Coffin nails have been overly popular in the last couple of years. On Instagram alone, the coffin nails hashtag has over 7 million posts. That tells you how loved these nail shapes are.
And why not? They are edgy, cute, and can take on plenty of designs.
Ready to try out coffin nails to see what the hype is all about?
We’ve compiled a list of 40 cute design ideas for you to choose from. But first, let’s learn more about coffin nails and what makes them unique and popular.
What is a Coffin Nail?
Coffin nails pretty much have a coffin shape – tapered and squared off at the ends.
They are popular for being stylish and trendy. Even though they can be worn on natural nails, they look much better when reinforced with acrylics. The acrylics help to keep the shape and designs in place.
Coffin nails are the best style for women who would rather be caught dead wearing short nails. Even though they can be worn short, they look so much better when long. Long coffin nails also provide a large canvas for nail art and embellishments.
If you prefer to make your nails at home, coffin nails may not be the best for you, especially if you are just getting started on them. They can be quite tricky to shape. We suggest getting a nail tech to do it for you.
Are Coffin Nails Gel or Acrylics?
As pretty as they look, pulling off a coffin nail shape on natural nails can be quite hard. This is because natural nails lack the strength and possibly the length needed.
Luckily, you can use either gel or acrylics to reinforce the shape and lengthen the nails to a few centimeters past your natural length.
While both methods are great, acrylics do a better job than gel.
With acrylics, you can achieve longer and stronger nails that can last you for several weeks at a time. Although they come at a hefty price, we think they are totally worth it. They also look dashing and much classier than gel nails.
Gel, on the other hand, is much more affordable and resilient. The only drawback to gel nails is that you cannot achieve a dramatic look, and you must hold your hands under the UV lamp, which is not such a pleasant experience.
Who Should Get Coffin Nails?
Coffin nails are great nail shapes for women who like long nails but don’t have the patience or time to wait for their natural nails to grow out. They are also great for women who like to switch to long nails every once in a while but still maintain their short naturals for when they want to go short.
How Long Do Coffin Nails Last?
Coffin nails made of gel should last about 3-4 weeks, just about the same time as other gel nails. If made of acrylics, they should last you about 6-8 weeks with proper care.
Do Coffin Nails Break Easily?
We hate to be the bearers of bad news, but coffin nail shapes do break easily. This has nothing to do with the length but the square shape at the tips. It makes the nail prone to breakages.
To prevent your nails from breaking easily, ensure you don’t buff your nails too thin. Also, keeping your nails moisturized helps to prevent dryness which causes breakage. Applying serum and oils on the cuticles also helps.
Because nails are just nails and are bound to break, be sure to smooth out any jagged edges immediately to prevent further breakage.
Is it Hard to Type with Coffin Nails?
Coffin nails will make you look fashionable, but they are not the best for typing unless you are a long-nail pro. You may want to save this style for when you are on summer break or vacation.
40 Trendy Coffin Nail Ideas to Inspire You
Here are the trendy designs to try.
1. Matte Green Snowflakes and Glitter Coffin Nails
This design is perfect for women who want a style that’s in between subtle and edgy. These matte green coffin nails look absolutely stunning with gold glitters and snowflakes. A perfect look to welcome the winter season.
2. Outlined Accent Coffin Nails
You’ve probably seen the outlined coffin nails all over Instagram and TikTok. They are very popular. We love how stunning they look when paired with the fiery cheater pattern.
3. Accent Pastel Nails
Pastels look magnificent on coffin-shaped nails. Painting every nail a different color will make you stand out even more. If you like looking all girly, this is a great look for you.
4. Blue and Brown Marble Tips
If you are into marble nail looks, we recommend trying this blue and brown marble look with french tips. Marble tips are super chic and feminine.
5. Blue Snowman Glitter Nails
Aren’t these blue glitter nails looking dope? We are totally sold out on this look. Add a little sparkle and glitter into your life with these nail designs.
6. Gradient French Acrylics
Tired of the basic french tips? Why not experiment with this gradient style? This style will make people notice your glammed nails without you trying so hard to get noticed.
7. Multi-textured Coffin Nails
Can’t decide what style to go for? Why not have it all from the rhinestones, pearls, glitters, and plaid design? We recommend starting with a nude or cool color for the base.
8. Sassy Red Matte Coffin Nails
These red matte long coffin nails with marble detailing are nothing short of sleek and elegant. Perfect for a date or a night out of town.
9. White Acrylics French Manicure
Simple, clean, and neat look. This is the best style for wearing almost natural-looking coffin nails.
10. Outlined Coffin Nails with Green Diamond
Do you fancy stiletto nails but don’t have the courage to rock them as they are? These green-outlined coffin nails are the style to try. The green outlines give the illusion of stiletto nails without the actually pointed nails that look like they could poke your life out.
11. Glittery Green Coffin Nails
Glitters, shimmers, rhinestones, and more glitter. These green coffin nails are a popular trend right now. Perfect for a night out with the girls.
12. Winter Nails with Fairy Art
There are so many ways to rock white on acrylics. You can keep it dainty, go all out with bold details, or maintain this fairy look. It’s simply impossible to go wrong with white.
