Claudia WilliamsIf you’re looking for a unique way to style your nails, consider black and gold nails.
Their contrasting colors will be vibrant and eye-popping, and their versatility will mean that you can wear them to everything from casual parties to formal fundraisers. Do you love glitz and glam or french tip nails? Put a golden shimmer on a black nail foundation. Do you need something subtle for the office? Do a short coffin nails design that layers black and gold over a plain or nude nail overcoat.
50 Inspirational Ideas for Coloring, Shaping and Accessorizing Your Black and Gold Nails
Black and gold nails are easy to personalize for all occasions. In fact, they can be customized in a dizzying number of ways. You can accessorize them with stickers, stamps, and rhinestones; you can paint them with stencils, sponges and splatters. You can even file them into an assortment of shapes. You’re probably most familiar with round- and square-tipped nails, but there are also things like “stiletto nails” that are sharpened into fine points. There’s no limit to the creativity that can bloom with customized nail art.
Another great thing about this nail style is that it’s suitable for all budgets and lifestyles. You don’t have to drop a lot of cash at professional nail salons. You can create one-of-a-kind looks with nothing more than a good idea and the right polish! Are you ready to rock some black and gold nails? Do you need a little inspiration before you get started? Here are just a few pictures that will dazzle you with possibilities.
1. Rounded Gold Dust Sparkle Nails
Gold dust is a popular decoration for black nails, but this design takes it a step further by arranging it in straight, crisscrossed lines. It’s a little bit galaxy chic and a little bit police tape, and it’s sure to get you compliments as you flash your nails for work, school or play. You can also recreate this design in colors other than black and gold, or you can sprinkle in additional shades to make the black and gold really stand out.
2. Gilded Almond Nails for Trendsetters
Shaped like almonds, these nails are also pretty sweet when it comes to design. They alternate a black and white polish with glittering gold, and they tie all of the colors together by including golden gemstone art on random nails. The end result is something unique but stylish, so they’re perfect for anyone who wants to create or capitalize on a new trend.
3. Edgy Colored Nail Art With Glitter
There’s a lot going on with these black and gold nails. For starters, they aren’t painted with a uniform shade or texture; they change between colors, finishes, and coats, so some of them are matte black while others are a gritty gold. There are also painted designs on certain nails to give them an extra kick. If you aren’t afraid of standing out, these nails are definitely head-turners.
4. Awesome Futuristic Black-And-Gold Steampunk Nails
Steampunk fashion is characterized by visionary elements in an old-fashioned setting, and these nails offer the best of both worlds. From mechanical clockwork stencils to glittering, Victorian-era gems, they’ll perfectly match whatever steampunk ensemble that you’re wearing. As a bonus, they’re ornate enough to be interesting but practical enough to be worn every day, so you don’t have to wait for your next convention to let your creativity unfold. They can be an every-occasion nail design.
5. Ombre Sponge Swirls in Neutral Colors
There are many ways to create twisting, swirling nail art with the help of sponges. These black and gold nails have been designed to look a bit like rattlesnake skins, but there are many other ways that you can utilize the sponge technique as well. For example, you can curl them like ribbons or create an optical illusion with dizzying spirals. Don’t be afraid to experiment and figure out which sponge art is best for you!
6. Dazzling Dark Witch Stiletto Nails
Shaped like razor-sharp stilettos, this is the kind of nail art that will turn every head in the room. Not only does it use contrasting shades of black, gold, silver and white, but it’s also bedazzled with sleek gems on the cuticle line. These are nails that are meant to be both admired and feared. Cast a spell over the rest of the world by recreating this design in your own parlor.
7. The Neat and Tidy Ballerina Nail
If you love black and gold nails but still need to meet the professional standards of a workplace or formal event, consider these ballerina nails. Their muted color will keep them from being overly ostentatious, but their tapered ends will give them grace and sophistication. The balance is perfect for someone who wants to look fashionable but not excessively so.
8. Artistic, Asymmetrical and Achromatic Nails
If you live for drama, consider these one-of-a-kind nails. Each one has a different design, so you can indulge your artistic whims with all kinds of gems, gradients, and geometric patterns. They won’t look childish, however, when you paint them with bold neutral colors instead of something silly and kitschy. The key is to emphasize the black and gold rather than the nail charms.
9. Easy Nail Art for Busy Mornings
These black and gold nails can be done in a jiffy, so if you’re looking for a quick way to spruce up an outfit, get out your brush! All you have to do is paint your nails with a dark black undercoat before decorating them with a gold-sparkle print. As for what kind of decoration to go for, you can choose literally anything. Think about stars, moons and lightning bolts for an artistic look; think about dots and stripes for something cute and youthful.
