14 Famous Men Who Embrace Nail Art, From Bad Bunny to Caleb Williams
Nail art as an accessory or form of self-expression is far from a new concept—but more and more, we’re seeing men and masculine-leaning people rocking painted nails on the red carpet and social media. And we say: Fabulous. Whether it’s a simple one-shade manicure, a grungy chipped black nail, or a bedazzled and diamond-encrusted set, famous men embracing nail art in any form is good in our book. Ahead, we rounded up 14 famous men who’ve worn nail art, from Harry Styles to Bad Bunny. Keep scrolling for more nail inspiration.
Bad Bunny
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Embracing nail polish came easy to Bad Bunny—and he didn’t realize that painting his nails would spark a phenomenon. “When I started painting my nails I wasn’t thinking that the world was going to go crazy,” he told GQ, adding, “I wasn’t thinking that after that more men were going to do it [because I’ve done it].”
Lil Nas X
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Lil Nas X has always embraced a nail look and has never hesitated to show off his unique sense of style right down to his fingers. We’re kind of obsessed with his use of the clear nail trend to spell out his name.
Billy Porter
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“Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels. God is in the details,” was Billy Porter’s Instagram caption to describe this immaculate look from the 2020 Critic’s Choice Awards. These short, neon yellow squoval nails—topped with broken mirror glass—made for perfect added bling.
Luka Sabbat
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Luka Sabbat loves nail polish and has always shown off his nail looks, like this minty green set, on Instagram.
Anderson .Paak
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It’s hard not to be obsessed with Anderson .Paak’s cheeky mismatched nail look from the 2022 Met Gala.
Shawn Mendes
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Celebrity nail artist Betina Goldstein used CND polish to create Shawn Mendes’s Tommy Hilfiger-inspired monochrome nail look for the 2022 Met Gala. The singer-songwriter has been known to embrace black nail polish, albeit usually on just a few fingers.
Jared McCain
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Philadelphia 76ers player Jared McCain paints his nails for two reasons: Practicality and luck. In a TikTok video announcing his partnership with Sally Hansen, the basketball player explained that he started painting his nails because it helped him stop biting them, and wound up liking how they looked. Then, polish became something of a pre-game ritual: “One of the reasons I kept painting my nails is I had a game after I painted my nails and I ended up playing really well,” he said in the video. “You know, I’m not crazy superstitious, but I thought it looked nice and… it helped me play better. And so far, it’s worked.”
Joe Jonas
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This is exactly how one should match their manicure to their outfit. Joe Jonas’s half-moon silver chrome nail art by celebrity nail artist Julie Kandelec perfectly matched the “Gilded Glamour” theme of the 2022 Met Gala.
Machine Gun Kelly
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The musician and actor has never shied away from a nail look, whether it’s a quick and simple design or the more elaborate rhinestoned style seen here. His love for nail polish is so deep he even has his own nail polish line, UN/DN LAQR.
Harry Styles
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Another famous man with his own nail polish line, the often-manicured Harry Styles launched Pleasing in 2021.
A$AP Rocky
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Being the longtime partner of a beauty mogul must rub off in some way—and A$AP Rocky has been committed to nail art looks for a very long time. His nails often come via celebrity nail artist Kim Truong, or KimKim Nails, who helps create elaborate, abstract designs for the rapper.
Troye Sivan
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Troye Sivan is almost synonymous with men who paint their nails—he’s been rocking black nails for so long, at this point they’re a part of his brand.
Trinidad James
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Rapper Trinidad James has always sported lavish, over-the-top manicures. He takes “All Gold Everything” to a new level with charmed, bejeweled nails crafted by his longtime nail artist Sarah Nguyen.
Caleb Williams
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Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams has been spotted rocking lacquered nails for years, which he paints in honor of his mother, Dayna Price, who was a nail technician. “I think the nails thing kind of took everybody by surprise,” he told People in 2023. “I’ve been doing it [since] before college, but it took everybody by surprise, just because you don’t always see male athletes who play football paint their nails. But I think it’s just another way of expression.”
