This Easy Manicure Trend Is the Real Star of Awards Season

ed carpets are always a prime opportunity to spot the next big beauty and style trends. We're always keeping an eye on what hair color the girls are switching to, what designer all our faves are wearing, and if stars are opting for heavy beats or simple makeup.

It's at these glamorous, highly paparazzi-ed events that we're treated to the biggest and best looks we'll likely ever see—Doja Cat's "Doja's Inferno," Zendaya's edgy blunt bangs and even Drag Race's Princess Poppy getting a green goblin makeover are all things we've come to expect from celebs on the red carpet.

However, we're the most interested in a much less obvious trend: the manicures decking the fingertips of Hollywood's best and brightest. If awards season so far is any indication, short, often-square-shaped dark red nails will be the It Girl mani of 2023. Ahead, all the details on the look.

The Trend

Call it the Hailey Bieber effect, considering during last year's awards season light, pearly glazed nails were dominating every red carpet—see Sydney Sweeney, Shay Mitchell, and Selena Gomez for proof. 

However, this year, things have shifted to the dark side. Around the end of 2023, celebs and TikTokers alike decided that red was their new color—especially when it came to nails. Cherry red was the favorite around the fall; however, as we got closer to winter, edgier reds began taking center stage over brighter shades. Cherry mocha, black cherry, cranberry, and burgundy quickly became the red of choice among our most fashionable stars.

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That quick history brings us today, more than halfway through the 2024 awards season, with glazed donut nails being far and few between the new trend. Instead of the pearl, all those aforementioned dark red shades have been consistantly on the fingers of every A-lister.

The first time we noticed the trend was at the Golden Globes. For the first major awards show of the year, numerous attendees were seen in the hue, most notably Dua Lipa and Emma Stone. Lipa, who recently dyed her hair a similarly edgy red, matched her nails to her new 'do. Stone, whose entire outfit was otherwise bright, chose a deep cherry mocha shade to accept her trophy that night. Elizabeth Olsen also hopped on the trend, pairing her mani with a lacy white dress, as did Jennifer Aniston, who wore an out-of-character vampy mani.

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At the Emmys the following week, red nails were even more popular. Selena Gomez, like Lipa, wore a whole outfit centered around the hue, with her nails being the (black) cherry on top. Separating her look from other takes on the trend was some sparkles added to the mix.

Ayo Edebiri, everyone's new favorite actor, also joined the dark red party, opting for an almost purple shade to wear with her all-black outfit. Even The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel's Rachel Brosnahan sported the color in a chrome variety, and The Crown's Elizabeth Debicki went with a sultry wine.

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