simple to Show-Stopping

Navy nails are a classic look that's gorgeous on everyone, but how you wear the shade is up to you. Keep it simple with a few coats of the rich, steely shade, or incorporate it into a show-stopping design. It's adaptable enough to wear year-round, but it's especially pretty during the cooler months. "Baby blue was such a popular color for spring and summer, and this fall, we’re taking a deeper approach with rich, vivid navy," says CND co-founder Jan Arnold. "It’s the perfect transition color as it is such a beautiful cool tone, but still versatile."

When painting navy nail designs, you can get really creative. "Navy can be a fun, playful color to do negative space designs with," says nail artist Rachel Joseph. "It’s also a beautiful shade for French manicures. It makes for a nice bold statement." Arnold adds that it pairs well with a "complementary deep orange to create a striking design."

Meet Our Expert

• Jan Arnold is the co-founder of nail-care brand CND.

• Rachel Joseph is a nail artist who works in Los Angeles and New York City.

Ahead, explore 30 navy nail ideas below to inspire your next manicure.

Liquid Blue Marbles

“I love this design because it looks like liquid, smooth marble, but also wave-inspired,” says Arnold. “The blues blend together beautifully with a pop of smoky white to really tie it all together.”

Rich and Monochrome

Lights Lacquer At Last ($11) is a gorgeous true navy blue. It's a rich shade with depth thanks to subtle gray undertones.

Minimalist Lines

This is a minimalist negative space manicure designed by Paintbox using Marine ($18) by Bio Seaweed Gel. "I love how timeless this mani is. Great for those new to nail art," says Joseph.

Slim Lines

Similar to the Paintbox look above, this design showcases how you can do the same minimalist line design on an opaque base instead of a natural nail.

Deep Cobalt

This Lights Lacquer polish is the perfect shade if you want something deep but not dull. The hue has a ton of vibrance and the high-shine top coat makes it even more eye-catching.

Royal Shimmer

Spice up navy nails by opting for a glitter polish. This deep blue-purple lacquer packed with shimmering and ultra-fine cobalt flakes is House of Hades ($15) from Moon Cat.

Black, Blue, and Brown

This nail tip design uses dusty shades of blue and brown anchored by black lines for a moody, yet graphic look.

Gray Navy

“This is a gray navy that is a one-coat wonder,” nail artist Erika Michelle writes in her Instagram caption for this manicure selfie. “I was in the mood for a very moody mani and remembered that I had this one in my stash to try.” She used the shade What Is This ($10) from Jessie Monroe Nail Care.

Cocktail Hour

I'm obsessed with this stunning look. It uses a navy so deep it leans purple to create these strong swirls for a beautifully balanced look.

Navy Chrome

Combine navy nails with a chrome powder finish for a strikingly dark, yet reflective look.

Related: 25 Chrome Nail Designs to Help You Shine Bright

Alternating Tips

Lights Lacquer At Last ($11) is paired with a light green polish to create this look. Instead of creating tips with a bare base, the artist chose to use two opaque shades and alternate which one serves as the tip and which serves as a base, creating a graphic, yet simple pattern.

Cat Eye Shimmer

Cat eye polishes are so fun because each nail comes out a bit differently. This blue polish has tons of dimension and movement for extra pop.

Matte Navy

A matte topcoat can totally change the look of a polish. This look features matte navy nails with a single beige glossy nail as a contrasting accent.

Evil Eye

This high-gloss design features two little evil eyes on each hand, creating a subtle yet impactful look.

Thin Swirls

Three shades of blue — navy, denim, and baby — create this design. It features thin swirls of each color atop a nude base.

Thick Swirls

Swirls are often done on a nail base, so I love this look, which utilizes the trendy design on an opaque blue base, creating a fun monochromatic look.

Feeling Blue

Navy doesn't have to be the star of your nail look — let it play a supporting role by pairing it with a gradient of other blue hues. This look uses Lights Lacquer polish in the shades Secret Garden ($11), At Last ($11), Blue Moon ($11), Cold Case ($11), and Misfit Toys ($11).

Mixed Finishes

What makes this gradient so fun is that it uses similar blue hues in different finishes. It uses Lights Lacquer polishes in the shades I’ll Be Home ($11), Woman (discontinued), At Last ($11), and Barry ($11).

Fine Shimmer

Shimmery polishes are a great way to get a dimensional look with very little effort. We love how deep this blue shade is.

Matte Glitter

Confuse the eyes by pairing usually reflective glitter with a matte top coat. This navy-and-white look was created with polishes from OPI.

Mixed Metals

Accent a simple navy mani with a metallic pop. This look uses gold and silver accents that accentuate the shape of the nail bed.

Two-Tone Navy

While this dark navy shade is stunning on its own, the addition of bright cobalt on the ring fingers adds a nice bit of interest.

Magnetic Florals

Pair soft florals with edgy metallics to create this fun navy nail look. The polish has a ton of dimension and makes the nails look like a galaxy.

Related: 25 Flower Nail Designs to Rock No Matter the Season

Iridescent Navy

Painted with polish from Bees Knees Lacquer, this look has an iridescent quality that makes these navy nails appear to glow.

Glitter Topcoat

A chunky glittery topcoat can make any nail look a bit more exciting. This design pairs a solid navy shade with a swirly silver accent nail.

Blueberry Accents

By using a pale blue shade as the base for this blueberry design, the navy hue of the fruits is really able to pop.

Intergalactic

Blues, purples, and black create a great base for this manicure. It's topped with a fine glitter top coat and star decals for an intergalactic look.

Snowflake French

For a winter manicure, do a shimmery navy French tip and accent it with thin blue lines and snowflakes on just one nail to not overwhelm the look.

Lightning Strike

This cool look is reminiscent of bolts of lightning. It features white and gray polish over a deep navy base.

Celestial Accents

Navy blue and gold will always be a stunning pairing. This design uses navy as the base and gold for celestial and astrological symbols.

For more InStyle news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on InStyle.