Nautical Nail Art How-To

To create this look, I stuck with a patriotic palette using (from left to right) Chanel Le Vernis Eastern Light ($27), Essie Butler Please ($9), Chanel Le Vernis Delight ($27), and Essie Snap Happy ($9).

To start off, polish your nails the base color with two coats to make each shade pop. Blue and red nails get stripes, the white nail get the anchor, and I polished my thumb the metallic hue to tie the look together.

To create the anchor design, I used a dotting tool to make the ring at the top of the anchor. Then I used a striping brush to paint a line from the dot down the middle of my nail, stopping almost at the tip. Using the same striping brush, I made two diagonal lines at the base to create the hook of the anchor. Then I painted a line under the dot to create the stock. To complete the look, I used the dotting tool to paint a smaller dot of white paint to finish off the ring at the top of the anchor.

Next up: the stripes. While you can using a striping brush and freehand paint your lines, I opted for striping tape ($1) to ensure a uniform look. I created the nautical motif on one blue nail and my red pinky.

For my middle finger, I played with patterns by giving it a polka-dot treatment. I used a dotting tool to get the perfect spots.

The final look is a fun, fresh take on a nautical design that's perfect for rocking this holiday weekend or any day this Summer!