13 Vampy Nail Ideas Perfect For A Moody Manicure

As the skies turn gray and the temperatures drop, that can mean only one thing: It’s time to bring out your fall styles. The autumn season brings a ton of change when it comes to what you wear, but your beauty routine gets a switch up, too. Think: more moisturizing skin care, moodier makeup, and — my personal favorite — darker manicures.

If you’re ready to put down the neon and pastel nail polishes, now is the apropos moment to rock vampy nails — the ultimate style for cold-weather months (and Halloween season, obviously). And vampy nails can mean a whole slew of different mani styles, so you’ve got options. “Vampires have transitioned from scary cryptids to hot neighbors — thank you Twilight and True Blood! So any nail design that evokes a certain sexy, alluring darkness can be categorized as vampy,” says Sonya Belakhlef, a celebrity nail artist. That means dark purples, glossy blacks, rich maroons, and wine-colored hues are all fair game — basically, anything that makes you feel like you’re a character from The Craft. From there, you can also have lots of fun with your nail shape, artsy designs, and different textures and finishes.

At-home manicure lovers, be warned: Deeper nail polish colors can be pretty unforgiving, says Belakhlef. “Make sure you have a clean-up brush in case you flood your cuticle,” they tell Bustle. “Sally Hansen has a great one available at most drugstores, or if you need a brush with a longer handle, Orly has great options too.”

If you’re looking to spice up your manicure game, keep scrolling for some ultra-chic vampy nail designs for inspo.