10. Ornate Nail Gems With Vintage Flair
Black nails can look boring without the right kind of decoration. Thankfully, these nails are the opposite of dull. In addition to a gleaming overcoat that will catch every light in the room, they’re also adorned with retro-style gold gems that are perfectly sized to fit the nail. If you don’t know what to do with grandma’s old jewelry, consider re-purposing it as nail art.
11. Awesome Beehive Nails for the Ultimate Visuals
You’ll catch a lot of honey with these insane beehive nails. The first things that you’ll probably notice are the careful gold lines printed on the black nail beds, but if you look a little closer, you’ll also see bees crawling up the nails in search of the queen. It’s a very cool example of black and gold nail art, and it’s a great example of decorating your nails with an overarching theme.
12. Mystical Spirit Art for Inner Peace
You’ll need a stamp or stencil to get the best shapes, but if you’re willing to invest a little time in your nail design, you can create something that embodies all of the light, peace, and positivity that you carry within you. Let your outer shell reflect your inner shell with magical nail art.
13. Cute and Colorful Ombre Animals
If you like pastels too much to go entirely black, consider these bright, beautiful ombre nails. Most of them have a pink or purple gradient transition, but one nail on each hand is decorated with black and gold. This particular example has a beautiful rendering of Mickey Mouse ears, but you can re-design it with any creature that you’d like. Pick anything from the animal kingdom. The choice is yours.
14. Simple Stripes for Lasting Effects
You don’t have to get crazy with your black and gold nail art. You can create the best styles imaginable with a regular, everyday piece of straight-edged tape. The sky is the limit as long as you’re willing to experiment, and the great thing about starting with a black foundation is that you can cover lots of mistakes without leaving any evidence behind. The process isn’t as delicate as working with something like white or pink.
15. Glittering Flower Stencils as Unique as Unicorns
Pretty nails are more than just a fashion statement. They’re also a way of life. If you want your black and gold nail art to reflect your fun and flirty personality, you’ll need a stencil that’s as individualistic as your spirit! These flowers are just one example of how you can channel your creativity into your nail design, but there are many more. You can play around with everything from raindrops to razor spikes. Again: Don’t be afraid to experiment.
16. Flat-Tipped Nails With Lots of Bling
Flat-tipped nails come in many different varieties, including “trapeze” nails and coffin nails, but the most noticeable thing about this particular design isn’t the shape. It’s the color scheme. Decorated with glazed blacks and rich, shimmering golds, it’s the height of swag, and it’ll make you look like you come from serious money.
17. Fun Rainbow Road Glimmer Nails
It takes a special kind of gold to glitter like a rainbow, but if you invest in the right polish, you can be the next person to enjoy its eye-popping effects. You can also fiddle around with different nail shapes to determine which one draws out the color spectrum in the best way. These nails have a square stiletto design, but there are plenty of others to try. For example, rainbow glitter can look quite striking with a “lipstick” nail cut that slashes to the side like an opened tube of lipstick.
18. Dizzying Mountain Peaks During the Sunrise
Another example of rainbow nails, these are particularly striking thanks to their “mountain peak” shape. Their edges get slimmer and slimmer until they form sharp tips like the summit of a fearsome cliff. If you’ve always wanted to climb a mountain and experience the brilliance of a sunrise stretching above the rest of the world, you can capture the same kind of beauty with these nails. As a bonus, you’ll get to carry it with you wherever you go.
19. Simple, Stylish Nails for Work and School
You can’t always peacock around the classroom or boardroom with crazy nails. When you need something discreet, consider this nail design. It alternates between black, gold and nude, so it’ll be fashion-forward without violating any dress codes; it also buffs down the edges so that you can still work with your hands without fear of breaking a nail.
20. Squoval Arrowhead Black and Gold Nails
“Squoval” nails are both square and oval at the same time. They have a flared middle section that flattens at the end of the nail with a straight edge. This makes them great for detailed nail art; you’ll have big, flat surface areas that can be decorated with arrowheads and gradient colors. They’re also unique enough to generate lots of interest and attention!
21. Cute Halloween Nails for Spooky Fun
You don’t have to wait for Halloween to decorate your nails like this, but between the black cats and dark pinstripes, it certainly suits the season. On the other hand, if it’s not that time of year, you might try adding more gold stars or glittered edges if you want to make it clear that your nails weren’t inspired by everyone’s favorite scary holiday.
