How To Pull Off Checkered Nail Art At Home

Some of the absolute best nail designs seem to be inspired by patterns we also see on clothing. 

For instance, 1950s-esque polka dots look adorable on blouses and dresses and make great nail art. On the other hand, rocking tie-dye nails inspired by the late 1960s and '70s is just as fun as wearing a tie-dye T-shirt. Furthermore, we love seeing fashion and beauty enthusiasts complementing their favorite striped outfits with matching striped manicures.

Another nail art trend you'll be asking for soon — which you'll also find as a pattern on tops, dresses, and coats — is a checkered design. According to Glamour, checkered nail art is all over social media and has a very graphic look.

Glamour also noted that this look could have become so trendy because of the 1960s fashions featured in the hit mini-series "The Queen's Gambit," which centers on a female chess player (via IMDb). 

Whether you're a fan of "The Queen's Gambit," looking for a nail art trend to match the checkered print pieces in your wardrobe, or just want to explore a fun nail design, we recommend experimenting with this look. Here's how.

While people most commonly think of the traditional black-and-white checkered design that resembles a chessboard when they hear about this type of manicure, there are a plethora of other fun ways to get creative with this style. 

You can find countless examples of checkered manicures on Instagram, such as a glittery spin for instant glam. Moreover, anyone who likes a psychedelic-inspired look can also explore swirly checkered nail art.

For those who seek something girlier than the classic black and white, a pink-and-red checkered manicure is adorable. People who want to get artsy with it should also try incorporating negative space into the look or a rainbow checkered manicure – the options are endless! 

Refinery29 even explained that the checkered design is similar to gingham and plaid styles but exudes a much cooler vibe. Something about this look gives off undeniable cool-girl energy.

If you want to start flaunting a classic black-and-white checkered look, a YouTube tutorial by HannahRoxNails outlined the steps for how to create this design. First, put on a base coat and white nail polish.

Next, put three strips of Scotch tape at the top, middle, and bottom of your nail; apply them horizontally so that the strip only covers half the area of your nail, and the middle strip is facing an opposite direction as the top and bottom strip. 

Then, put black polish on top of the non-taped white spots and take off the tape right away. Finally, add your top coat after the nail polish dries, and that's it!

In the video, she used the Sally Hansen Double Duty Base & Top Coat, available at Ulta. Additionally, she used a white Hard as Nails polish by Sally Hansen, selling at Walmart for just under $2. She used this polish in black, too, which you can also buy at Walmart.

We're so excited to give this a try!