Thanksgiving 2025 is just around the corner, and your nails are about to slay this November. For color trends, we’re talking cranberry red, burnt orange, brown, golden yellow, earthy greens, and cozy neutrals. As for accents, it’s all about gold detailing, leaf and floral art, harvest-themed designs, plaid patterns, and classic tortoiseshell. Let’s break down all the top trends and designs for Thanksgiving nails 2025, with 40 stunning inspo images.
Editor’s note: This post has been updated to bring you the latest 2025 nail art trends.
Cranberry Red for Peak Thanksgiving Color
Cranberry red is literally on the Thanksgiving table in sauce form, so yeah, it’s the most appropriate nail color you can possibly do. It starts trending on socials and Pinterest every November, and here’s the best part – you can keep it past Turkey Day without looking out of place. Strategic queen behavior.
The move for 2025 is polka dots – this trend is HUGE right now and it translates perfectly to Thanksgiving nails. Or go full coverage cranberry: glossy and opaque looks incredible, but semi-sheer with syrupy, jelly finish? Absolutely stunning and so juicy-looking.
Autumn Leaf Art for Traditional Thanksgiving Nails
Leaf art is the decorative gourd of nail designs – predictable, expected, and honestly still cute. Maple leaves, oak leaves, whatever crunchy thing is outside right now. It’s fall themed by default which makes it perfect for the holiday.
For 2025, I’m seeing it mostly as an accent nail situation with brown, burgundy, and other fall colors – it’s cute and thematic without being too in-your-face. French tips with scattered leaves are cute, or you can go full theater kid with a milky base, maximum leaf coverage, and gold accents.
Floral Nails That Feel Autumn-Appropriate
So floral nails in fall colors have been clutch for Thanksgiving for years now. The secret? Keep your palette locked into autumn mode: burnt orange, deep plum, mustard yellow, chocolate brown, dark green, deep reds. That’s it. That’s the assignment.
This works especially well if you want something traditionally feminine but seasonal for your November mani. Pair with a neutral base or go full moody garden with a dark background. These are the nails for people who want to feel romantic about Thanksgiving without being corny about it.
Fall Skittle Nails for Maximum Color Variety
When you can’t pick between cranberry, burnt orange, mustard yellow, chocolate brown, and burgundy – just do them all. Skittle nails let you wear the entire Thanksgiving color palette at once. The only rule is making sure your colors are in the same family – all warm, all muted, or all jewel-toned – so it looks coordinated.
Also keep the finish consistent – you don’t want one nail sheer and another opaque. You can do a gradient effect where one color transitions from light to dark across your hand, and yes, it also works for French tip manicures.
Harvest-Themed Nails with Pumpkins and Wheat
Harvest nails because you want people to KNOW you’re in Thanksgiving mode. Pumpkins, wheat stalks, cornucopias – the full agricultural abundance moment. This is maximalist Thanksgiving and I respect the commitment. The symbolism here is obvious: harvest = we have crops = we can eat = let’s feast and be grateful about it.
Not trying to go full-on autumn farm? I see you. Just pop an accent nail with a pumpkin or apple for a cute nod to the season. My personal fave? Wheat stalk art – seriously, it deserves more screen time. Subtle, classy, and super cute when paired with milky white and a little gold pop.
Brown Nails for a Rich Fall Moment
Brown nails are the neutral that actually feels seasonal – let’s go! Brown chrome, cat eye, or velvet? Total showstoppers. Glossy chocolate? Classic luxury. Need to level it up? Gold accents are the move. This is the adult in the room of Thanksgiving nails.
Plus, it’s basically the color of pecan pie and gravy, so you’re thematically covered if anyone asks. It’ll look just as good after Turkey Day, which we love – brown’s a versatile queen, not a one-hit-wonder. It goes with everything and won’t scream “holiday-specific.”
Gold Accent Nails for a Fancy Dinner Table Look
Gold is the universal signal for “this is a special occasion manicure and I’m treating it as such.” Gold foil, chrome, glitter – all valid moves for 2025. Symbolically, gold represents prosperity and the harvest’s worth, but practically it just makes everything look more expensive.
It pairs especially well with warm browns, deep reds, and burnt orange – AKA all the Thanksgiving colors we’ve been discussing. Gold also works with mix-and-match designs, so you can throw in multiple holiday colors and tie it together with gold accents like a festive little bow.
