If there’s a celebrity who knows how to make a trend her own, it’s lively nails. The Gossip Girl actress has a penchant for nail art that’s both unique and super fun. Her latest New York City-inspired manicure—which she described as “antique grandma wallpaper”—is a great example of the kind of creative designs that aren’t just for the runway.
Get Ready to Flaunt Lively Nails: Tips and Tricks
Elle Gerstein, the celebrity manicurist who has long been Lively’s go-to, drew inspiration from the Statue of Liberty for this design. She started with a base color of PLA Nail’s Spice, Spice, Baby—a plush light brown that’s rich and warm without feeling vampy or dark. Gerstein then painted stripes of the bronzed floral print over it, creating a cool texture that’s perfect for fall.
She then added a very thin coat of LeChat’s Perfect Match Smoke Show, which is a slate gray cream polish. She only applied it to the very tips of each nail, which created a soft, ombre effect. Finally, she applied a sheer coat of LeChat’s Simply Me, which is a light pink to warm up the neutral shade and blend any harsh lines.
Then came the fun part: Gerstein used tiny pressed flowers—which she got from a craft store and first soaked in alcohol to help them stay flat—and then cased them into the gel. She finished with a top coat and some LeChat Pomegranate Nobility Cuticle Oil to hydrate the nails and prevent peeling.
This is just the latest in a series of nail art looks from Lively that’ve been on point this season. From a Sopranos-inspired mob wife design to a set of pistachio nails for her Deadpool press tour, her manicures have been all about the details this year.