What color nail polish goes with dark purple dress

What nail color goes with a purple dress? Let’s find out! Whether your dress is a deep eggplant, a luscious lilac, or somewhere in between, I’ll help you find your perfect polish match.

There are so many nail polish shades that work beautifully with purple.

We’re about to deep dive into them, but in case you have a party to get to, here’s the short and fast answer to what nail color goes with a purple dress:

Black, white, gray, beige, tan, and navy nails go well with a purple dress. You can also wear pastels like dusty rose, lemon, and sky blue. Most shades of yellow will give a nice contrast. Emerald, forest, and sage green go well, and so will any other purple shade. Both gold and silver nails work with a purple dress.

Alrighty – we have a basic answer!

Now, let’s dive deeper, explore exactly what nail color goes with a purple dress, check out some shades and see what kind of looks you can create.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

• Neutral polish colors that work best with a purple dress
• Pastel colors that go with a purple dress
• Monochromatic colors that go with a purple dress
• Complimentary color that works with a purple dress
• Metallic polish colors that work with a purple dress
• Other colors that go with a purple dress
• Prom nails for a purple dress
• Final thoughts

Neutral polish colors that work best with a purple dress

Perhaps the simplest answer to what nail color goes with a purple dress is “neutrals”.

I’m a huge advocate for neutral nails. They go with everything, they look polished and put together, and they’re insanely versatile.

You can wear them to the office, to a wedding, or on a date – and they’ll always look appropriate.

If you’re going for a more subdued look, or if you’re not sure what color to choose, start with a neutral.

Here are the best neutrals to pair with a purple dress.

Black

Black nails look great with deep mauve to create a modern yet mysterious look.

In fact, black nail polish will literally go with any shade of purple dress.

However, some purple shades can look a little too Halloween-y when paired with black nails, especially if you have pale skin.

To keep a purple dress outfit with black nails from looking too much like a Halloween color palette, add a third color, like cream, gray or pale pink to your shoes, bag, or other accessories.

Pro tip – If you’re pale like me, go for a purple shade that’s almost black, it will look way less goth. I love Lincoln Park after dark by OPI (click to check price on Amazon).

White

If you’re looking for a subtle way to add some contrast to your outfit, try white nails with a purple dress.

White nails are always chic, and they look great with a purple dress.

You can wear them to add a touch of sophistication to your look or to make your purple dress pop.

You can really play around with white because there are so many shades to choose from.

If you feel like pure snow white is a bit too stark, experiment with off whites like ivory and champagne.

Charcoal or slate gray

If your dress is a plum or an eggplant purple then charcoal or slate gray nails will work really well.

These colors are dark and moody, and they’ll add an element of mystery and sophistication to your look.

They’re great for a night out or a special event.

Light gray

Wear light gray nail polish if your dress is on the lighter end of the purple scale.

Light gray nails look great with lavender, amethyst, and any softer or muted purples.

If you have pale skin or soft coloring, choose a soft pale gray that matches your skin tone.

So if you’re warm-toned, go for a warm, yellow-based gray like Zoya’s Harley.

And if you’re cool-toned, try a cool light gray polish like Essie’s Cocktail Bling (click to check price on Amazon).

Navy

Navy is one of my all-time favorite neutral nail polish colors!

It’s super classy and looks really nice with mauve.

If you’re looking for a more sophisticated/formal look that’ll work for prom or a wedding, try navy nails with your purple dress.

Navy nails are also great for dressing up a casual blue-jeans outfit.

If you like navy nail polish, try OPI’s Isn’t It Grand Avenue or Essie’s Caviar Bar (Click to check price on Amazon)

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Tan 

If you want a more natural and understated look, go for a tan or camel-colored polish.

Dark purple dresses like plum and aubergine look fabulous with tan nails.

Tan polish is great for everyday wear, and it’ll give your nails a break from all the dark and vampy shades.

Beige

Beige is another great nude color that goes with everything.

It’s a bit more subtle than tan, and it goes really well with purple because beige has a yellow undertone (yellow is purple’s complementary color).

Beige nails are the perfect way to add a touch of minimalist elegance to your look.

They go great with dark or light purple dresses, and they’re perfect all year round.

Try something like Essie’s mindful meditation or OPI’s The Beige of Reason.

Pastel colors that go with a purple dress

If neutral colors aren’t your thing, or if you want to add a pop of color to your look, try a pastel shade.

Pastels are really on-trend right now, and they go great with purple dresses.

Think blush pink (I love this Essie one) dusty rose, mint green, baby blue, or lemon yellow.

These colors are perfect for spring and summer, and they create a fun look that’s light and fresh.

