Over the last few years, Copenhagen Fashion Week has cemented itself as the pinnacle cool-girl meetup of the summer. And we aren’t being fed by just the runways, but also by the eclectic, Pinterest board-worthy street style. And early this month, the streets of the Danish capital were flooded with fun patterns and colors, giving us a surplus of fashion inspiration.
As a beauty editor, I couldn’t help but wonder how I could incorporate these funky designs into my everyday life. And, of course, the answer was simple—it’s all in the manicures. From animal prints to bold pops of color, I matched the most popular CHFW looks with their corresponding nail trends.
Ahead, all the Copenhagen style-inspired nail ideas for your next manicure appointment.
Colorful Stripes
Stripes are basically a neutral at this point, and the beauty world took a page out of fashion’s book and the colorful design has become a major nail art trend as of late. Go for all over colorful stripes, or use the pattern as the tip of a French manicure.
Color Blocking
Color blocking—the technique of wearing contrasting shades together—is one of my favorite takes on mix-and-match nails. Just choose your favorite polishes, paint one onto each nail, and you’ll be looking like a Danish fashion girl in no time.
Animal Prints
Whether it’s leopard, zebra, deer, or tiger print, there’s no wrong way to wear an animal pattern, per all the Copenhagen inspo. And the below nail looks would look extra chic with a corresponding print-inspired outfit.
Polka Dots
Polka dots are showing no signs of slowing down when it comes to street style, and that goes for our manicures, too. You can use the same contrasting colors on each nail, or go for a miscellaneous pattern, complete with different polishes for each finger and even French tips to elevate the design.
Mermaid Blue
Cobalt blue walked so mermaid blue could run, and the bright hue was the official color of the summer. It’s the perfect end-of-summer nail color, and it looks especially cute topped off with a chrome finish. Some of our favorite polishes to DIY the look are Essie’s Offbeat Chic and OPI’s Can’t Find My Czechbook.
Plaid Prints
Plaid is a pattern that works year-round—whether it’s a gingham sundress or trench coat—and the design looks extra chic as nail art. All you need to get the look on your fingers is a thin brush and a steady hand (or a skilled manicurist).
Why Trust Cosmopolitan?
Jasmine Hyman is the assistant beauty editor at Cosmo who covers all things nails—from the latest design trends to new polish launches.
Jasmine Hyman is the Assistant Beauty Editor at Cosmopolitan, where she writes about the latest beauty trends and must-have products. Her most prized beauty possessions are a meticulous skincare routine and salon blowouts. You’ll also likely find her in bed reading a good book or endlessly scrolling TikTok (spoiler: it’s usually the latter) while listening to Harry Styles’ entire discography on repeat. Follow her on Insta to be inundated with pictures of her meals.
