These St. Patrick’s Day Nail Art Ideas Will Have You Feeling Lucky

The mix of patterns. The trendy checkerboard print. The dark hunter green. These St. Patrick’s Day nails prove you really can have it all. And if you forget to wear green on March 17, flash your manicure at anyone reaching for you who looks like they may have pinching on their mind.

Mix up your textures with a St. Patrick’s Day look that meshes a metallic gold with a velvety matte green. This deep emerald shade is darker than the usual green hues associated with the holiday, but it’s a great shade for fans of jewel tones who prefer a dark color on their nails.

There’s something so cool about shorter stiletto nails. This set is perfect for St. Patty’s day thanks to the deep green hue (no pinching allowed here), sparkling gold reminiscent of a big pot of coins, and on-trend abstract swirls that make this mani feel modern. This is how you do holiday without literal shamrocks (though, there’s nothing wrong with shamrocks either).

Excuse me, but just looking at these St. Patrick’s Day nails will make you feel cooler. Comic book nail art is all the rage right now, so why not use this artistic style to inspire your March manicure? This set stands out with bright contrasting pinks and greens, and of course, two lucky shamrocks.

If patience is on your side, you might be able to sit still long enough for your nail artist to perfect each one of these four-leaf clovers. Or, maybe if you’re super DIY-inclined, you could pull this off at home. In any case, if you’re hoping to harness all the luck of the Irish this year, you need these nails.

Short nails deserve intricate designs too; no saving the nail art fun for the long nail queens and kings only. If you can’t decide between a cute, festive design and an all-out sparkle fest, these festive St. Patty’s day nails have it all — rainbow, a shamrock, and even a leprechaun’s hat — thanks to glitter and decals.

While we’re discussing how folks with long nails shouldn’t be the only ones who get to have all the fun, take a look at this St. Patrick’s Day nail art for short nails. We’ve got green polka dots, ombre glitter in festive colors, and of course, rainbows and cutie little shamrocks.

Chrome nails are having a moment right now, so why not try the trend for a holiday look? This green drip topped in metallic powder is on-theme for St. Patrick’s Day but would look equally edgy and cool any time of year. And honestly, they’d be killer Halloween nail designs too.

These gradient nails with sage and mossy green tips are perfect for when you want to keep your St. Patrick’s Day nail art minimal, but on point. If you’ve been wondering how to do St. Patrick’s Day nail art that’s still within a clean girl aesthetic, well, here’s Exhibit A.

Leprechauns aren’t the only classic character associated with March 17. If you’re the nostalgic type, you’ll love this little cameo from none other than Good Luck Bear. You could opt for more green nail art on your manicure, or go for a pastel rainbow in honor of the springtime, as seen here.

The wavy lines nail trend isn’t going anywhere, so why not make it part of your March mani? You could use a classic St. Patrick’s Day green like this one, a lighter sage green hue, or lean jewel-toned with a deep emerald shade. This is a look you’ll probably want to replicate with different colors again and again.

Speaking of nostalgia, you could opt for nail art based on your favorite breakfast cereal from childhood (and adulthood, let’s be honest here): Lucky Charms. You’ll have all the shamrocks and rainbows your heart desires, with some additional lucky horse shoes and stars in there too. And hey, none of those boring beige pieces!

If you prefer your nails shiny instead of matte, or just want a slightly different take on the Lucky Charms idea, check out this set. The pastel green glitter nails make them feel even more like a St. Patrick’s Day manicure, accented by bold marshmallow pieces on a natural, nude base.

This elegant green French mani is extra festive with little pearl accents dotted all over, but isn’t so St. Patrick’s Day-themed you couldn’t wear it any time of year. It incorporates a bright green to pastel gradient. This look is perfect for corporate settings, or if you just want to keep things simple and sweet.

Do you just so happen to prefer something a little more... maximalist on your nails? Channel your inner saint with some seriously ornate bejeweling for St. Patrick’s Day, like this gorgeous set created by @reeseebad. You could choose a clear base like the one used here, or opt for something solid as a base for your jewels.

St. Patrick’s Day-ify your regular white French tips with some sparkling gold and green clovers painted on the edges. Some people are just dedicated to their usual French manicures, and hey, that’s not a bad thing. This is a great way to incorporate a little holiday flair to your go-to look without getting tired of it after a day or two.

Want ethereal St. Patrick’s Day nails? Ask your nail artist for a marbled green design with gold flakes. This manicure has all the right colors to honor St. Paddy’s. After the holiday, they still hold up as a trendy set, and almost look like jade stone in the right light.

No shamrock decals on hand? No problem. If you have some heart nail glitters lying around, simply place four little green or gold hearts together at the base, pointed ends inward. And there you have it: your very own lucky shamrock, surrounded by green and gold nails for good measure.

These adorable multi-colored hearts pop perfectly against a grass-green background in this St. Patricks Day nail design. Even though the details are tiny, with the right brush or dotting tool, it probably wouldn’t be too hard to DIY this nail art idea at home. Put a few hearts together and you basically have a four-leaf clover.

There’s nothing more festive than glitter — it’s just science, OK? An all-glitter manicure with subtle shamrocks will let everyone know you’re serious about St. Paddy’s Day. You could add more gold accent nails if you choose, or opt to have them all coated in a glossy green. They’ll look great either way.

While you’re thinking about glitter, consider this look. Break out every shade of glimmery green and gold you own for nails that look like the legendary pot of gold coins at the end of a beautiful rainbow. These medium length square nails are the perfect complement to this design, don’t you think?

Greens, gold sparkles, and sass — you name it, these nails have got it. The clear nail look is not for everyone, but if you like an egdy, out-of-the-box manicure, then why not give them a try? The green and gold glitter combo in the center screams St. Patrick’s Day.

A dab of green and gold is all you need for simple St. Patrick’s Day nail art. On abstract nails, any random lines or dashes will do, and you don’t have to worry about getting each nail to match up perfectly with its neighbor (if you’ve ever tried to give yourself French tips at home, you know it’s a real challenge).

If you want to boast some Irish pride for St. Patrick’s Day, what better way to display it than with the colors of the flag on your nails? This artist used dip powder to achieve their St. Patrick’s Day nail art, but you could use polish or gel and pull it off just as well.

Who doesn’t love a chunky, kelly green glitter? OK, that’s pretty specific, but once you see it you’ll love it. From the use of a green glitter color called A Wee Bit Irish to the “lucky” pinky nail detail, this set is about as St. Patrick’s Day-worthy as you can get.

Rainbow theme, this St. Patrick’s Day nail idea is different from most because of the colors involved: a cool mint green and deep blue are complemented by orange and yellow in a look that feels both modern and classic. It’ll look equally chic on short nails or long ones of any shape.

As long as it’s a shade of green, you won’t get pinched. Branch out with your holiday hues and try a bright neon green adorned with metallic gold flakes. With a neon green like this, you may just ask your nail artist to repeat this look during the summer months.