This fall season, we suggest leaning into the maximalist vibes and making nails look like mini works of art. While summer [1] was all about fruit nails [2] and pastel colors [3], fall 2025 is ushering in a new obsession: stained glass nails. The style gets its name from the glowing, dimensional finish that resembles a cathedral window by using colored, layered shades that catch the light in unexpected ways. The effect is basically fall fashion in nail form.
"Stained glass nails are perfect for fall because they capture the warm, cozy, and moody vibe of the season while still feeling elevated and artistic," says nail artist Tracy Lee Percival, who points to jewel tones like burgundy, amber, emerald, and gold as shades that stand out this time of year. To learn more about the nail trend, like how to get the look at home, keep reading.
Experts Featured in This Article
Julie Kandalec [4] is a celebrity nail artist and founder of Masterclass Nail Academy. She is also a PS council member.
Tracy Lee Percival [5] is a celebrity manicurist and entrepreneur.
How to Get Stained Glass Nails
This is a nail trend that you'll likely want to enlist the help of a professional for, but if you're adamant on going the DIY [6] route, we have some tips. To achieve the look, layering is key. "The best way to get the effect is layering sheer jelly-finish gels or polishes over a neutral base on longer, clear nail tips, like the Kiss Nails Salon Full Cover Nails [7] ($6). Holding them up to the light gives you a true stained glass look," says celebrity manicurist Julie Kandalec. She recommends using fine brushes, like the Nail Art Design Brush & Tool Kit [8] ($12). For polishes, we recommend Essie's Nail Art Studio Jelly Gloss Polish [9] ($15) or Ella+Mila's Nail Color [10] ($10).
Percival adds that drawing thin "veins" with black polish or metallics before filling in the panes with jewel-toned shades is what really creates the windowpane illusion. For the color itself, she turns to any color of the KBShimmer Nail Polish [11] ($12), which offers metallics and iridescents to mimic the glow of real stained glass.
There's no one way to wear the look, and honestly, that's half the fun. Ahead, you'll find a few stained glass variations to try, but however you style it, your nails are guaranteed to be the accessory everyone notices this fall.
Botanical Stained Glass Nails
This is the trend at its most intricate. Detailed designs of florals, beetles, or even bees are layered in rich jewel tones and outlined with metallic gold, turning each nail into a tiny work of art. The effect feels straight out of an antique Tiffany lamp: ornate, nature-inspired, and completely luxe.
"I love substituting black for gold metallic veining or using gold foil and gold accents in the design," says Percival, noting how metallic details elevate the look's opulence. It's a maximalist take, but one that feels perfect for special occasions or when you want your nails to double as jewelry.
Multi-Colored Stained Glass Nails
This is the stained glass trend at its most dramatic. Each nail is divided into sections outlined with thin black lines, filled with vibrant shades of red, blue, purple, and gold. The effect instantly recalls cathedral windows: intricate, colorful, and full of character.
"These can be created on most nail lengths and shapes, but I think a long almond or square-shaped nail gives a nice canvas size for the design," Percival says. "That will also give the effect of a 'window'."
French Stained-Glass Nails
This take on stained-glass nails focuses the design on the tips for a fresh, modern spin. The negative-space base keeps the look clean and elongates the fingers, while the black-outlined panes filled with pink and green floral details add just the right amount of edge. It's basically the artsy older sister of a French manicure — simple yet cool enough to turn heads.
Graphic Stained Glass Nails
If you want to channel the look of an actual stained glass window, this version is it. Bold black outlines frame each section, while pops of color — from pinks to teals to soft neutrals — fill in the panes with floral or abstract designs. The effect is most striking when sheer, jelly polishes are layered over a neutral or clear base, "the more opaque the base color is, the more vibrant the stained glass colors will be," says Kandalec. You can keep them glossy or switch to a matte finish for extra drama, but either way the result is bold, artistic, and impossible to miss.
Gilded Stained Glass Nails
This soft, stained-glass manicure is a perfect example of how to make nail art feel elevated and wearable. The sheer pink base keeps things light, while the delicate gold leaf outlines and tiny flowers give the design an elegant finish. The result feels like jewelry for your nails — versatile enough for everyday wear but still special enough for a night out.
"Pro tip: refer to a stained-glass window for inspiration on the design you'd like to try," says Percival. "Keep it basic or have fun with it."
Pastel Stained Glass Nails
For a soft, whimsical take on the trend, pastel pane nails use shades of pink, yellow, mint, and blue. Outlined in gold, each nail looks like a miniature stained glass window with a playful twist. By using this technique, you'll be able to "conceal growth so clients can leave their nail design on as long as they can," says Kandalec.
Cat-Eye Stained Glass Nails
If you like the cat-eye nail trend [12], you'll love these nails. Cat-eye polish uses magnetic particles that shift under a magnet to create a glowing beam of light across the nail. When paired with softer shades and segmented into stained glass–style 'panes,' the effect feels fresh, multidimensional, and completely unforgettable. According to Kandalec, "thin coats and a top coat with lots of shine really make it pop."
Olivia Tauber [13] is a freelance writer based in New York, pursuing her Master's in Journalism at NYU. She's the contributing assistant beauty editor at PopSugar and contributor to New York Magazine's The Cut, Interview, Bustle, SELF, and HuffPost. Her career began in corporate publicity at Showtime, followed by production for "The Pivot," an Emmy-nominated series.