20 Nail Inspirations to Make Your Summer Outfits Pop

Nails let you add a pop of color to an ensemble and wear your mood on your hands. That said, summer is the perfect time to experiment and find ideas to compliment those summer looks you’ve been dying to wear since winter.  

There are plenty of ideas here to go with every skirt, dress, pair of shorts, or whatever else you have planned in the outfit department for the warm summer months.  Here are some super summery nail styles to try this year.

20 Nail Inspirations to Make Your Summer Outfits Pop

1.   Sultry Orange Solids and Tropical Patterns

I’m a big fan of wearing a unique bit cohesive look on each nail. This orange and tropical mash-up have summer written all over it. 

2.            Ombre Rainbow Gel Nails

Embrace your inner unicorn with an ombre rainbow effect. I love how eye-catching they are and while there are plenty of ombre nail ideas out there, this is one of my favorites.

3.            Add a Little“Watermelon Sugar”

Tiffany-blue nails with one embellished watermelon statement nail give me life. I would rock these all summer. 

4.            Jelly Sandals Gel Nails

These translucent jelly sandal-themed nails are nostalgic and perfect. Wear them with your jellies for a look your friends will love. 

5.            Tips and Embellishments

Rounded rainbow tips and three dots of matching color give this style a lunar vibe. 

6.            Daisies on Nude Nails

These sweet little daisies make me think of summer wildflowers. Perfect for a day out in the sun. 

7.            That’s Bananas!

Banana nail art on a pink nail is everything I love about summer. Bring on the bright colors and tropical fruit! 

8.            Asymmetrical Neon Tips

Neon and summer just work. These asymmetrical tips look especially chic on a long nail. 

9.             BBQ Nail Art

American summers are all about BBQ. These picnic-perfect nails make me hungry in the best way. 

10.        Pink Confetti Nails

A touch of confetti glitter at the base of each nail creates a bubbly pink champagne look I love. Perfect for a summer night out. 

11.        Art Stamped Pineapple Nails

Pineapple art stamps, solid yellow, and a funky pattern offer a perfectly balanced summer set.

12.        Iridescent Powder-Dipped Nails

Nail dip powder has been huge lately. This iridescent opal-inspired look is the perfect accent for a white party. 

13.        Purple and Yellow Accents

Solid purple and yellow nails with accenting tips make a summery color contrast I love. Bright, flirty, and youthful. 

14.        Abstract Color Swirls

Abstract nail art is super in right now, and these bright colors bring all the summer vibes. 

15.        Intergalactic Nail Art

Clear starry nights are one of the best parts of summer. I adore these galaxy-inspired nails. 

16.        Yellow, Yellow, and More Yellow

If summer was a color it would be yellow. This yellow ombre look for these nails is a great way to blend natural nail color with a summer accent.  I love the fact that the hand model chose coffin nails for this as well, I think it fits the tone perfectly.

17.        Wave-Inspired Nails

These nails are inspired by waves washing over the surf. I love the blue, white, and nude combo. 

18.        Pastels and Animal Print

Soft pastels and bold animal print give an edgy summer nail style. I love the look on this long pointed nail shape. 

19.        Color Block Nails

Color block patterns are huge in summer fashion and it transfers perfectly to nails. I love the fun shapes in this look. 

20.        White with Metallic Nails

This mix of white and gold adds a little Grecian goddess to your style. I adore the arrow accents with this look.

Summary and Top Picks

I hope this list of nail concepts has inspired you. While I love all of them, these are my top three looks.

• #3 Jelly Sandals Gel Nails: I love jelly sandals. So uncomfortable, but so cute! These nails literally look like someone melted jelly sandals on her hands. I love it!
• #10 Pink Confetti Nails: A pop of color and a pop of champagne confetti. #perfectsummerlook
• #18 Pastels and Animal Print: A little touch of animal print on a pastel nail appeals to the wild woman in me. Love this look for summer. 

Which look inspired you most and which won’t you be trying? Let me know in a comment!