Tuxedo Nails Are Going to Trend in 2023
"Tuxedo" Nails Are Here — and Just as Sexy as They Sound
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It's not uncommon for different variations of the same nail trends to pop up again and again. The glazed-doughnut manicure is a great example of this, which has seen similar minimal yet glossy designs in "rich girl," "supermodel" and "lip gloss" nails. But there's a new look positioned to trend big this season — and it's a little more buttoned-up in the best way. At the 2023 Oscars, Vanessa Hudgens arrived with a sleek black-and-white manicure that could only be described as "tuxedo nails," and since then, the look has started to creep its way onto social media feeds.
Here's everything you need to know about the trend before it takes off.
What Are Tuxedo Nails?
Similar to the tuxedo suit you might see at a black-tie affair, this manicure spotlights that colour combination of black and white in varying designs. While the exact details showcased depend on your personal preference, it's meant to pull inspiration from elements of a classic tuxedo, like the crisp black lines of the jacket and tie or the accent buttons. For example, Hudgens's nails, created by celebrity manicurist Zola Ganzorigt, featured the two staple colours in an abstract pattern.
Ganzorigt explained on Instagram that she wanted to do "something classic and chic" to go with the vintage Chanel dress Hudgens wore for the event, but "unique at the same time." She landed on this abstract black-and-white design that combined the elements of two popular nail-art trends: the traditional french manicure and the modern "reverse" (aka inverted) french design. To refresh, a standard french manicure features a smile line along the outer edge of the fingernail; a "reverse" french manicure sees the smile line wrap around the cuticle for mirrored shape.
In the case of the tuxedo nails, Ganzorigt painted the base of Hudgens's nails white using the shade OPI Funny Bunny ($14). She then traced half of the nail at the tip in OPI Black Onyx ($11) to make a regular french tip and outlined half of the cuticle in the same shade to create the reverse. Lastly, she connected them directly down the middle of the nail using a thin brush. This created the look of one continual brush stroke on top of the white polish.
"[Hudgens] loves adding a twist when it comes to her look," Ganzorigt continued in her caption. Since the manicure made its debut on March 12, it's begun to go mainstream.
Tuxedo-Nails Inspiration
See the look for yourself ahead, as well as some of our other favourite takes on tuxedo nails — then head to the salon to get ahead of the trend before it's everywhere.
Tuxedo Nails
Hudgens's "tuxedo" nails really stand out thanks to the contrasting colours.
Tuxedo Nails
The black-and-white colour combination can match with anything.
Tuxedo Nails
This set of "tuxedo" nails combines the signature colours into a slanted french tip.
Tuxedo Nails
"Tuxedo" nails look crisp thanks to the clean lines and colours.
Tuxedo Nails
The buttons on these "tuxedo" nails really help the design resemble the suit.
Tuxedo Nails
These "tuxedo" nails feature elements of a traditional and inverted french in a different pattern.
Tuxedo Nails
Though traditionally done with white and black nail polish, you can shake things up by using a sheer, glittery white instead.
