@candynailbar
For spring and summer nail colors, our brains often go right to pastels and bold brights—and rightly so, as those are warm-weather classics. For fall and winter, we have a different color scheme in mind, which is a little less traditional and a bit more opulent for the season. This season, were painting our nails a rich and luxurious combination of black and gold. Its a classically chic look that weve been seeing all over Instagram and at the salon. Think of it as a much-needed change as the temperatures drop—and maybe even as they rise, as some of these designs are so inspiring that youll want to embrace them year-round.
Take a scroll through some fantastic designs, each one different from the last, as weve curated a collection that ranges from ornate and complex to simple and minimalist. No matter your taste, theres truly a variation of black and gold nails for everyone.Find our favorite picks below.
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Abstract with Gold Studs
@nail_unistella
Delicate black wire nails paired with a single studded gold accent nail are perfect for people who crave something unexpected and unique.
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Star Accent
@paragonnails
All you need for this look is a star accent—and a gorgeous black French tip, of course.
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Shiny but Distressed
These fiery gold digits have the appearance of being slightly distressed—as if the polish has peeled back to show vibrant gold beneath.
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Black and Glitter Splatter
We love color-blocking with splats of shiny black and sparkly gold—it makes for an architectural and modern look. Try using a polish like Ella + Milas Elite Collection in Drippin Gold ($11).
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Square Cutout
This minimalist design is chic and easy to replicate. Go for a bold black base like Sally Hansens Xtreme Wear Nail Color in Black Out ($4), then add a small cube at the top of each nail.
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Matte and Gold Flakes
For a fun play on texture, this elegant matte base looks sleek against contrasting gold flakes. Alternating nails offer an impact via a glossy shine, which contrasts well with the matte.
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Gold Crescents
@threat.level.nails
Black tips add an edge to your standard French mani. Coupled with gold curves across each nail, this surely isnt your typical fare.
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Tuxedo Nails
@aliciatnails
We cant help but refer to these nails as "tuxedo nails" thanks to the contrasting shapes and polished finish.
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Disco Waves
These disco-esque nails were created using a gold OPI polish called A Mirror Escape ($10), from the brands Alice Through the Looking Glass collection. Perfect for a Saturday night out, they give us Jerry Hall circa 1978 vibes.
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Gilded Stripes
Certainly glamorous, these charcoal tips get an upgrade with gold stripes at varying angles. Well wear this elegant design on any occasion.
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Golden Accessories
@nail_unistella
Yet another delicately accessorized nail design from one of our favorite Instagram accounts, @nail_unistella, we love how the use of chains and gems takes this celestial design to the next level.
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Small Details
@adrianagheorghita.makeup
Its all in the details: gold nail jewels, gold chevron, and a rose gold accent nail.
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Accent Nail
@agneseheringa
Keep it simple and go for all black with a minimal accent nail for a striking effect.
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Censored Outlines
@nailsinc
A little cheeky, these silhouettes incorporate gold stars for a pointed censor.
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Graphic Gold
@nail_unistella
We cant decide what these dark nails remind us of, but either way, we love the sets of thin gold bars.
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Spray of Dots
Pair black polish with a spray of miniature dots on the tip for a super extravagant manicure.
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Gold Wire
@nail_unistella
Step outside the box with this creative black and gold freestyle design. Add a contrasting nail by accessorizing with gold wire.
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Minimalist Stripe
@oliveandjune
This ones good for anyone with super short nails. Break up a plain black base with a vertical gold stripe, adding a dash of elegance and lengthening the appearance of the nail.
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A Twist on Plaid Perfection
@oliveandjune
This one is for anyone who doesnt love bold black nails. Do as the nail experts over at Olive and June did and flip the script by wearing a white base. Then, accent it with linear black patterning and gold detailing.
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Black and Gold Cuticle
@betina_goldstein
This inverted French manicure incorporates a black and gold pattern modeled after fabulous Chanel earrings. Its minimalistic and elegant.
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Tiny Leopard Print
@betina_goldstein
Fierce golden leopard print lines the edges of this delicate design. Add golden accessories on an accent nail for variation.
