10 Cute Manicures for Short Nails

By Sam Escobar, Good Housekeeping

Like to keep yours trimmed? These subtle and bold designs are for you.

Galaxy Chic

Get galactic with this super cool manicure by Pretty Squared. It may look complicated, but it's surprisingly easy to pull off, even for beginners.

Preppy Plaid

Does this particular blend of black, white, and yellow stripes look familiar? Perhaps it's because this is the same design Cher (Alicia Silverstone) wore in 1995's cult fave Clueless. Now you can copy it to wear with your bright summer dresses.

Rainbow Dots

This dotted manicure is so adorable. Not a fan of rainbow hues? Swap in your fave colors instead.

Vintage Flowers

For her guest post on the Lucy's Stash nails blog, Lindsey of Wondrously Polished did a beautiful vintage-inspired floral nail art look. (If you like this one, be sure to check out our roundup of more bloom-worthy manicures.)

Leopard Print

This nail art is perfect for when you want to whip out your wild side for the weekend. And while it looks ultra-complex, the tutorial itself is deceptively easy.

Blue and White Ombre

Searching for a cool design that will make your nails pop and look longer? Try this bold look So Nailicious created for her own wedding.

Polka Dots

If you want something fun that's still subtle enough for work, try this black-and-white design. You can also play with other color combinations to match your nails to any (or every!) outfit you own.

Striped Tips

Take the traditional French manicure up a notch by playing with colors and adding an extra stripe. Bonus: This design elongates your nails!

Robin's Egg Sparkle

This pretty manicure works on any nail length. Our favorite part? The gold glitter.

White Accent Flowers

Want a beautiful nude manicure but don't have hours to spend painting flowers on every nail? Try this cute, simple look. You can even go with just one accent nail — it will still make your hands pop.

See more at: Good Housekeeping