27 Dark, Short Nail Ideas for the Ultimate Moody Manicure

At some point during the history of manicures, someone decided that dark polishes were meant for winter and lighter shades should be reserved for the warmer months of the year. Well, we're here to tell you that that's just... not true. Deeper shades can—and should!—be worn whenever you well please, including beyond hibernation season.

Dark manicures have a reputation for being moody, and while that's certainly true, it isn't the only reason to love them. Deeper tones like emerald, royal blue, and amethyst are just as much fun as their bolder and brighter contemporaries, and there are infinite ways you can use nail art to make even the most "boring" black manicure feel elevated and exciting.

Need proof? Keep scrolling for 27 dark, short nail ideas you're guaranteed to love all year round.

Contrasting Half Moons

Half-moon manis elongate the look of short nails, and we love this dark/light combo of rich burgundy and periwinkle. You can try the look with similar shades (Beauty Pie's Black Cherry Bomb, $8, and essie's Bikini So Teeny, $10, are great options for a near-identical look) or choose any two contrasting colors.

Midnight Sparkle

Combining silver and black (and maybe even some sparkle!) allows you to embrace dark nails while still having a little fun. Mixing up the art—a few stars here, a line or two there—keeps things interesting, and nail stickers will allow you to play regardless of your skill level. To get the ombré effect, use a sponge to dab black polish on the top half of your nail (layering on slightly more color as you move toward the tip), then top things off with a little shimmer.

Dark and Moody French

There's nothing classic about this moody take on a French mani, which swaps out the usual neutral base/white tip combo for burgundy and black. While you certainly can attempt to recreate it freehand (if you've got that kind of hand/eye coordination, good on you!), using a stamp or stencil can make the process much easier.

Tortoiseshell

Hailey Bieber single-handedly made the tortoiseshell manicure a thing, and the good news is that this look isn't limited to XL nails. "Tortoiseshell nails combine two nail trends in one: A jelly nail color as a base and tortoiseshell pattern on top, [achieved by] applying the light color first and then lightly dotting the dark colors on top of it," Jin Soon Choi, editorial manicurist and founder of JINsoon Spas and Nail Lacquers previously told Byrdie. "They feature a speckled color palette of orange, brown, and black that mimics the pattern of a real tortoise shell. It's all about layering and blobbing the colors."

To test the style out for yourself, start with a semi-transparent light brown shade, then blob on other brown and black polishes (working from lightest to darkest) to get some dimension, and top it off with a high-shine topcoat. You can try this out with any polishes already in your collection (maybe even swapping out the classic browns and blacks for some bolder, brighter shades?) or snag Gelcare's Tortoise Kit ($35), which has everything you need.

Tortoise Accents

Instead of going totally tortoise, you can try a more understated take by only using the design on a few accent nails and pairing it with a deep jewel tone.

A Metallic Touch

Gold flecks will elevate any manicure, and pairing them with black creates a gorgeous contrast that's equal parts punk and glamour. Add the gilded effect to all your nails—or only a select few—using foil flakes and foil glue (which, it's worth mentioning, is different than the standard nail glue you'd use with press-ons). Just be prepared to have "Black and Gold" stuck in your head whenever you sneak a peek at your fingers.

Lines and Dots

Nail art doesn't have to be intricate to make a statement, and this minimalist mani is proof. This matte black polish topped with graphic white lines and dots is simple yet chic and oh-so-interesting to look at. Turns out, basic black and white isn't so boring after all.

Deep Red

You really can't go wrong with red, and this rich crimson is the perfect deep-toned take on the shade. Our favorite polish that fits the bill? Dior Vernish in Nuit ($32). Keeping it simple never looked so stylish.

Hearts and Waves

Thanks to the coquette aesthetic, hearts are all the rage lately—but you don't have to go the super-girly route to try them out for yourself. Use a dark shade (like the black shown here) to make them feel more unconventional, and add some artfully-placed lines and waves for a truly lovable look.

Triangle Tips

Experiment with dark nails without going all in using this triangle technique, which leaves the bulk of your nails bare with a minimalist pop of color at the tip. Simply paint your nails with a neutral base shade of your choosing—or go nuts and try a color—then use a straight-edged stencil (or even a piece of paper) to help guide your art.

