Choosing a color at the nail salon is only half the battle; here’s also the question of which nail shape to go with. Lipstick nails will have a completely different vibe from, say, an almond-shaped manicure.
Should you choose to go with coffin nails, the result will be striking. “As a nail, a coffin shape gives a more edgy vibe than an almond nail and tends to also be a more feminine version of a square nail,” says Chaun Legend, a celebrity artist who’s partnered with Lottie London.
Like an actual coffin, the nail shape is tapered with sharp corners. “A coffin nail can be easily identified due to its square tip that is narrower than the base,” says Legend. “It’s very similar to a style called the ballerina—only it differs on the outer edges as a ballerina nail is rounded with a squared off tip, unlike the straight lines on all edges of a coffin nail.” The coffin shape is also distinct from square nails, which share sharp corners but aren’t tapered.
The coffin nail shape is best suited to those who desire length, says celebrity nail artist Natalie Minerva. “I would say the coffin shape is best suited for medium to longer lengths,” she says. “It can be a little odd looking to taper a shorter nail, making the coffin shape less impactful.”
Provided you’ve got the length for it, you can achieve the coffin nail shape at home. “File your nails into a square tip before starting to file the edges in on both sides of the nail at a slight angle to narrow the tip,” says Legend. “This softens the square to create an elongated, feminine nail.”
From there, you can dress up your nails with anything from solid neutrals to intricate patterns. On that note, here are 30 coffin nail designs that you can look to for inspiration.
Featured experts
- Chaun Legend is a celebrity nail artist
- Natalie Minerva is a celebrity nail artist
Coffin Nails: Ideas to Try