22. Glossy Black Nails With Stunning Gold Bands
Do more with less when you create black and gold nails with this simple design. The lustrous black overcoat will dazzle in the right light, and the gold bands will keep it from looking too dark or gothic. It’s a great way to make a big statement with just a little polish, and like some of the others on this list, it’s also quite forgiving of mistakes. If you’re new to the world of nail art, you might try something like this before you branch out into advanced methods.
23. Pretty Alternating Three-Tone Glitter Nails
Glitter nails are a delight to look at, but they can also be hard to maintain. These nails split the difference by only having one gold, glittered finger on each hand. The rest of the nails are painted with a matte gold or black that’s easy to touch up during everyday activities, so they’re relatively low-maintenance while also looking gorgeous.
24. Cool Drip Art for Layered Nails
This is one of the coolest examples of black and gold nail art that you’ll see all week. The black top layer has been carefully styled to “drip” down a foundation of glittering gold. It’ll take a precise hand to achieve this kind of nail design, but it’ll be worth it for the resulting gorgeousness.
25. Subtle Geometric Patterned Nail Art
These are pretty nails that combine both style and discretion. Their underlining coat is a light gold that’s almost nude; their artwork is comprised of simple black points that alternate between the base and tip of the nail. They won’t attract a lot of unwanted attention, but they’ll give you the appearance of style and good personal grooming.
26. Bold Glitter Shimmers Filled With Rainbow Delight
These nails have it all. They’ve been filed into a fun flat-edged shape; they’ve been decorated with stripes and circles; they change shades between a glossy black and a shimmering rainbow gold. If you don’t want to choose between different design elements, choose them all at once!
27. Lion Ornament Nails for Courage and Class
They might look like simple black-painted nails at first glance, but when you peek a little closer, you’ll realize that they’ve been decorated with a sensational lion ornament that’s inspired by all of the spiritual glory of the east. Roar into the next chapter of your life with these easy but stunning nails.
28. Floral Stamp Nail Art in Glittering Gold
You might need to get these professionally done unless you’re really good with DIY stencils, but they’re worth the trouble in the end. Combining a vivid golden pattern with pitch-black nails, these floral nails will be more beautiful than any garden.
29. Regal Rhinestones to Feel Like Royalty
There’s nothing dull about these nails! Sharpened into fine points, they’re also decorated with luxurious rhinestone charms that will showcase your wealth and taste. You can attach real rhinestones to go the extra mile, or you can use stencils and airbrushes to achieve the same look on a flat surface.
30. Fancy All-Over Gemstone Nail Art
Bursting with gems like flowers from the soil, these nails will command attention wherever you go. Every inch of their painted surface will either reflect or absorb the light. Some of the stones are arranged in a net pattern; others are displayed in circles around airbrush splatters. All of them are beautiful.
31. Carefully Creative Cracks and Crevices
You can achieve amazing things when you’re willing to think outside of the box, and these nails prove it. With a matte black surface that randomly “breaks” into cracked, golden shapes, they’ll do something really unique for anyone who likes to try new things with their personal style.
32. Half-Nail Decorative Glitter Accents
Putting a spin on the usual nail art, these half-nails are partially colored with pastels and partially colored with black and gold. There’s also a hint of glitter to keep things interesting. While you can recreate these nails in any color, it’s recommended that you keep the contrast by utilizing dark shades on one side and light hues on the other.
33. Ombre Galaxy Dust in Black and Gold
Galaxy nails are always in fashion, but they’re especially striking when you use black and gold instead of the usual blues and purples. Not only will they shine in the light like real stardust, but they’ll also have a depth and mystery to their darkness to play on the space theme. They’ll look quite authentic!
34. Golden Glitter Leaf Motif Over Marble
With these nails, each individual finger is a work of art. One offers a marble-like appearance with a white foundation and black streaks; another is made of glorious glitter that could be carved out of real gold chunks. The last fingers use a golden leaf motif to bring style and sophistication to the nails. Since they’re nice and long, there’s plenty of room for decorating.
35. Pretty Cobra Skin Nails in Neutral Tones
Though they look a little like talons with their sharp edges, these black and gold nails are a pure cobra. They have a beautiful airbrushed design that will make you think of the strong, powerful muscles of a snake shifting underneath scales. If you’re the type of person to warn your prey before consuming them, these nails are for you.
36. Sleek Squoval Nails for Tasteful Gatherings
Another great example of squoval nails, these use complementary colors to set off their subtle arrow-shaped designs. While there’s a small amount of glitter involved, it isn’t overpowering, and the base layers are the ones that dominate the nails. They’ll be appropriate for any kind of school or work function.