Foil and Pearl Detailing

As Jackie Kennedy once said, "Pearls are always appropriate," and we say that goes double when it comes to your nails. Give any look some extra bling with self-adhesive pearls, which will add a bit of brightness to a dark base tone (especially when there's gold foil in the mix, too).

Glossy Chocolate

Latte nails, but with a twist. This high-shine, deep brown polish feels like the perfect compromise when you can't decide between red and black—but it has a gravitational pull all on its own.

Graphic Black

Give your edges some, well, edge with a black-tipped French mani. It's got all the timeless appeal of a classic French but with a slightly rebellious flare.

Brown and Mint

Make any dark manicure feel slightly less dark by decorating it with a bright pastel. We love this brown and mint look (and not just because it reminds us of Thin Mints), but the design can be recreated with any two shades of your choosing—like burgundy and baby blue, navy and ballet pink, or evergreen and beige.

Two-Textured Tips

This two-textured manicure may look professional, but it's actually laughably easy to recreate on your own—and would look amazing with any color you want. Once you've settled on a shade, paint your entire nail. Then, use a matte top coat on the bottom two-thirds of your nail and a high-shine one at the tip.

3D Matte Black

Multi-colored manis are everywhere, but multi-textured looks like this one might just be our new favorite way to mix things up. These alligator-inspired nails use a single shade but keep things interesting with 3D lines and a little bit of sparkle.

Speckled Green

Green polish may get all the glory during the holiday season, but it's worth wearing all year round (yes, even in the summer!). The speckling used in this mani provides the same dimensional effect as glitter (sans sparkle) and has a similar vibe as Baby's Breath peeking out from a bouquet.

Royal Lines

The combo of purple and gold is fit for a queen, and this look will have you feeling ready to report for royal duties. You can add the lines using a pin, dotting tool, or Bellecrey's Nail Sticker Sheets ($7).

Starry Night

Instead of thinking of your art in terms of each nail, consider your entire manicure a canvas. This celestial mani does just that, creating a gorgeous night sky gradient that spans across all five fingers.

Bronze Crystals

We've been loving the geode nails trend, and this citrine-inspired look allows you to hop on board without going crazy with color. The brown, bronze, and gold shades complement each other flawlessly (and look especially gorgeous on deeper skin tones).

Cow Print

This cow print mani swaps the standard white background for a neutral nail, which elevates the aesthetic while still keeping it playful.

Green and Gold

As multiple manis on this list show, you can't go wrong by pairing a deep shade with a pop of metallic. A green and gold half-moon is only one (seriously gorgeous) way to do it.

Cobalt Shimmer

There are so many things to love about this manicure: The shine! The shimmer! The extreme bold blue! Stealing this look requires finding the perfect polish shade and topping it off with complimentary blue sparkles and a high-gloss top coat. If you're looking to splurge, Hérmes Les Mains Hermès Enamel Polish in Blue Electrique ($60) is stunning, but Cirque Colors Crème Nail Polish in NYFW ($13) will give you a similar style for a whole lot less.

Negative Space Hearts

A matte mani feels special all on its own, but adding negative-space hearts takes it to a whole other level. We love this hazelnut shade (even if it does make us crave a spoonful of Nutella), but you can try this trick with any color your heart desires.

Metallic Spots

These "party dots" make any deep-toned polish feel a whole lot more fun—and there are truly no rules when it comes to trying them out for yourself. Once you've applied your base polish, use a toothpick to dab on dots in any contrasting colors you choose. We personally love the sophisticated whimsy of this black and metallic combo.

Leopard Accents

It's a well-known secret that leopard and red are neutrals, which means they go with everything—including each other. Embrace your wild side by mixing and matching them on your nails, and feel free to add yet another neutral to the mix with gold accents.

Silver Slime

Consider this the grown-up version of the slime nails that were everywhere in the early 2000s. By using neutrals—in this case, black and silver—you can capture the same fun energy with slightly more sophistication.

Read the original article on Byrdie.