What Color Nails With Red Dress?

Nothing turns heads and makes you feel sexy, quite like a red dress. Whether you have a festive dress you're excited about wearing to a holiday party or a romantic dress that will impress your date, you want to make sure your whole look comes together after you slip that dress on. In addition to shoes, accessories, and makeup, you will want to make sure your nails look their best too. You may be wondering what nail colors look best with a red dress. We've consulted style experts to bring you the best suggestions.

Neutral colors are always a good choice to pair with a red dress. From classic white or black to nudes, your nails will look beautiful while letting your dress be the star of the show. If you want to go bolder than neutral, consider your dress's undertone before making your choice. Here are our favorite nail colors to pair with a red dress:

  • Red 
  • White 
  • Black 
  • Pink
  • Grey

All of these choices and considerations may be a bit overwhelming, but don't fret! We're bringing you the inspiration and knowledge you need to ensure that your nails are the perfect color for your overall look.

Multicolored nail on a woman's hand holding flowers, What Color Nails With Red Dress?

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What You Should Consider When Choosing A Nail Color

Neutral Colors

If neutral colors are your style, you have many options to choose from. You can even go with gold or silver if you want a sparkly look. Make sure to take your other accessories and the overall look you're trying to achieve into consideration. White nails will still work well if you're wearing black shoes and carrying a black bag, for example, but your overall look will be black, red, and white. On the other hand, if your nails and accessories were all one color, that would create a different look. If your dress has any details, such as trim, patterns, or overlays, you can paint your nails in a color that highlights those details.

Other Colors

You don't have to choose a neutral color to coordinate your nails with your dress. If you want to use a color for your nails, consider the undertones of the dress. Bright red dresses or warm undertones would pair well with warmer colors such as pink, red, warm brown, or gold yellows. Deeper shades of red, or those with cool undertones, would pair well with cool colors such as grey browns or deep greens or purples.

Other Considerations

Of course, your overall look and how each element works together is important when choosing your nail color. Still, you also want to consider the occasion when putting your look together. A festive occasion may favor glitter and metallics, while an elegant or formal occasion may call for a deeper red dress and muted or neutral nails.

Nail Colors To Wear With Your Red Dress

Red

female model wearing an elegant red dress with matching red nail color

Red nails match with red a red dress, making it a good option for your nail color. However, you want your nails to add something to your dress rather than blend in. The secret to pairing red nails with a red dress is using a different nail shade than the shade of your dress. You can further enhance this look with red lips, shoes, or handbags.

Click here to see this deep red shade, Red-y For the Holidays, on Amazon.

White

Happy young woman holding roses with nails in white

White is the perfect neutral to pair with a red dress. It's lighter shade helps neutralize and the boldness of red, and it can be used to brighten your overall look. White is an excellent choice for spring or summer wear or daytime occasions where the focus is more carefree than elegant. You can paint your nails all white or use white to create more elegant French tips.

Click here to see this shimmery white nail polish, Twinkle in Time, on Amazon. 

Black

Glamorous brunette woman dressed in red evening gown with bleach feather and black nail color drinking champagne next to the car

Another neutral, black, creates the opposite effect of white. While white can tone down a red dress and create a more innocent appearance, black deepens the red hue and creates a chic look. Choose black for events during the cooler months, as the overall result may be too dark for summer months. As the above image suggests, pair black nails with black accessories and a red lip for a fun party look.

Click here to see this inky black polish, in Now or Never, on Amazon.

Pink

Young girl wearing red with makeup, hairdo and pink nail color

A pink is a great option if you want to stay within the red color family without using a red nail color. While pink comes in many shades, not all of them work well with red, so choose your hue with caution. A pink that is too bright or vibrant will class with a red dress instead of complement it. Muted pinks like the shade in the image above are best when wearing a red dress.

Click here to see this muted pink shade, Ballet Slippers, on Amazon.

Grey

Grey is considered a neutral color, but it requires more thought and planning than other neutrals. Because grey can be either warm or cool, some grey shades may work with your red dress while others won't pair so well depending on the color of its undertone. If you are wearing a red with warmer undertones, choose greys with yellow or brown undertones. Cooler reds should be paired with greys that have undertones of blue or purple.

The grey in the image above is reminiscent of a steel blue, making it a cool tone. While the dress in the image seems to have warmer undertones, it is a deeper shade, so the cool grey works well with the dress.

Click here to see this cool grey shade, Steel Waters Run Deep, on Amazon.

Can You Use Multiple Colors On Your Nails?

While it may be more expensive to create a multicolored look on your nails if you get them done in a salon, you can certainly use more than one color on your nails. In fact, many nail trends use multiple colors. Here are some of the most popular ones.

Accent Nails

Female hand holding a rustic gift box, accent nail colors 4 in blue and 1 in gold

The accent nail is a trend that has been around for a while, but it doesn't look like it is going anywhere. With this style, four nails on each hand are painted one color, and one nail on each hand is painted a different color. The accent nail should contrast the other nail color, but it should still coordinate.

Gradient

Female hand holding a glittery metal ornament, gradient nail color in violet and silver

Gradient nails use different shades of the same color to create an ombre effect. Instead of creating the gradient on one nail, each nail is painted a different shade to create the effect across the whole hand.

Colorful Details

Female hand with rainbow nail color on a white base

If you like being creative with your nails, you are in luck. Another popular trend right now is bright and colorful details on nails. Choose the same base color for all of your nails, and then use bright colors to create your nail art. If you use different colors on each nail and then use colors for your details, your design may look too busy.

What Makeup Looks Good With A Red Dress?

Surprised girl in red dress showing shrug gesture, makeup complimenting the red dress

Style experts suggest going neutral with nude colors to allow your dress to be the focal point of your look. However, if you prefer bolder makeup, you can opt for a smokey eye. Red lips and nails can also be paired with your red dress to pull your look together.

Check out our article, "What Color Lipstick To Wear With A Red Dress," for lip color inspiration.

Should Your Nail Color Match Your Outfit?

Your nail color does not have to match your outfit, but it should complement it. This might be a tall order if you change your polish color infrequently due to having your nails done in a salon. In this case, neutral colors are the best choices because they will coordinate well with anything you wear. Alternatively, you can consider your wardrobe and choose a color that works best with most of your clothing choices.

If you polish your nails at home, you can be bolder with the colors you choose. Coordinating your nails with different outfits requires a quick polish change.

Summary

When putting together a stunning look to complete your red dress, don't forget to give your nails the attention they deserve. A complementary shade of color on your nails elevates your look and pulls it all together. You can't go wrong with neutral shades like white, black, or grey, but don't be afraid to go bold! Reds, pinks, and jewel tones can give your look an extra layer and add more color to your outfit. For a festive feel, explore glitters, shimmers, or metallics.  Choose your shade carefully so that it complements your dress rather than clashes or overpowers, and then let your creativity and style shine through.

For more style inspiration, check out these articles:

27 Red Dress Outfits That Will Inspire You

How to Accessorize a Red Dress 

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