Mid-August is a limbo time for beauty trends, especially nails. I’m not quite ready to abandon the baby blues and brighter shades I’ve been wearing all summer, but suddenly, brown polish and anything metallic are looking very appealing. My brain may be ready for fall, but the 90-degree weather decidedly is not. Thankfully, this week’s best manicures make a pretty convincing case for having it both ways.
This is usually the point in the season when I start to want my nails to feel a little richer, without jumping straight into the deep, moody shades I’ll be wearing on repeat by October. Rather than making a hard switch, the best looks right now are borrowing from both sides. Aquamarine is hanging on at the tips, cobalt blue is making its fall debut, and chocolate brown is finding its way into otherwise summery nail art. Metallic details are starting to look especially good again, too, particularly when they’re paired with softer shades that keep them from feeling too cold-weather-y.
