Coffin nails, a.k.a. ballerina nails, are part of the new “cool girl” high-fashion aesthetic and have become massively popular after celebrities like Kylie Jenner, Rihanna, and Blac Chyna started sporting them constantly. Picking a nail shape can be difficult. There is such a wide range of nail shapes to choose from, and they’re all gorgeous. If you’re looking for a versatile and chic style, look no further than coffin nails.
If you have no idea what this nail shape is about, our guide to coffin nails is here to help you out. Check out to see what coffin or ballerina nails look like, and how you can shape coffin nails at home without going to the salon! And if you have decided to go for this nail shape, you have 65 inspiring images of coffin nail designs to try presented below!
In this article:
- What Are Coffin Nails, A.K.A. Ballerina Nails?
- How to Shape Coffin Nails at Home
- 65 Coffin Nail Designs to Copy
What Are Coffin Nails, A.K.A. Ballerina Nails?
If you’re not familiar with the shape, ballerina or coffin nails are long, rectangular, and tapered in towards the end like a coffin. From the side, they curve over the nails and resemble the shape of a ballerina slipper – hence, ballerina nails.
No matter what you call them, these nails are super glamorous and chic. If you’re ready to get ballerina nails for yourself, there are a couple of ways you can do it.
The first way is to file them yourself. You’ll have to work on them as they grow since they taper in towards the top (more on this later), so they might not look exactly the way you want them right away.
The second way to get coffin acrylic nails visiting a salon. Whether you’re growing coffin nails naturally and having a nail technician file them or getting nail tips put on, your ballerina nails will look fabulous!
How to Shape Coffin Nails at Home
If you decide to do your coffin nails at home, there are a few things you need to know.
- Start Long
First off, you’ll need to grow your nails pretty long to get the look. Ballerina nails are really stiletto nails with the pointed end clipped off. The shape requires a little bit of geometry to get the tapering even on both sides.
- Make It Straight
You wouldn’t want your coffin nails to be crooked! Find the center of your nail, clip the sides (think almond-shaped, but you’ll file them straight later), and then clip off the top pointed edge at whatever your desired length is.
- Sharpen It
File away and get those coffin nail edges clean and sharp. Then you get to the best part of having coffin nails – the designs!
65 Awe-Inspiring Ballerina/ Coffin Nail Designs to Copy
Hands down, the best part about having coffin shaped nails is all the extra nail space. We’re going to show you 65 different coffin nail ideas to choose from or spark inspiration. Check the coffin nail designs out and let us know which one you’ll be decking out your ballerina nails in! We are obsessed with them all and hope we’ve given you plenty of options to choose from.
1. Falling Leaves-Inspired Coffin Nails
Alternating nails between a fall burnt orange with nails decked out with gold and orange leaf-shaped reflects is an example of the perfect seasonal coffin nail design! This design also shows off how good ballerina nails look in both matte and glossy designs.
2. Designer Ballerina Nails
Let the fashionista in you shine with this ballerina nail design homage to Louis Vuitton! These coffin shaped nails are sure to let everyone know that you’re all about adding fashionable accents into your bold orange statement.
3. Sparkle and Texture Coffin Nails
Start with a nude base and deck out each coffin nail in different sparkles and texture. Mixing a nude metallic texture, a big accent gem, and a gorgeous marble texture, make any coffin nail design pop.
4. Geometric Coffin Nails
Geometric coffin nail designs look so good because it’s such an angular nail shape. Let the designer brand lover in you out by paying homage to Burberry, then play with color blocking with lots of contrast by using a baby pink and a deep red shade at the corners. Give your coffin nails an edgy twist by using sparkly spikes on a few nails, too!
5. Neon and Nude Ballerina Nails
This ballerina nail design is perfect for someone who loves nude baby pink, but also loves neon. You don’t have to choose with this one! Keep your coffin shaped nails simple by covering them in an iridescent nude baby pink, then outline them with neon pink to really make the nail shape pop.
6. All Metallic Coffin Nails
There’s no reason to hold back with your coffin nail designs. If metallic is your thing, then let your metallic flag fly. An all-over metallic shade on the outside nail balances perfectly with iridescent leaves on a transparent nail. Make a big statement with the middle finger by decking it out in iridescent jewels for three-dimensional fun!
7. Line Art Ballerina Nails
Take your matte neutral ballerina nails to the next level by adding in some white linework to give them an artistic twist. Ballerina nail designs with lines really show off the coffin shape and make the ballerina slipper side look long and glamorous.
8. Classic White Coffin Nails with a Glamorous Twist
The classic glossy white coffin nail design is always in style. This design takes it to the next level, by showcasing another favorite classic design on the inside fingers – the French manicure. The gold accents on these coffin shaped nails give rich glam vibes, too!
