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Sure, pedicures get more playtime over the summer, but that doesn’t mean your toes don’t deserve the same attention once temperatures drop. In fact, nail artists argue boot season is the best time to dip your toes into a fresh palette of colors. “You are most likely going to be wearing closed-toed shoes, so why not try something new?” says Katie Masters, a manicurist and founder of Nail Thoughts.
Plus, if a situation arises that requires a peep-toe, your pedicure will be ready to be front and center. “The great thing about a pedicure is that it’s almost like a tattoo,” says nail artist Tom Bachik, nail artist and Après Nail ambassador. You can keep it tucked under layers or show it off, chilly weather be damned.
We spoke to the experts, who stand 10 toes down on the best pedicure colors for fall. Read on for their recommendations.
Meet the experts
- Leslie Ayala is a nail artist and founder of Nail Witch Studios in Miami.
- Tom Bachik is a nail artist and Après Nail ambassador, who works between Los Angeles, New York, and Paris.
- Beth Fink is a manicurist and spokesperson for Kleo Kolor.
- Andrea Forero is a manicurist based in Barcelona and spokesperson for DND Gel.
- Laura B. Malarkey is a Cincinnati-based nail artist and spokesperson for Orly.
- Katie Masters is a manicurist and founder of Nail Thoughts.
- Tak Okamura is a nail artist based in New York City.
Denim
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Lights Lacquer
Mr. Darcy
Lights Lacquer
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Londontown
Secret to Happiness
Londontown USA
Like your favorite pair of boyfriend jeans, a slate-blue polish can go with just about everything. “They act like a neutral on the toes, and I love how they tie into the denim we naturally wear more in fall,” says Leslie Ayala, nail artist and founder of Miami’s Nail Witch Studios. “They remind me of that colder, overcast fall palette without literally being gray.”
Mr. Darcy by Lights Lacquer mimics that indigo dark wash, which Ayala notes would play well with silver details and other cool-toned prints. Londontown Lakur in Secret to Happiness is a few shades lighter, but just as moody and cool.
Full-bodied reds
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China Glaze
Moonlit Merlot
Ulta Beauty
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Deborah Lippmann
Single Ladies
Amazon
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Chanel
Chanel Le Vernis 155 Rouge Noir
Chanel
Sometimes, you’ve got to play the hits, and classic wine reds are the pedicure equivalent of that one song that always reminds you of the cooler months. “Deep cherries and merlots are perfect if you want something classic that’s just a bit moodier for fall,” says Andrea Forero, a Barcelona-based manicurist. “They’re rich and sophisticated shades that really pop against the skin without feeling too loud.” Bachik has noticed a rise in the popularity of red in 2026 and expects the color to continue strong through the fall and winter. “It’s just a sexy, confident, strong color,” he says.
China Glaze Moonlit Merlot is a classic deep burgundy. Prefer something richer? Try a Bordeaux, like Deborah Lippmann Single Ladies or Chanel Rouge Noir.
Toasty Brown
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Tenoverten
Cliff
Amazon
Ulta Beauty
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Habit Cosmetics
Brownie Points
Habit Cosmetics
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DND
Spiced Brown
DND
Maybe we’re just craving a treat, but the rich, warm brown hues of the season evoke images of apple cider donuts, that perfect espresso shot, and every seasonal sweet in between. “From warm caramel and mocha to deep chocolate, brown can look surprisingly elevated on the toes,” says manicurist Beth Fink.
If you’re looking to manifest fall vibes early, nail artist Tak Okamura says caramel is the perfect in-between shade as we near the end of summer. “A sun-kissed brown-amber bridges summer and fall without needing to change as the weather turns,” he says. We love Cliff by TenOverTen for a decadent dulce de leche, but if you prefer something more decadent, reach for Brownie Points by Habit Cosmetics or Spiced Brown by DND, which is available in both lacquer and gel formats.
Black patent leather
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Manucurist
Licorice
Amazon
Ulta Beauty
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ILNP
Ink
Amazon
A shiny, patent leather pedicure evokes feelings of wearing the meanest, tallest, pointiest pair of knee-high boots—even when you’re in sensible loafers. Is that just us? “It doesn’t matter what you’re pairing it with,” Bachik says. “It’s gonna look good.” Okamura agrees, emphasizing the allure of a high-shine finish: “A glossy topcoat keeps deep colors looking rich, rather than flat and chalky.”
Reach for a true noir like Manucurist Licorice or ILNP Ink, lay that topcoat on thick, and prove to your parents it’s not just a phase.
Amethyst jelly
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Cirque Colors
Acai Jelly
Cirque Colors
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With jelly shoes in their comeback era and summer’s jelly nail trend still going strong, it’s only appropriate that your pedicure follow suit, albeit in an autumnal color scheme. According to Bachik, deep jewel tones will be huge this fall, especially with a jelly finish.
Laura B. Malarkey, a Cincinnati-based nail artist and spokesperson for Orly, predicts that amethyst jelly in particular will be a popular choice. “It’s a dark and dreamy purple glossy color with a slight transparency that makes it look like a delicious pie filling,” she says. Cirque Colors in Acai Jelly and Dazzle Dry Nail Lacquer in Tickets Please create that sheer violet wash of color.
Goldenrod
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Essie
Outside the Lines
Ulta Beauty
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Côte
Côte Nail Polish in No.57 Dandelion
Côte
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Londontown
Bees Knees
Londontown USA
Goldenrod is the cozy, fall-appropriate sister to spring and summer’s butter yellow. It adds a touch of warmth to brisk fall days along with some retro flair. Masters says that while it’s part of the quintessential fall color palette, she loves the shade because it’s unexpected for a pedicure.
Essie Expressie Outside the Lines and Cote Nail Polish in No. 57 look like bottled-up sunshine. Londontown Bees Knees is slightly more orange and will remind you of a sunset against changing foliage.
Olive
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Mooncat
The Stranger
Mooncat
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MiniLuxe
Moss
MiniLuxe
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Ssone
Lichen
Anthropologie
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J. Hannah
Eames
J. Hannah
A touch warmer than your matcha order with some midcentury flair, olive green is a fall classic that’s as grounding as it is trendy. “Olive feels so rich and earthy,” Forero says. “It’s a warm autumn color we naturally gravitate toward as the weather gets cooler.”
Mooncat's The Stranger is a classic cream-finish olive, while MiniLuxe's Moss and Ssone's Lichen veer a touch deeper (the latter being more cool-toned). A lighter, more chartreuse take on the trend, J. Hannah Nail Polish in Eames is a biblically accurate match to the garnish in a dirty martini.
