5 August Nail Designs To End The Summer Off Right — & Bright

And just like that, summer is already coming to a close. Of course, this season has looked a lot different from those in the past: we've come up with creative ways to safely hang out with friends, acquired new outlooks on life, baked a ton of banana bred, and for many of us, become our own nail artists. While our at-home renditions may not have been seen by the masses, the best August nail art designs are giving us a reason to rock bright shades and designs for the rest of the month — and possibly well into fall, too.

"Suddenly, without the ridiculous scrutiny known as 'looking professional,' we are all free to abandon neutrals and wear the colors that truly make us happy," Miss Pop, celebrity and editorial nail artist, tells TZR. "I’ve always felt that it is a form of misogyny to judge a woman’s ability to do her job by if her nail color was neutral enough. And I can only imagine how that translates in an office environment for men, trans, and non-binary folks. But now, we don’t have to worry about that silly judgment. We are all free to wear whatever color we want, whatever design we want, whatever inspires us."

So ahead, check out five anything-goes nail designs that are kicking the respectability politics of nails right out the window.

August 2020 Nail Art Designs: No-Vacay Vacay Nails

Not everyone can go on vacation these days, of course. However, that doesn't mean that our manicures can't leave us feeling more connected to the beach. "Many of our clients are coming in asking for manicures inspired by tropical places," Ella Nguyen, founder of Leapia Nail Salon in New York City, says. "So we pick out some bright colors and just layer them in different shapes on the nail."

August 2020 Nail Art Designs: Exaggerated French Mani

"I've been obsessed with reimagining the French mani," Miss Pop says. "Instead of white, I love adding colorful tips.. I like exaggerating the curve of the French and even sliding it down one side of the nail — or creating an ombré tip."

August 2020 Nail Art Designs: "Skittles Nails"

"One trend I see staying strong is one I sent down the runway for the Missoni show in February: Skittles nails," Miss Pop says. "This look is created when each nail is a different color. For the show, we chose five saturated shades from the OPI Mexico City Collection, but this look looks fabulous in any color combination. All you need is five shades you love so it’s an easy DIY that’s perfect for someone who has a hard time picking just one nail polish color."

August 2020 Nail Art Designs: Psychedelic Nails

"I've been doing a lot of swirly psychedelic tie-dye looks," Miss Pop says. "I recently created the look in partnership with Nailtopia and have been loving it since." To recreate the look, simply take three to four colors of your choice, dotting all over the nails, and blending together with a small nail brush.

August 2020 Nail Art Designs: Abstract Florals

According to Nguyen, mastering flowers is easier than it looks, and no, it doesn't require the five-dot method that we're used to. "A way to create an artistic flower is to pull polishes from the same color family but of different shades," she says. "Layer them randomly atop each other until you've achieved the look you like."