These Silver Nail Designs Will Take You Through the Holiday Season and Beyond

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updated Mar 11, 2020

Around the holiday season, we have a tendency to reach exclusively for gold nail polish. Well, gold and red nail polish. We volley between the two and for good reason. These colors are holiday classics. They look amazing on our nails, whether those nails are peeking out under a scarf and coat, grasping a cup of cocoa, or shining in juxtaposition against a black cocktail dress, while we're holding a glass of champagne at a holiday party.

This year, however, we're in the mood to switch things up. We're feeling like wearing colors that are unique and unexpected. That's why we're switching out red for green nail polish and gold for silver. The latter is fresh and icy, just like winter itself. Keep scrolling to see the 23 nail designs we're referencing for manicure inspo all season long.

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Subtle Glitter

This simple manicure proves that the words subtle and glitter do indeed go together. You don't have to be over-the-top to wear glitter, and this design is easy enough to recreate with the right tools.

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Silver Half Moons

In the spirit of nontraditional shapes, try painting an inverted half-moon on the top half of your nails with a slick chrome polish. The sleek design adds a fun twist to the regular french manicure.

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Dripping Paint

Who else is reminded of Kylie Jenner's Lip Kits when they see this drippy design? It looks similar to her iconic cosmetics packaging. The chic design can be achieved with a fun sticker add-on or an extra steady hand and over-dipped brush.

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Icy Rivers

This combination of squiggly white and chrome nail polish reminds us of an icy river mid-winter. And yes, that's a good thing. Get this look with some strategically placed tape but don't be afraid to overlap.

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Futuristic Tape

PSA: A silver manicure doesn't have to involve silver polish at all. Opt for thin strips of crisscrossing foil, like this design, and make your own nail art. You can even get crafty by choosing a fun base color for added flair.

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Starry Jewelry

In the same vein as the minimalist manicure before it, try popping a single nail jewel in the middle of each nail. It's simple yet chic and doesn't take very long to achieve.

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Pastel + Gems

If you're not one to use a single color, try combining icy pastels with silvery nail gems. For added fun, paint one stand-out nail and adorn it with another sparkly gem. This look and the sweet color combo make for a very posh effect.

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Silver, Black, and Gold Swirl

To us, this manicure screams New Year's Eve. We love the combination of gold, silver, and black glitter. It makes for the perfect NYE look: elegant, daring, and fun in design.

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Chrome Finish

Chrome counts as silver, right? Opt for this sleek manicure by painting each nail with a bold shade of reflective polish. The edgy paint is both ultra-chic and easy to do yourself.

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Mix of Gems and Pastels

While still incorporating silver into the mix, this funky manicure pairs an icy blue and silver combo perfect for winter against bold black and gold contrast nails. It's colorful; it's dimensional; it looks like the sort of nail design that a Zara model would wear, and we're into it.

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Pink Inverted French Mani

Here's another posh manicure for you. It reminds us of something Blair Waldorf from Gossip Girl would go for. It's easy enough to replicate on your own, too: all you need is one pale pink polish and one glitzy silver one.

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Silver Foil

How gorgeous are these frost-tipped nails? Get a similar effect by using a beauty sponge to press chunky glitter into a clear polish. Layer another coat of clear polish over the top, et voilà—you're done.

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Kira Kira IRL

The addition of white, hand-painted sparkles takes this manicure up a notch. The glitter-dipped design underneath is worth a mention, too. Plus, these almond-shaped nails look extra cool with the chic design.

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Phases of the Moon

This witchy manicure combines charcoal, silver, and white polish to recreate the phases of the moon. Use a small detailing brush to add dimension to your creation.

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Glitter with Heart Eyes

We're not against a maximalist manicure. Try this one, which seems to take inspiration from the iconic Comme des Garçons logo. The sparkly silver base— like JINsoon's Absolute Glitz ($18) contrasts nicely against the bright red heart design.

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Silvery Chrome

Another day, another high-shine chrome manicure. These nails are as futuristic as they are fresh. While equally as eye-catching as the chrome mani we listed earlier, the finish here seems to have an extra dose of sparkle.

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Glitter Dipped Ornaments

Make your nails look like holiday ornaments with this pretty shimmery nail design. The silver sparkles are elegant, especially when painted in this half-dipped effect. Use a small nail brush to clean up the extra sparkles around the edges.

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NYE Maximalist Sparkles and Stars

Go full disco style by donning a bold, chunky sparkle. This manicure would fit right in with the fashion of Studio 54, which makes it perfect for New Year's Eve, too. Don't forget to make it extra glossy with a clear topcoat.

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Sequin French Mani

If you can't let go of gold quite yet, combine it with silver to make another disco-appropriate manicure. Press the small sequins on with a brush to get the lines just right—and feel free to switch between silver and gold. They don't have to match if they're both metallic.

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Iridescent Ombré

This iridescent ombré manicure is so whimsical, it fits right in with the beauty industry's unicorn obsession. Rightly so—this magical mani fades to a subtle sparkle. Get an extra glow by using an iridescent topcoat like ILNP’s Moonstone ($13) as well.

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Peach With Subtle Silver

If subtle nail art is more your speed, opt for this peach-and-silver manicure. The shimmery tip on each nail is so fine and delicate that we can't stop staring. Use a thin piece of tape to get a precise (and elegant) French-mani design.

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Graphic Lines

Try painting thin graphic shapes on your nails with silver polish. The symmetrical shapes are spell-binding and let you go full-on futuristic without any big commitment.

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Silver Detailing

Is it just us, or does a white-and-silver manicure pair perfectly with bold leopard-print clothing? We're about to make this color pairing our winter uniform. Try using tape to get the subtle side detailing, or if you're confident in your skills, freehand the smooth half-circles yourself.