37. Simple Nail Art With a Twist
From the thumb to the middle finger, these nails are painted with a black matte nails polish that looks perfectly normal. Once you get to the ring and pinky fingers, however, the party starts. Gold glitter comes into play, and the design gets a gently-flared gradient transition from one color to the next. These are the kinds of nails that transform before your eyes into something really interesting.
38. Awesome Spiderweb Black and Gold Nail Art
Draw others into your web with this spiderweb nail art. Each nail is painted with a different sticky tendril so that they’re all unique despite their overarching theme. They’re also filed into a mountain peak shape to give them a sharp, dangerous look, so no one will underestimate you with these nails!
39. Tasteful, Simple Almond Nails in Muted Colors
Some people like their nails to have a shiny, glossy overcoat, but if you prefer something a little more subtle, you might enjoy these matte nails. Most of them are plain black, but there’s one finger on each hand with a twinkling silver-gold color, and they’re shaped like almonds to give them an extra dose of style.
40. Uniquely Asymmetric Black and Gold Nails
If you don’t like conformity, consider making your nails look like this. While most of them have a plain black foundation, they’re decorated with different stripes and geometric shapes, including three golden squares cascading down the most prominent nail. They’re individual enough to stand out but not so flashy that they won’t suit formal occasions.
41. Shimmering Shatter Art in Bold Colors
While it’s common for black and gold nails to have a black foundation with gold accents, these nails go in the opposite direction: Their base is a glimmering gold, and their decorative elements are the ones in black. It makes for a nice change from the norm, especially considering their pretty “shattered window” design.
42. Woven Loom Lines for Round Nails
Round nails can look pretty basic if you don’t give them some kind of highlighting feature, so these nails make sure to do something fun. They’ve been carefully stamped and stickered to give them flawless lines that are unique to each nail. The eye will be drawn to their design instead of getting stuck on their shape.
43. Modern Day Princess Nails With Pretty Jewels
Turn yourself into a duchess for a day with bejeweled nails. You don’t have to put them on every finger; with this particular example, they’ve only been glued to one nail on each hand. As long as you choose the right stones, that’ll be more than enough shimmer to give them distinction and sophistication.
44. Fine-Tipped Natural Stone Nails With Glitter
The first thing that you’ll notice about these nails is the knife-like point at the tip of each finger. Even more dangerous than their edge, however, is their marble-esque natural stone design. No one will want to mess with you when you have cool, hard nails that mean business.
45. Burnished Black Nails With Jewel Accents
You can make your nails look like something out of a salon commercial when you give them a high-gloss topcoat like the one pictured here. If you want to take things a step further, you can also give them an airbrushed rhinestone design that will look like the real thing without being accompanied by breakage concerns.
46. Cute Square Polka Dot Nails
Who says that black and gold nails have to be dark, dramatic things? You can give them a fun and youthful appearance when you decorate them with things like polka dots. Instead of being the long-nailed witch in the fairy tale, you can be the bright, happy protagonist facing the future with a smile.
47. Delicate Nail Art With Bonus Finger Decorations
These black nails have been painted with round yellow circles a bit like full moons. However, you might not even notice their design since they’re also accompanied by stickers that decorate the fingers all of the ways up to the knuckle. This kind of elaborate nail art isn’t always common outside of runways and fashion shows, but it can be a lot of fun for people who are willing to try it!
48. Standout Gold Nails in the Black Sea
How do you make something stand out from the crowd? The easy solution is to make it different from everything else around it. With these black and gold nails, all of the nails have been painted in one color while the “feature” nail has been polished with a much brighter, more lustrous shade.
49. Adorable Heart and Polka Dot Pastels
Here are more super cute nails that don’t let the black polish turn them into something depressing. Instead, they utilize hearts, polka dots, and sweet pastel accents to make their femininity stand out among the black. Nothing is gloomy or gothic. It’s fun on every fingernail.
50. Opulent Talon Nails in Black and Gold
Wealth practically drips from these nails. Between their glossy coats and extravagantly gilded designs, they’re not the kind of things that you can create at home with some Scotch tape and an old bottle of polish. They’re clearly the work of professionals, and they’ll give you an image of class, luxury, and refinement.
50 Fun and Creative Ways to Style Your Black and Gold Nails
These are just a few examples of black and gold nails that have to be seen to be believed. But don’t feel limited by these suggestions! If inspiration takes you in another direction, follow it, nurture it and play with it until you’ve created your ideal nail art. Your nails should be just as unique as you are, so instead of trying to copy someone else’s nails to a tee, use their designs as a springboard for your own creativity.
