“Velvet Nails” Are Trending For Winter — & They’re Mesmerizing

The appeal of velvet is tactile, first and foremost. It's the smooth and silky touch of luxe velour that makes you spend half of your November paycheck on a party dress that you know full well you'll wear once a calendar year, if that. But the second, and often less appreciated, glamour of velvet is the unique soft-silk shine, which is being replicated in the (much more affordable) holiday nail-art trend taking over Instagram.

An upgrade from routine glitter or metallic polish, the velvet manicure is all about the way the light bounces off the fingernails, giving the illusion of a velvet-y finish (but with a smooth, non-fuzzy feel). For a visual — best captured on video — scroll through the chicest examples of the nail-art trend. From festive green to pale gold and silver shimmer, there's a velvet look that will speak to your pre-holiday aesthetic.