9. Frost Peach Ballerina Nails
This ballerina nail design is gorgeous! A frosty finished peach shade accented with white dot grid takes the artistic side up a notch.
10. Sunset Orange and Gold Coffin Nail Design
This coffin nail design uses so many elements of art to satisfy different tastes! The mix of gold and matte orange gives gorgeous contrast, and showing off the natural nail is gorgeous on any set of coffin shaped nails!
11. White Coffin Nails with Gold Accent
White is one of the superior colors for ballerina nails. Pair it with a pop of gold line art and 3-dimensional chain accents, and your nails will become both glamorous and edgy!
12. Cherry Coffin Nails
Fruit-themed coffin nail designs are so cute! These sparkly pink coffin nails with cherries made out of rhinestones are simply delicious looking.
13. Marbled Jewel-Tone Ballerina Nails
We love a ballerina nail that mixes it up on each finger. Use neutralized jewel tones to create a marbled effect on some fingers, and then showcase each individual color. These ballerina nails are used as the perfect canvas.
14. Olive Green Coffin Nails with Gold Decals
Paired with the perfect matte olive green base coat, these golden decals have the perfect base to pop against. Use rhinestones on the decals to make the designs on your coffin nails pop even more!
15. Neon Green and Swarovski Ballerina Nails
We are obsessed with green on ballerina nails. Mixing up the green with bare nail space and accenting with Swarovski crystals is next level!
16. Grids and Tropical Designs
Is it that obvious that we love mixed and matched coffin nails? Find the perfect color scheme like this peach and baby blue and go crazy. The tropical nail wraps, mixed with the white grid coffin nail design and negative space at the cuticles, are too cute and creative!
17. Versace Coffin Nails
There’s no better way to show your love for Versace than by painting Versace right onto your coffin nails. You’re instantly designer, and the different gold accents look super regal. Surround your Versace nails with minimalist matte black and gold geometric coffin nails for extra glamour.
18. Nature Ballerina Nails
This burnt orange fall ballerina nail design is simple, yet effective. Glossy nails with a few accents with fall leaves on display will satisfy all of the nature lovers out there. Sometimes simple is better with ballerina nails.
19. Cloud Coffin Nail Design
Not all coffin nails have to have straight lines and crystals. A simple sparkly baby pink with clouds will give you the cutest coffin nails ever. Add a few rhinestones here and there to look like stars sparkling in your pink coffin nail sky.
20. Textured Coffin Nails
Take a neutral pink base on your ballerina nails and make a statement with orange line art. Putting the matte neon orange lines on top of the glossy pink base coat gives this ballerina nail design the best contrast while looking totally chic at the same time.
21. Sunflower Nails
These matte burgundy coffin nails with hand-painted sunflowers have us obsessed. Add in another peachy matte accent nail with rhinestones in the cuticle space to make this flower-inspired coffin nail design pop!
22. Ombre Coffin Nails
To achieve the perfect fall ballerina nail, start with ombre. The deep burgundy to neon orange captures everything we love about the season. Add deep burgundy rhinestones from the cuticle to the nail tip to give your ballerina nail the ultimate sparkle.
23. Melted Metallic Pink Coffin Nails
Switch up your French manicure, by taking advantage of all the space on your coffin nails and melting that French tip down to your cuticle. This sparkly pink drips like goo and looks gorgeous on top of a transparent coffin nail tip.
24. Stiletto-Infused Coffin Nail Design
If you’re having trouble choosing between a stiletto and coffin nail design, then this is the mani for you. With deep burgundy, utilize the negative space on a matte nail to create the illusion of a stiletto nail! Accent one of your coffin nails with a little bit of glitter.
25. Retro Neon Ballerina Nail Design
Nothing beats hand-drawn neon lightning bolts on ballerina nails. The sparkly baby pink base looks like elevated negative space and leaves plenty of room for your neon lightning bolts to stand out on these cute coffin nails.
26. Coffee-Lover Coffin Nails
We love a statement nail, and there’s no better statement to put on your coffin acrylic nails than your love for coffee. It’s a lifestyle. Baby pink coffin nails with neutral white and grey coffee beans make this design sweet and neutral. Perfect for holding your first (or third, we don’t judge!) cup of coffee in the morning.
27. Neon Outline Ballerina Nails
This coffin nail idea is so simple, yet so sleek. Pair a baby pink ballerina nail bed with a neon yellow outline on the tips of your nails for a dynamic and bold play on a neutral coffin nail design.
28. Green and Gold Coffin Nails
These nails scream Old Hollywood glamour with the vintage gold glitter. This coffin nail design combines matte olive green, a glossy transparent nail with olive green accents, vintage gold accents all over the place, and lots of sparkle. There is no limit to how glam coffin nails can be, especially with rhinestone cuticle decorations.
