Monochromatic Tuxedo Nails Are The Pinnacle Of Red Carpet-Ready Glam

A new nail design is taking over and ending the hunt for simple manicures that aren't boring. Dubbed the tuxedo manicure, it's a black-and-white nail polish combination that has become a fast favorite of celebrity manicurists and, appropriately, a go-to for red carpet appearances where sleek formal attire is a must. It's likely that you've already come across the tuxedo manicure, whether it was during Liza Koshy's stint on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" or Vanessa Hudgens' red carpet moment at the Oscars. 

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While working with two colors might seem restrictive, the tuxedo nail trend is far from limited in its potential design scope. (The "black-and-white nails" hashtag has accumulated over 150,000 posts on Instagram alone.) Not only does the two-toned style consist of two of the most perfect colors for a minimalist manicure, but the look is constantly being reinvented to suit different people's styles. Ahead, we break down a couple iterations of the tuxedo manicure that have been worn by some of the most-loved celebrities on the red carpet.

Manicure inspiration, courtesy of Madelyn Cline

Opting for a nail design that matches your mood is the perfect way to personalize your glam for a big event. Take the manicure worn by "Outer Banks" star Madelyn Cline in the image above as an example. The actor is well-known for her extroverted personality, which shines through in her fun-filled Zebra print manicure. 

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Cline's nail design is an alternative take on French tips that is commonly referred to as an "American manicure." The style is a go-to for beauty enthusiasts looking to recreate the traditionally pale pink French tip in either more natural tones on the base or by using a colorful nail polish palette on the tips.

Manicurist Tom Bachik told Allure exactly why the American manicure is popular. "People can personalize this look with their favorite colors — whether all the tips are one color or every fingertip a different color." The combination of the tuxedo manicure and the American manicure for this look is a genius style choice for Cline, since it perfectly suits any upscale red carpet event while showcasing her fun-loving public persona. 

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Sydney Sweeney's lesson in creating cool contrast

One simple yet stunning way to create a tuxedo manicure is to make a pattern, switching colors every other nail. No one knows this style principle as well as the "Euphoria" breakout star Sydney Sweeney, who has worn the black-and-white nail polish color combination on the red carpet several times, one being the premiere of "The White Lotus" Season 1. 

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The young Hollywood starlet and her nail stylist Zola Ganzorigt decided to heighten the manicure on this occasion by incorporating even more contrast into the design. Ganzorigt achieved this by placing a small decorative dot at the bottom of each nail in an opposing color from the base paint. 

The tuxedo nails matched the black-and-white Prada dress Sweeney wore for the event. Doubling down on the contrasting color palette provided a cohesive line between her fashion and glam, giving Sweeney a pulled-together finish.

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