13. Nude Coffin Nails with Fairy Details
Play it safe with this nude look. You may want to add just a simple art in one or two fingers like the ones in the photo, and you’d still look simple and elegant any day.
14. Flowery Nude Coffin Nails
Bring out the little girl in you with little colorful flowers on your coffin nails. For this look, it’s best to use a nude or neutral color as the base. You can play around with different flowers, but we find these daisies to be a whole vibe.
15. Summer Style Coffin Nails
This blue and pink combination is a perfect way to bring out the masculine and feminine energy in you. Talk of being bossy but still being feminine. A little art to step up the look won’t hurt, but you can still keep it simple without it.
16. Marble Outlined Coffin Nails
We love marble nails because they add texture, movement, and pizzazz to the entire look. We are totally sold out with the lime and brown color combo. So extra, do you think?
17. Cute Gradient Nails
Gradient nails are another current favorite of ours. You can’t possibly go wrong with these subtle pink coffin nails sprinkled with some gold dust and dainty arts.
18. Multi-accented Coffin Nails
We bet you’ve seen plenty of these accented nails on social media. Having a different design on each color speaks volumes about your free-spirited self. It also speaks confidence, courage, and boldness. Try to keep the bases neutral.
19. Feminine Pink Coffin Nails
There is no color so feminine as pink. And we love that there is no limit to the different ways you can wear it. These glossy pink short coffin nails are to die for.
20. Sparkly Purple Nails
Purple is the color you wear when you want to feel powerful or royal-like. The details on these nails exude the aura of powerful but stylish. You can top the nails with different sizes of rhinestones.
21. Red and Grey Candy Nails
How delish are these candy nails? The red glossy color exudes sophistication while the simple art adds some stylish factor to the look.
22. Short Classy Coffin Nail Style
Short coffin nails don’t have to be boring. Even though they have a smaller art canvas to work with, you can still achieve a dramatic look with them. See how the nails on these photos look?
23. Pink Winter Coffin Nails
We’ve mentioned how girly pink looks but these pink winter coffin nails just take it to a whole new level. You can experiment with a lot more designs, shimmers, and crushed rhinestones.
24. Short, Shiny Brown Coffin Nails
You will love these short brown coffin nails if you find long nails are a bit too much. The different textures and the plaid look are a great way to welcome the fall season.
25. Pink Swirls Nails
There is nothing wrong with going extra long with your coffin nails. If anything, coffin nails work best with extra length. These pink-on-nude coffin nails with swirls are the epitome of length.
26. Black and White Coffin Nails
While most people consider black and white to be safe colors, we think they look classy, sophisticated, and stylish. These glossy black and white coffin nails will no doubt enhance your every look.
27. Blue Gradient Coffin Nails
Blue coffin nails will certainly draw attention because it’s not a common manicure shade. You may want to skip these nail styles if you are not a risk taker. That aside, these blue nails are the ultimate style for summer by the poolside.
28. Emerald Textured Nails
If you love multi-textured nails, emerald coffin nails are very popular for introducing different textures and designs. This style is exquisite, unique, and classy.
29. Lilac Accent Coffin Nails
You can never go wrong with lilac coffin nails. You can take the look a notch higher by creating different textures for each nail and adding rhinestones for some glitz.
30. Green Plaid Coffin Nails
These green and red plaid nails are ideal for shorter nails. The boldness of this style is an unexpected choice, but it somehow looks stunning. If you love a plaid look, try out this style.
31. Christmas Style Acrylic Nails
Want to go all out this Christmas season? Try out these Christmas-style acrylics. Don’t worry about opening your gifts or soda cans. The length is perfect; it will not get in your way.
32. Pink French Nails with Gold Art
We honestly think pink nails can be boring. That’s why we highly suggest spicing them up with some art designs and gold embellishments.
33. Burgundy Tips Coffin Nails
Every time we look at these nails, we can’t help but be wowed by the color combination. The burgundy outline just speaks to our style.
34. Halloween Style Coffin Nails
Halloween is possibly the only time you can rock scary nails that look like coffins without seeming spooky and weird. Also, you can push the limits of lengths with these Halloween-style nails and still look on-season.
35. Black Swirl Coffin Nails
With plenty of tutorials from YouTube and the right tools, you can DIY these nude and black swirls coffin nails. This is a great style to tiptoe into bold nail art designs.
36. Beach Styles Coffin Nails
What better way to appreciate your vacation by the beach than a constant reminder of where you are on your nails? These rainbow beach-style nails are sure to get tags wagging.
37. Gothic Style Coffin Nails
Ditch the boring black gothic style we all know, and add some glitz and glamour to your black coffin nails. Mix up the black with rose gold and add a variety of gold art designs to stand out.
38. Animal Print Coffin Nails
There is something about animal prints that just screams elegance. I highly recommend trying these leopard tips coffin nails. It’s an absolute head-turner.
39. Twinkle Star Style Coffin Nails
With a little extra length on your nails, you can recreate these long white coffin nails with silver star details. You can also add anything else that will draw attention to your nails. No doubt it’s an intricate style, but it’s totally worth the time spent.
40. Medium Coffin Nails With Nail Art
This style is a must-try if you want to go all dramatic with the nails. Keep the nail art and all details silver for a more polished look. You can maintain the clear base and switch up the accent colors with any of your favorite bold colors.
