Stripes and muted tones are perfect for a French manicure in January.

• The French manicure design originated in Hollywood in 1975.
• Since its creation, artists have taken the nude-and-white blueprint and made it their own, experimenting with polish types, colors, border placements, and textures to open a new world of possibilities in nail design.

The classic French manicure design is defined by its instantly recognizable juxtaposition of a nude or pink base carved out by a clean, white line adorning the free edge of the nail. Contrary to popular belief, the design itself didn’t actually originate in France, but in Hollywood in 1975 by manicurist and Orly founder Jeff Pink. In the 50 years since its conception, the style has solidified its place as an iconic staple in the nail world, and since then, artists have built upon the blueprint, playing with features like colors, textures, and appliqués to provide their own creative twist.

While a traditional French silhouette is a clean and simple design, the attention to detail and brush precision required to paint the look make the style a technical feat. Everyone, say thank you to your nail artists! Below, we’ve rounded up our favorite fresh French manicures that are truly a masterclass in the endless possibilities of nail art, to add to your January lineup.

Frosty Panes

sansungnails

A cozy January day spent reading under a blanket. The fire is roaring inside, and outside, the cold is crackling an ice-blue frost on your windowpane. The edges of the magnetic polish used to create these tips are slightly blurred, as opposed to a stark carving, and shimmering appliqué snowflakes tie the look together.

Seaglass

claudia_hrnandez

The delicate shine of this set looks as if delicate glass, smoothed by years of wave and sand exfoliation, were plucked off of the shore and attached to each nail tip.

Teddy Coat

sansungnails

This manicure represents a slight departure from the traditional negative space often seen in the base of a French design. The base of the nail is covered in a magnetic blue polish, and the French feature is pulled in via a soft amber edge on each nail.

Cherry Bomb

staceymachin

For a simple way to customize a traditional French manicure, keep the base color the same, but swap the white tip for a striking red.

Matcha Polka Dots

staceymachin

The matcha craze is everywhere, and it’s arguably here to stay. This set puts a pastel green on the nail edge and adds a playful polka dot.

Good Omen

staceymachin

We’re all about heading into the new year with a clean slate and good vibes. This design incorporates “evil eye” motifs that are typically associated with warding off negative energy.

Head in the Clouds

by shelley

The edges of this manicure are painted with a fresh, pastel blue shade, while the base is glossed with a nude topped with white clouds and stars.

Winter Garden

sansungnails

The jeweled detailing of this set delicately hugs the corner of the nail in a silhouette that leans thinner than a typical French manicure, and a rhinestone flower anchors each nail along the base.

Winter Blues

jessnailsit

For a slightly more mod look—think Warhol’s pop art—this manicure employs a primary shade of blue for both elements of its French, painting a more translucent blue on the base of the nail and turning up the opacity along the edge.

Dirty Martini

gossipandgloss

Whether or not Dry January is in your cards this year, this playful manicure pulls together a variety of designs, from a warm tortoiseshell to set the tone, to an eye-catching array of golds, whites, and airbrushed greens. Bonus points for the mini 3D olive stack!

Glossy

gossipandgloss

When in doubt, the tried-and-true classic maintains its position in the nail design hall of fame for a reason. Clean, simple, and sophisticated.

Checkmate

iramshelton

A “blink and you’ll miss it” detail with a huge payoff. This set details an intricate checkerboard pattern within the French silhouette itself.

Torts

by shelley

This design plays with the French feature as an accent nail, highlighting two French silhouettes in a tortoiseshell pattern, and keeping the other nails completely painted.

Rosy Glow

sansungnails

While the winter seasons are typically associated with the frosty blues and the cool side of the colorwheel, this playful pink manicure incorporates popular winter motifs in a warmer pink setting. The French pieces are executed via a snowflake glitter and 3D cableknit pattern.

Bejewelled

sansungnails

This manicure leans into more negative space and a glossy nude across the nail’s base, and clusters dimensional gems in the French shape towards the edges.

Cherry Blossom

sansungnails

January sits solidly in the middle of the winter season. With the festivities of the holidays wrapped, we look ahead to two more months of shorter days and colder temperatures. Manifest a little springtime bloom with this cherry blossom manicure, which clusters an opaque pink towards the edge of each nail to create dimension below the applique petals.

Butterfly Wings

sansungnails

The opalescent blues painted throughout the black edging of this manicure capture the exact mesmerizing bioluminescence of a monarch butterfly’s wing as it catches the light, while still incorporating the darker shades and winter blues that blend effortlessly with your January wardrobe.

Magnetism

sansungnails

Incorporating a magnetic “cat-eye” style polish along the edges of each nail, this set creates a light-catching effect that moves with your hands, leaving starry fractals in your wake.

Morning Mist

sansungnails

In keeping with the metallic cyber-medieval trend (think Chappell Roan as Joan of Arc at the VMAs), the edges of this set are dusted with a light silver shimmer, but the borders are denoted by a realistic chain detailing that wraps around either side of the nail tips.

Go for a Stroll

thehangedit

This manicure design begins with your traditional French—a clear base and white edges—but layers detailed watercolor designs atop.