Beauty Nails 27 Navy Nail Looks Ranging From Simple to Show-Stopping Nail experts adore the versatile shade. By Kara Jillian Brown Kara Jillian Brown Kara Jillian Brown is the Beauty Editor of InStyle. She began her career at Well+Good, where she spent five years evolving from Editorial Intern, to News Writer, to Beauty Writer. She earned a bachelor’s degree in English rhetoric from Binghamton University and a master’s degree in health and science journalism from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY. She is also a certified fitness instructor and teaches barre in Brooklyn. InStyle's editorial guidelines Updated on November 18, 2024 @ 11:54AM Close Photo: @gossipandgloss/Instagram 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 blue polish pairs well with a "complementary deep orange to create a striking design." Meet the expert Jan Arnold is the co-founder and style director of the nail care brand Creative Nail Design (a.k.a. CND). Rachel Joseph is a celebrity nail artist who works in L.A. and NYC. Joseph's clients include Kim Kardashian and Ayesha Curry. Ahead, explore 27 navy nail ideas to inspire your next manicure. 01 of 27 Liquid Blue Marbles @winnieisawesome/Instagram “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.” 02 of 27 Rich and Monochrome @disseynails/Instagram Lights Lacquer At Last is a gorgeous true navy blue. It's a rich shade with depth thanks to subtle gray undertones. So even if you paint all your nails in this color, your mani will still have dimension. 03 of 27 Minimalist Lines @rachelsuenails/Instagram This is a minimalist negative space manicure designed by Paintbox using Marine by Bio Seaweed Gel. "I love how timeless this mani is. Great for those new to nail art," says Joseph. 04 of 27 Slim Lines @mabelyn___/Instagram 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. 05 of 27 Deep Cobalt @disseynails/Instagram This elegant shade of blue is a perfect medium between royal and navy blue. We love that the hue gets a chance to shine, courtesy of longer, coffin-shaped nails. 06 of 27 Royal Shimmer @lifelovemani/Instagram 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 from Moon Cat. 07 of 27 Gray Navy @lifelovemani/Instagram “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 from Jessie Monroe Nail Care. 08 of 27 Cocktail Hour @disseynails/Instagram We're obsessed with this stunning look. It uses a navy so deep it leans purple to create these strong swirls for a beautifully balanced look. 09 of 27 Navy Chrome @gossipandgloss/Instagram In case you haven't tried it, we recommend giving chrome nails a go. Here, the artist combines navy nails with a chrome powder finish for a strikingly dark, yet reflective look. 10 of 27 Alternating Tips @disseynails/Instagram Lights Lacquer At Last 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 the tips and bases. This is a graphic yet simple pattern we love. 11 of 27 Cat Eye Shimmer @gossipandgloss/Instagram 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. 12 of 27 Matte Navy @gossipandgloss/Instagram A matte polish can totally change the look of a mani. This look features matte navy nails with a single beige glossy nail as a contrasting accent. 13 of 27 Evil Eye @gossipandgloss/Instagram This high-gloss design features two little evil eyes on each hand, creating a subtle yet impactful look. We love that this also offers protective vibes. 14 of 27 Thick Swirls @lolo.nailedit/Instagram Swirls are often done on a nail base, so we love this look. It utilizes the trendy design on an opaque blue base, creating a fun monochromatic look. 15 of 27 Feeling Blue @disseynails/Instagram 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, At Last, Blue Moon, Cold Case, and Misfit Toys. 16 of 27 Fine Shimmer @disseynails/Instagram Shimmery polishes are a great way to get a dimensional look with very little effort. We love how deep this blue shade is and how the shimmer makes it lighter depending on where the light hits it. 17 of 27 Matte Glitter @gossipandgloss/Instagram Confuse the eyes by pairing usually reflective glitter with a matte top coat. This navy-and-white look was created with polishes from OPI. 18 of 27 Mixed Metals @gossipandgloss/Instagram Accent a simple navy mani with a metallic pop. This look uses gold and silver accents that accentuate the shape of the nail bed. 19 of 27 Two-Tone Navy @gossipandgloss/Instagram 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. It also helps bring out the blue in the navy. 20 of 27 Magnetic Florals @danaturenails/Instagram 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. 21 of 27 Iridescent Navy @danaturenails/Instagram Painted with polish from Bees Knees Lacquer, this look has an iridescent quality that makes these navy nails appear to glow. 22 of 27 Glitter Topcoat @nails_by__bridgett/Instagram 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. 23 of 27 Blueberry Accents @Danaturenails/Instagram By using a pale blue shade as the base for this blueberry design, the navy hue of the fruits is really able to pop. 24 of 27 Intergalactic @danaturenails/Instagram Blue, purple, 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. 25 of 27 Snowflake French @nails_and_beauty_by_daisy/Instagram For a winter manicure, do a shimmery navy French tip. Accent it with thin blue lines and snowflakes on just one nail to not overwhelm the look. 26 of 27 Lightning Strike @nails_and_beauty_by_daisy/Instagram This cool look is reminiscent of bolts of lightning. It features white and gray polish over a deep navy base. 27 of 27 Celestial Accents @nails_and_beauty_by_daisy/Instagram Navy blue and gold will always be a stunning pairing. This design uses navy as the base and gold for celestial and astrological symbols.