red, black, and gold plaid nails for holiday on a hand wearing gold rings

Prints don’t get much more holiday-ready than plaid. Classic checks in red, black, and gold always feel festive, so why not try the timeless pattern on your nails? No matter how you’re celebrating, my modern, minimalist take on plaid nails will help you get in the spirit of the season, stylishly. Ahead, see how to achieve this merry mani at home.

Holiday Plaid Nails

hand with plaid nails

Supplies:

  • Sheer nude nail polish (I like Essie Sheer Silhouette)
  • Black nail polish (I like Essie Licorice)
  • Gold nail polish (I like Chanel Chaine D’ Or)
  • Bright red nail polish (I like Essie Lollipop)
  • Thin nail brush tool
  • Top coat (I like Seche Vive Top Coat )

Helpful Tips:

  • Use a piece of aluminum foil as your palette. Apply a drop or two of nail polish directly on the aluminum foil. As you work you will need to add more polish, as regular polish (non-gel) dries quickly.
  • Using a highly-pigmented polish works best when doing line work. Watery or translucent nail polish is harder to work with and requires more layers, making it hard to keep lines clean.
  • To create clean lines, always make sure your brush is clean. When applying polish to your brush, drag through the polish to ensure your brush is evenly coated.
  • Always use a gel-like top coat to ensure your lines don’t bleed.
  • Always make sure your base coat is completely dry before proceeding with your design.

Instructions:

hand with clear nail polish

Step 1: Start off with clean, dry nails. Apply 1 coat of sheer nude polish.

step 3 of plaid nail tutorial with black line

Step 2: Using a thin brush tool and black nail polish, draw a line on the left side of your nail from the base of your nail to the tip.

step 4 of nail tutorial with two black lines intersecting on each nail

Step 3: Draw a black horizontal line crossing the vertical line, closer to the base of the nail.

step 5 of nail tutorial adding gold lines to black lines for pattern

Step 4: Using a clean thin brush tool and gold polish, draw a vertical line on the opposite side of your nail from the base of your nail to the tip.

step 6 of plaid nail tutorial adding another gold line to pattern

Step 5: Draw a gold horizontal line towards the top of your nail that crosses both the black line and the gold line.

step 7 of plaid nail tutorial adding red lines

Step 6: Using a clean thin brush tool and bright red polish, create a thin line down the center of the gold vertical line.

step 8 of plaid nails tutorial with red, gold and black lines

Step 7: Repeat over the horizontal gold line.

closed hand with plaid nails for holidays

Step 8: Allow 10 minutes for the design to dry and apply a glossy top coat.

Did you try this holiday manicure? Show us your plaid nails on Instagram @Lulus using #lovelulus–then score more for the season from our Holiday shop!

(Additional copy by Rachel Aschenbrand-Robinson)