I’m Heading Straight to the Salon to Get Tartan Nails—This Christmas’s Most Elevated, Festive Manicure

Christmas is just around the corner, and in between ordering last-minute presents, stringing garlands, and hitting repeat on all of the festive hits, many of us are also trying to book beauty treatments for the many social events this season brings. From planning your party outfits and booking blow-dries, one thing I always do to get into the spirit is getting a festive manicure.

This year, I'm extra excited, though, after seeing perhaps the chicest Christmas mani all over my socials. Enter: tartan nails; they're festive, but not too festive—and toe the line perfectly between all-out Xmas vibes and the more understated nails I've been gravitating towards this year.

Session and celebrity manicurist, Sophia Stylianou, confirms that she's been getting requests for the look too. "Tartan nails are trending because they are the perfect mix of cosy, classic and cool," she tells me. "The pattern has that nostalgic, wintery feel, but playing with different colour combinations makes it instantly modern and personal. It’s a great way to add detail and texture without going overly bold, and the layered lines give the design a really chic, tailored look." Without further ado, Stylianou explains how to get the look below.

How to get Christmas tartan nails

• Step 1: Shape & prep: "File your nails into your preferred shape and lightly buff the surface. Gently push back cuticles and then cleanse over the nail plate with a small amount of nail polish remover to remove any debris. Apply a layer of base coat, and allow it to dry."
• Step 2: Apply your base colour: "Choose your chosen base shade. Nudes, deep reds, forest greens, or navy all work beautifully. Apply two thin coats and let them dry fully."
• Step 3: Create your grid: "Using a fine detail brush or striping brush, paint your vertical and horizontal lines. Start with your boldest colour first to map out the pattern, keeping the lines thin and slightly spaced. Work slowly and do not overload the brush. Allow each line to dry before moving on to the next to avoid the colours mixing."
• Step 4: Add accent lines: "Layer in thinner lines in a contrasting shade like metallic gold, white, or a brighter tone. Tartan works best when the lines vary in width and intensity."
• Step 5: Seal it: "Finish with a glossy top coat to smooth the surface and lock in the detail."

What colours work best for Christmas tartan nails?

"For tartan nails, I love classic combos like deep red, black, white and a touch of gold," explains the manicurist. "This feels festive and timeless. Forest green, navy and white is another favourite, perfect for winter without being too bold. If you want something more neutral, beige, camel and brown tones give a really chic, understated look. For a modern twist, black, grey and silver works beautifully."

Best products for Christmas tartan nails

Stylianou says: "My go‑to products for this look are a really fine detail or striping brush—that's the key to getting clean, precise lines. The Mylee Maestro Kit is great for this as it comes with a variety of brushes. Highly pigmented polishes make a big difference too, as you want the colours to pop without having to layer too much; for example, a classic crème from OPI or Essie often works beautifully."

"There are also some great nail art pens out there, brands like Nails Inc do brilliant ones which are perfect if brushes feel a bit fiddly. To finish, either use a glossy top coat to smooth everything out, like the Chanel Le Gel Top Coat or opt for a matte top coat if you want the design to have more of a fabric-like, cosy feel."