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Glitter Dipped
Add a fun twist to your mani with a dipped gold glitter finish.
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Gold Accents
@kakal1105
Simple accent details like checkerboards and a smiley face give this shiny black base a golden touch.
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Outlined Stars
@nailsinc/@thehangedit
Sensing a theme? Outline a few stick-on gold stars for an out-of-this-world manicure.
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Geometric
@thehangedit
Incorporate white and nude polish into the mix, adding black and gold accents for a standout manicure.
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Half Moon and Gold Accents
@aliciatnails
This half-moon design gets an upgrade with a quick horizontal golden line dashed across the center, incorporating two minimalistic looks into one.
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Chevron Tip
@tiffanyabbigailebeauty
The clear base offers a stark contrast to the overlapping black and gold stiletto tips, essentially creating a tiny piece of art on each nail.
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Art Deco
@paragonnails
Positively art-deco, this manicure is easy to recreate. Try using a detailing brush to paint the stripes for a vintage design thats party-ready.
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Gold Glitter Stripe
@nailandbrowartist
Manicures like this one look simple, but it takes a steady hand to paint such gold glitter within the black lines.
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Sliver of Color
@suzannenicollenails
This stunning, oval-shaped French manicure design offers just a sliver of black and a hint of gold for a subtle look.
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Gold Foil Outline
This design sees varying strips of black polish and gold foil accents, with unique designs on each nail.
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Accessorized
Each nail features a different design here, making this a rather painstaking (but well worth the effort) look. To replicate it at home, try using a mix of press-on stickers (we like this pearl version, $7) and ombré polish.
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Pointed Glitter
@lien76
On pointed nails, glitter looks a bit more sophisticated. Here, the glitter adheres to each nail differently, with one accent nail covered nearly entirely in the product, sans black base.
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Glossy Extensions
@_daniellesbeauty
One fun way to inject a pattern onto your nails is to add it to only one nail—here, for instance, the alternating matte and glossy black nails are the focus, with sparkly gold details just on a few of the nails. Though the nails are all different, the overall effect is cohesive.
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Matte Black with Gleaming Gold
This design is all about the juxtaposition of matte black with gleaming gold. The two gold nails on each hand feature stripes, dots, and a foil-like texture.
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Floating Gold Flakes
A black base is just the thing to show off flecks of gold that appear to be floating on the nail.
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Sun and Planets
@lisastrev
Fans of astronomy (and/or astrology) will appreciate this design, which pairs a black background with gold polish detailing stars and planets.
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Ombré With Dot
@nucalicoletti
The nail bed here is bold, thanks to a large gold dot. But the tip moves into an ombré design.
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High-Gloss
@glitmeupnailstudiosxm
This high-gloss design pairs black and gold nails, plus it adds one nail per hand thats a mix of both colors.
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Pointed With Thumb Detail
Here, the nails are all plain black with pointed tips. The thumb nail, however, is more spruced up, thanks to gold glitter in a floral motif.
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Slightly Marbled
@zarasesthetics
This abstract design sees swirls of gold polish overtop glossy black. The effect is an interesting take on the marbled design.
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Leopard, Black, and Contrast
Another leopard design, this set uses the dramatic pattern on just two nails (on the ring finger), using the other nails to showcase black or contrasting black and beige designs.
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Subtle Gold Foil
Here, a pointy and slightly rounded set of nails gets the foil treatment. For this look, apply gold foil to various places on jet black nails (try not to mimic the same design on every nail).
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Graduation Set
@naomi.nailz_
This graduation set offers plenty in the celebration department (wide swaths of glitter, a little gold for glam), but also some fun, geometric designs in jet black.
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Swirls
@nailsbyanisaa
This marbled swirl design has a beige background, with subtle swirls in gold and black. You can mimic the look by using a toothpick or similarly thin brush to create the swirls.
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Sparkly
@nailsbymarthaaaa
Think of this as an evening-appropriate take on the trend: sparkles, crystals, and other elegant accessories make each nail a work of art on its own.