19 Bow Nail Art Ideas That Are Balletcore Perfection

Velvet textures always look soft and sweet — which is exactly what this trend is all about. Swipe on a petal pink polish, then finish with a chromatic or magnetic top coat to create that fuzzy effect. A single silver ribbon makes for the perfect finishing touch.

Cherries are so Lana Del Rey-coded — and they’re also impossibly coquette. If you’re looking to move away from the pastel ballet look, lean into darker colors — like these crimson red details— and add a few bows as an afterthought.

To go full Swan Lake, paint on a pale pink polish and a few dainty bows. To draw on the tiniest lines imaginable, Russell recommends using a mani marker from Nails, Inc. The fine tip will allow you to zero in on the details. Once you’ve done that, add other coquette designs like sweet hearts and twinkling stars.

If you’re in love with all the patterned nail art trends, dabble in four at once with a coquette bow on one nail, fruit designs on another, hearts on a third, and dainty florals on a fourth. The resulting manicure will look eclectic in the best way.

Three-dimensional nail art is big in the world of coquette. Somehow, it feels both dainty and bold, and sweet and sultry, all at the same time.

For a party-ready look, opt for white bows, a glossy base, and black French tips. Throw a matching ribbon in your hair and you’ll be set for date nights, summer weddings, and picnics in the park — or all of the above.

If you’re overwhelmed by all the options in this genre, start slow with a regular French manicure, then add one barely-visible pink ribbon.

If you’re in the mood for an eye-catching chromatic look, try a whole set of silver bows. They’ll shimmer against a neutral base, like this balletcore pink, while also serving up up effortless, minimalist vibes.

To really lean into coquette-ness of it all, ask your nail artist to stick on a few cutesy 3D appliqués. Try add-ons like pearls and dainty chains, too. And to finish the look, don’t forget the lacy corset details.

Want to boost the ballet factor? Check out Sabrina Carpenter’s pearl-topped nails by celeb artist Zola Ganzorigt.

Ribbon nail art can run the gamut from over-the-top and gaudy to cutesy and minimalist — or somewhere in between, like the above. Pastel colors and tiny bows keep things chic, while the 3D details pop.

Baby bows look sweet on a rose gold base, allowing you to combine two trends in one. Honestly, though, this combo looks great on any type of chrome polish: black, red, purple — you name it.

These baby blue ribbon nails are the definition of coquette. To get a similar mani, ask your nail artist for an array of puffy hearts and bows. As for polish, a pale pastel hue is perfect next to a cream or white base.

If you want to keep your coquette nails clean and simple, go for a white to pink ombré effect, then add a few subtle ribbons on top. It’ll take your usual glossy French tips up a notch.

When placed as an accent at the end of each and every nail, little bows can do the work of French tips — but with a cutesy twist. Add a bow to each nail, because you can never have too much of a good thing.

To ensure all the fun details pop, keep some negative space between each design so that your nails won’t look too cluttered. This set features different colored French tips, oceanic details, iridescent hearts, and 3D ribbons — but each detail still has a moment to shine.

This girly pop mani shines with a touch of glitter, twinkling star nail art, and tiny rhinestone appliqués. If it’s something you’d want to recreate at home, it’s as easy as slapping on a few stickers.

If you’re forever in love with intricate nail artwork — and really, who isn’t? — then try wearing actual satin ribbons on yours. Donning a real pink bow as an accent will give true ballerina vibes. To play into the theme even more, add more pearls, hearts, and corset lace details.

This 3D acrylic ribbon makes for the perfect accent in an otherwise minimalist manicure. If you’re feeling the coquette theme, you could add a bow to every fingertip — but nothing beats keeping things simple and chic.

If you prefer to travel light, stick with 2D ribbons. These tiny bows allow you to try on the trend, while still keeping things simple. The imperfection of a hand-drawn bow can look so charming, so again, don’t be afraid to DIY.

Teeny, tiny bows also look cute in darker neutral colors, so don’t worry if you only have beige and black polishes — or a complete lack of artistic skill. For this mani, the bow is meant to look wiggly and droopy, like an actual ribbon, so there’s no need to be perfect as you scrawl yours on.