29. Brain Ballerina Nails
Get scientific with this coffin nail design. The hand-painted brain and eyeballs are perfect for any anatomy wizard. Surrounded by the perfect pretty pink with a glossy finish, these coffin nails are super fitting for Halloween festivities.
30. Kissy Lips Coffin Nail Design
Valentine’s Day is the perfect holiday for these kiss-inspired cute coffin nails. Get a baby pink base, and stamp red pouty lips all over your coffin nails to show what you’re all about for the love holiday.
31. Jack o’ Lantern Ballerina Nails
This coffin nail design is perfect for all of the spooky loving folks out there. Mix and match a full orange glitter nail, with a baby pink-based nail covered in Jack o’ lanterns. These ballerina nails scream “This is Halloween.”
32. Geometric Matte French Manicure
These coffin acrylic nails are extra glamorous! Take a French manicure, and play with the rest of the negative space with rhinestones, linework, and vintage gold accents. If you’re looking for the perfect coffin nail design for your wedding, then this is it.
33. Pop Art Ballerina Nails
If you’re as obsessed with pop art as we are, then this coffin nail design will make your jaw drop. These ballerina nails are extra artistic with hand-painted art-pop characters on each bright pink glossy nail. Get creative on each nail with these drawings because they’re sure to tell a story!
34. Floral Dark Red-Terracotta Coffin Nails
This coffin nail idea is a tribute to the brand Off-White and is gorgeous. Base the nail with a dark red terracotta, layer the logo, and then the flowers on top of these coffin nails to show off the brand that you love.
35. Colorful Smoke Bomb Ballerina Nails
We are obsessed with this coffin nail design. Layer a colorful marbled smoke bomb on top of a white base with a glossy top coat for these cute coffin nails.
36. Pink French Manicure
Colorful French manicures on coffin nails are so dreamy. It’s even better when they’re pink. For this pink coffin nail design, use a longer French tip, and cut a triangle out of the base to give geometric side eyes to all of your onlookers.
37. Bumblebee Coffin Nails
These ballerina nails are about all things bumblebee. Pay homage to our favorite insect by playing with white and yellow striped nails. Give some of the nails a black snakeskin-like textured finish, and paint on flowers and bumblebees (of course!). This design even mixes in a stiletto nail to look like a bee stinger.
38. Cheetah Print Coffin Nails
Animal print will never go out of style. We said it, and we mean it. Incorporate your favorite animal print (ours is cheetah) onto a metallic coffin nail to unleash your inner roar.
39. Trolls Ballerina Nail Design
Trolls are so cute, and they’re even cuter when they’re painted onto ballerina nails. Get colorful and show off your favorite forest creature cartoons with this cute coffin nail design.
40. Elephant Coffin Nails
These elephant nails are too cute! Coffin nails have become a form of expression, and if expressing your love for animals is your thing, then you should consider this design. Pair the cutest elephant drawing with nails that emphasize different parts of the color scheme. This manicure has a lot of our favorite coffin nail designs included, like a glittery silver French tip, pink and white linework, cuticle rhinestones, and a plain matte blue nail, for balance.
41. Chanel Ballerina Nails
It’s no secret that we love to show off our favorite designer brands on ballerina nails because they have the ability to show off just how glamorous we truly are. The white, gold and black color scheme is classic and clean. The Chanel logo matches that classic vibe, and the intricate nail art makes this coffin nail design artistic and pretty.
42. Citrus Nails
We’ve got another fruit-inspired set of cute coffin nails. This time, we want to know: lemon or lime? Fruit-inspired nails are cute and fun, especially for the summer. Apply a cool-toned matte base polish, then paint on your bright-colored citrus to make a summer statement with your coffin nail design.
43. Tropical Vacation Ballerina Nail Design
Think tropical thoughts to put you in the mood for vacation. This coffin nail design is perfect for expressing where our minds are – on vacation. Paint the perfect tropical scene on your coffin acrylic nails by starting with an ocean blue to white ombre base, then paint on tropical scenes. Make these nails pop by throwing a few small rhinestones in to accent.
44. Linework Coffin Nail Design
Show off your steady hand with this coffin nail design, paying homage to line art. The turquoise, brown, black, and white hail to Native American heritage, and make the perfect color scheme for this set.
45. Orange-Lined Floral Coffin Nails
These ballerina nails are a gorgeous depiction of spring and summer. Bright orange and floral designs are such a good combination on nails because the contrast is gorgeous on the background of nude pink nail beds. If you need a cute summer nail makeover, the orange florals will give it to you on this coffin nail design.
46. Galaxy Coffin Nails
A galaxy design on coffin acrylic nails is out of this world. The colors are sure to make any skin tone stand out without being too bright. The iridescence of the colors makes this simple coffin nail design look celestial.
