Once you’ve nailed down the side dishes and seating arrangements for Thanksgiving, it’s time to move on to bigger and better pursuits: Thanksgiving nail ideas. Thanksgiving is a big night for catching up and breaking bread — so you’ll want the hands that handle the fork to be looking fresh and ready for the official start of the holiday season.
Whether you prefer short and simple or long and shaped; seasonal shades or intricate nail art — there’s a little something for everyone at the Thanksgiving nail design table. The warm, earthy hues associated with autumn are a great jumping-off point for many Thanksgiving manicure ideas, including intricately hand-painted illustrations, subtle ombré, and color-blocked designs. Even if you don’t partake in Thanksgiving celebrations, these palettes and techniques are great for fall — a last hurrah before we shift into the more wintery hues and trends of winter.
(Ed’s note: Before we get into any specific trends or techniques, it is important to note that Thanksgiving has seen many changes and iterations in the last three centuries and, simply put, its history is far from the “first Thanksgiving meal” narrative often taught in schools across America. This complex issue deserves far more nuance and expertise — and a nail-art gallery frankly doesn’t feel like the venue to do it justice — so we urge you to explore the topic on your own. A good starting point is this 2012 Q&A from Indian Country Today between artist and historical preservationist Ramona Peters of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe and journalist Gale Courey Toensing.)
For inspiration on autumnal designs that evoke this particular weekend of November and beyond, we spoke with nail experts, as well as our own beauty editors, about all the creative designs they anticipate seeing on people’s fingertips this time of year.
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