Planning your back-to-school nails is one of the perks of saying goodbye to summer. It’s the perfect way to express your excitement for reuniting with friends, starting fall extracurriculars, and, of course, going back to class.
These designs can be inspired by everything from your favorite subjects, go-to school supplies, and even the doodles you’re likely to draw in your notebooks throughout the year. Still, cute back-to-school nails are an art form: you need ideas that are fun enough to satisfy your inner-manicurist but also easy enough to DIY if need be. You’ll be looking down at your hands a lot as you write and type your way through another semester, so above all, your nails should make you happy.
To make it easy, we’ve taken on the guesswork for you and have rounded up the best back-to-school nail ideas that we could find to help you plan out your most fun sets yet. From rounded stiletto tips with spot-on number two pencil designs to a simple “bubble bath” nail look that gets a colorful makeover, these manicures are more than mood-board worthy and will have you making your salon appointments weeks in advance. Read ahead for the cute back-to-school nails you’ll need to start the new academic year off right.
