Moody mani: autumn/winter’s best nail trend is deliciously dark

It’s time to retire summer brights in favour of a broody colour staple that works all year round writes Sarah Young

Marc Jacobs Autumn Winter 2016 (Getty)

If like me, you’re partial to a moody mani all year round this might not seem like a particularly ground-breaking trend but like it or not, summer is slowly drawing to a close and so are those seasonal brights. While us Brits are enjoying a momentary heatwave, a deluge of wintry hues are flooding the beauty market and besides who says you have to wait until the temperature dips to work a sinister digit anyway?

New-fangled noir shades are calling for a serious manicure intervention this autumn/winter, with the runway backing a lean towards dramatic inky hues. Taking cue from his gothic collection Marc Jacobs offered all-over black lacquer while Rodarte matched their dark romanticism with an accidental black nail and dark raisin outline – to start with a red nail polish was applied before the designers changed their mind. As there wasn’t time to remove the original colour they simply painted over the red leaving a little sliver of it showing around the edges. The brooding nail art didn’t stop there, though, with Julien Macdonald electing a black French manicure and Anna Sui gilding short, boyish tips in shades of oxblood, green and navy.

Rodarte Autumn Winter 2016 (Rex Features)

Colder weather doesn’t mean your digits should go into hibernation so don’t slack on your nail game this season with a timeless head-turning hue. The trick is to keep your nails short and neatly filed but if you prefer to add a little length make sure to keep things less angular with a rounded edge. As well as applying a glossy top coat remember to never skip the base; not only does this prevent staining but it will also hold darker, heavier pigments onto the nail helping to prevent chips. If you’re wary of all-over black, try switching out your classic shade for a darker tone in the same colour family; swap turquoise for glossy navy or French girl red for a deep Bordeaux.