It’s that time of year that, for some of us, sitting hunched over classic literature and black coffee in a gothic Hogwarts-esque library, overhearing passionate conversations of philosophy, sounds ideal. Even if this doesn’t sound dreamy to you, you can still fall for the dark academia aesthetic that idealizes the lifestyle of the literary and collegiate. We curated a list of dark academia winter nails we can easily picture clutching The Secret History or taking a red pen to a dissertation.
Dark Academia Winter Nails to Admire
1 / 10
Latte Swirl Nails
What’s studying the classics in an old library without a foamy latte by your side? This set combines coffee, milk and cream colors to create a gorgeous one-of-a-kind manicure.
IG: @sansungnails
2 / 10
Dark Coquette Nails
Dark academia has its coquette moments—think Rory Gilmore at Yale, but when she joins the Life and Death Brigade. These sharp blue aura nails with gothic black bows add a feminine touch to make sure every part of you is present.
IG: @spicycownails
3 / 10
School Uniform Navy Nails
Something about this inky navy manicure screams collegiate secret societies and private school prep skirts. We’re sure we’d spot this deep sapphire manicure on multiple people studying around an Ivy League campus.
IG: @aleksandrazajac.nails
4 / 10
Dark Starry Night Nails
This manicure is dark academia meets astronomy with a deep red ombré and gold accents of stars and moons. It's perfect for the dark academics studying the stars.
IG: @thenailroom___
5 / 10
Noir Florals Manicure
This Victorian-esque manicure reminds us of the aesthetic of many dark academia books with black flowers against a sheer polish background.
IG: @prettymuch_nails
6 / 10
Wine Nails
Deep burgundy is a key color in the dark academia palette, and something about the square shape of these makes them even more of the mood yet still modern.
IG: @gelsbybry
7 / 10
Muted Jewel Tones Manicure
We love that the muted jewel tones used in his manicure incorporate color while still keeping things in the dark academia realm. The thumb nail art really locks these in as a dark academia must-have.
IG: @lakayla.thenailfaerie
8 / 10
Dark Green With Envy Nails
Rich dark greens are a staple shade in dark academia, especially hues so deep they’re easily mistaken for black, like this nail color.
IG: @matejanova
9 / 10
Dark Hearts French Manicure
This artsy French manicure is emanating dark academia vibes from the ornate heart nail art to the deep purple shade.
IG: @nailsbloodynails
10 / 10
Espresso Nails
We imagine many dark academia lovers take their coffee black, resulting in a cup of caffeine much like this nail shade.
IG: @ellielouisenails