47. Hocus Pocus Halloween Nails
Holiday-themed ballerina nails are superior, and we especially love when the design goes spooky. This coffin nail design is sure to get you into the spooky season mood. Mix and match your nails with different finishes and colors that represent the season, and don’t forget the Sanderson Sisters.
48. Rick and Morty-Themed Nails
If you love a TV show, then why not get a coffin nail design to show it? These Rick and Morty-themed nails show us just how good cartoons look on nails especially with a glossy finish. If you’re a Comic-Con attendee, these would be perfect for you to show all of your fellow attendees what you’re there to support.
49. Moschino-Inspired Coffin Nails
Fashion lovers, say hey! These Moschino-inspired coffin acrylic nails are super fashion-forward with a pink transparent nail bed covered in matte designs. Coffin nail designs have the potential to outshine the outfit if you get creative like this. These nails are runway-ready for sure.
50. Lady and the Tramp Ballerina Nails
Celebrate Disney+ by decking out your coffin nails with your favorite Disney cartoon characters. Lady and the Tramp look so cute on this coffin nail design with a baby pink base.
51. Alice in Wonderland Ballerina Nails
If you loved the caterpillar in Alice in Wonderland the way we did, then you’ll love this coffin nail design. Cartoons on transparent baby pink coffin nails are so cute, and this psychedelic design really shows that off.
52. Ombre Orange Coffin Nails
There’s a lot of talk about hard lines when it comes to coffin nail designs, but these ombre coffin nails completely change the conversation. The neon orange softly fading into the bright white nail polish is gorgeous and leaves room for the drawings of the oranges.
53. All Things Pink Ballerina Nails
Covering ballerina nails in baby pink is the perfect combination. This ballerina nail design exhibits pink in all of its glorious forms – glitter, gloss, and foiled with rose gold. The rhinestone accents at the cuticles are the perfect pop of elegance for these pink coffin nails.
54. Tribal Coffin Nails
We love when coffin nails give us a chance to exhibit our culture, which is why we love this coffin nail idea so much. Pair your standout colors like black and cobalt blue with a cool, neutral-toned base to make your design pop.
55. Orange and Plaid Ballerina Nails
This almost all-orange manicure is elevated by a pop of plaid. The vertical line of rhinestones adds linework to this coffin nail design with a non-traditional twist while still looking moody and bold.
56. Pink Snowy Ballerina Nails
When you think of a winter wonderland, you may think of white or blue, but using a non-traditional color with glitter on your coffin nails will give you a similar effect while still being feminine and cute. Add an accent to your coffin nail design by keeping one nail glossy and adding a hand-painted snowflake.
57. Colorful Metallic Coffin Nails
Metallics are so fun on ballerina nails. This coffin nail design keeps it simple by just switching up the colors, but keeping the same metallic finish. Add gold smiley face nail stickers to show how fun you are!
58. Cool Cheetah Nails
This coffin nail design is fierce, yet classy. Use cool-toned nudes to make this manicure wearable for every day, and then add a half nail or two of cheetah print to make your coffin nails pop. Gold-accented dividers will let everyone know that you’ve got a demure, fun and flashy side.
59. Geometric Ballerina Nails
A cool-toned geometric coffin nail design is perfect for transitioning from day to night. They are demure enough to work well in the office, and the Swarovski on the ballerina nail adds flash that will translate well to nightlife.
60. Updated French Manicure
Nothing beats a classic French manicure on coffin nails. The nude space on the nail adds a curved division between it, and the blue French tip really emphasizes the ballerina nail shape. This nail design shows off both the ballerina and coffin side with its simplicity, which makes the nails stand out even more than they already do.
61. Flower-Inspired Coffin Nails
This ballerina nail design is a summer-inspired take on the sunflower. The all-white nail base makes coffin nails pop, while the yellow gives them the color. They are too cute to handle!
62. Rose Coffin Nail Design with Gold Accents
Rose coffin nails give the “your nail bed but better” vibe. The gold foiled tips are a messy homage to the French manicure. If you want to go French without being too obvious, this is the coffin nail design for you.
63. Baby Pink Coffin Nails with Tribal Linework
This baby pink ballerina nail design is sure to impress with its white tribal linework. The combination of colors is classy and sweet. The golden accents are minimal and give it just the right amount of pop.
64. Iridescent Pink Coffin Nails
This minimal coffin nail design is perfectly wearable without causing too much fuss, but still elegant and pretty. The iridescent coating turns the baby pink from cutesy to glamorous on these ballerina nails.
65. Pink World Traveler Ballerina Nails
We’ve seen a lot of baby pink because it just looks so good on ballerina nails. This coffin nail design is perfect for our feminine travel-obsessed folks. The white grid lines and the gold foiled continents are cute and classy. We’re obsessed!
Photos via Instagram