Orange Nails for Classic Pumpkin Season
Orange nails are the most obvious Thanksgiving choice after cranberry, but sometimes obvious is the move. You want burnt orange, spiced orange, terracotta, or rust – those muted, earthy oranges that feel like fall instead of screaming Halloween.
Orange is autumn leaves, it’s harvest season, it’s the fact that Trader Joe’s currently has 47 pumpkin-flavored products, and most importantly, it’s pumpkin pie. You can do full-coverage which is easy and on-theme, add cat-eye for a trendy upgrade, or try mix-and-match designs if you’re feeling creative.
Golden Yellow Nails for Harvest Season
Golden yellow is giving wheat fields, corn, autumn sun, all the harvest imagery. This isn’t a bright lemon yellow situation (please no), we’re doing mustard yellow, marigold, honey – rich, warm yellows with golden undertones that don’t make you look like a highlighter.
You can go full-coverage with it, do French tips, or just go off and mix it with other colors and throw some rhinestones on there. You’re already being bold with yellow nails, might as well commit to the bit. Oh, and did I mention yellow symbolizes gratitude and optimism? Very on-brand for the season of giving thanks.
Plaid Patterns for Cozy Thanksgiving Dinner Energy
Buffalo check, tartan, gingham – basically every pattern from your fall wardrobe but on your nails now. These patterns aren’t technically Thanksgiving-themed, but throw in some burgundy, brown, or orange and suddenly, they’re giving off full-on holiday energy.
You can even go all-in with fall’s trendiest color combo – brown and blue – if you’re feeling extra current about it. Plus. plaid just photographs well, which matters when you’re trying to show off your Thanksgiving table spread on Instagram.
Tortoiseshell for a Classic Fall Pattern
Tortoiseshell nails have that warm, amber, autumnal thing going on without being too literal about Thanksgiving. It’s usually brown and orange and gold all swirled together in a way that feels expensive and seasonal at the same time.
The pattern has been trending for literal years and it’s not going anywhere because it just works. Most go for the classic brown combo, but deep red and black are also showing up, plus some mix-and-match floral combos I absolutely love.
Cozy Neutrals That Work for Any Thanksgiving Outfit
For the girlies who aren’t here for the whole pumpkin spice overload, fall neutrals are where it’s at. Latte, caramel, taupe, beige – these tones literally match any outfit, fit any Thanksgiving situation, and still give you that seasonal feel without the cliché colors.
Want to make them pop? Add some gold or copper glitter for that extra oomph, or mix up the neutrals for a little depth. Feeling extra cute? Teddy nail aesthetic is trending, and it’s all about cozy, neutral tones. Pick your vibe – cozy-core, classy, or sparkly – and you’re good to go.
Chrome Nails for a Shiny Holiday Upgrade
Chrome nails in fall colors are how you make Thanksgiving nails feel current. Brown chrome, deep red chrome, or even burnt orange – the reflective finish takes any basic fall color and makes it feel super trendy.
The chrome finish has been dominating nail trends all year, so this isn’t even a stretch – you’re just color-coordinating with the holiday. Chrome also catches light in the most satisfying way, which makes your Thanksgiving table photos look 10x better.
Earthy Green Nails for a Fresh Thanksgiving Palette
Olive or sage green? Yes, please. These Thanksgiving-approved shades nod to your favorite herbs and veggies, but in a way that actually feels fresh (sorry, orange and brown). Green might not be your first thought for Turkey Day, but that’s what makes it pop.
Add some gold accents if you’re feeling a little extra this holiday season. This mani is for the girlies who want their nails to last all the way through December when everyone else is back to wearing green anyway.
Sweater-Inspired Nails for Maximum Coziness
Sweater-inspired nails = cozy energy for the coziest holiday. You can go for a knit effect that’s actually 3D (commitment), or just paint the sweater pattern on there and call it a day. Either way, neutral fall tones like cream, caramel, and beige are the move for this aesthetic.
Just know they’re not super practical for dishes or food prep, so maybe do these after you’ve successfully negotiated your way out of kitchen duty. If you’re feeling extra, go for the striped sweater nails. It’s exactly what it sounds like – cozy base with colorful stripes on top.
And there you have it – your Thanksgiving nail inspo, sorted! Which design is calling your name? Let us know your faves, and if this guide helped you find your next set, don’t forget to share.