I love sky blue and grape purple together, it’s such a pretty and unique combo!

My favorite light blue nail polish to pair with purple is Blu by Zoya.

Lavender and lemon also look super chic and are totally on-trend. Wear cream shoes or accessories to complete the look.

Monochromatic colors that go with a purple dress

Have you thought about creating a monochromatic look?

Why settle for one shade of purple when you can have two?

Wear different shades of purple together for a chic and trendy outfit.

If you want to rock a monochromatic look, it’s easy!

Just go for any shade of purple nail polish with your dress.

Try choosing a purple polish that’s a few shades lighter or darker than your dress.

That way you’ll get a nice contrast.

Think deep plum with pale lavender or lilac nails for soft, romantic vibes.

Or violet and lilac for a bolder look.

You can’t go wrong with purple and purple! You’ll look chic and totally pulled together.

Complimentary color that works with a purple dress

Every color has an opposite that’s complementary.

The opposite of purple is yellow.

That means that yellow nail polish will create a beautiful contrast with your purple dress.

If you want to try this look, go for a pale, sunny lemon yellow like Zoya’s Pippa, or a strong citrus shade.

Pastel yellows are great to pair with purple dresses in spring and summer. They create a cute, playful, and feminine look.

You could also try a mustard yellow (Zoya’s Honey and OPI’s The IT Color are good) if you want something that works for fall and winter.

Deep purple and mustard are regal and stylish.

Throw on some gold jewelry to finish the look.

Metallic polish colors that work with a purple dress

If you like metallic nail polish, you’re in luck!

If you’re a magpie like me, you can wear gold, silver, rose gold, or copper-nail polish with a purple dress.

These oh-so-shiny colors are best for formal events or evening wear.

Gold and purple are the ultimate dressy combination that’s luxurious and elegant.

For copper nails to go with purple, I like Penny Talk by Essie.

I also like Reflection Perfection, which is a soft rose-gold.

Other colors that go with a purple dress

Still not found your perfect polish match?

Here are some other nail polish options for purple dresses:

Brown

Try a rich chocolate brown nail polish with your dress for a classic and timeless look.

Or go with a chestnut brown shade for a vintage feel.

Deep browns look very regal and super formal next to rich purples.

Chestnut or light coffee brown nails can help to tone down a purple dress for a more casual vibe that says “I didn’t try too hard”.

Orange

Orange and lavender is one of my favorite color combos.

Perfect for summer vacations!

If you like a bold, eye-catching look, go for a bright orange shade.

Or wear a coral or peach shade with your purple dress for a fun, flirty, and feminine look.

Green

There are plenty of green nail polish shades that go great with purple.

It’s a perfect way to add a pop of color to your outfit without being too over the top.

When combining purple and green, avoid light and bright greens (unless the joker from Batman is the look you’re going for!) and go deeper for an elegant look.

Let’s look at a few shades of green that work really well with purple:

Forest green

Forest green is a classy shade that goes with eggplant purple brilliantly.

Emerald green

This jewel-toned green shade goes well with bright and vivid purples.

Sage green

Sage works almost like a neutral. It goes with so many outfits!

Try sage green with blue-purples like indigo or violet shades.

Jade green

This is another jewel-toned green that looks great with purple.

Pair it with a lavender or pale purple dress to make the green stand out more.

Blue-greens

Blue-greens are another great option for purple dresses.

Here are a couple of shades to try:

Teal

Teal is a blue-green that has a lot of gray in it. It’s perfect for any occcasion and works for all seasons.

Since both teal and purple have blue undertones, this can be a great color match.

The same goes for turquoise, which looks stunning with amethyst.

Pink

Pink and purple together can look too childish and sweet.

But if you combine the right shades, such as blush pink and lavender, for example, you can create a harmonious look that doesn’t read like a child’s bedroom.

Stick to sophisticated shades and don’t combine pastels and you’ll be fine.

Peach

Peach is a great way to add a touch of femininity and romance to your outfit.

It’s perfect for summer and spring events.

Try to match the peach shade to your skin tone for a flawless look.

Not sure how?

Read this.

Prom nails for a purple dress

If you’re wearing purple to prom, this section is for you!

Prom is a formal event, but it can also be an opportunity to show off your creativity and personality.

I’m guessing you already have your dress picked out, right?

Then let the dress guide you in your choice of nail color.

What do I mean by that?

Well, let’s break it down.

Here are some things to think about.

Tips for choosing prom nails to go with a purple dress

First, take a few seconds to think about how you would describe your prom dress.

Is it classicly elegant? Fun, and flirty? Minimal and modern? Or Quirky and different?

When you’re choosing a nail color for prom, try to match the overall look of the dress.

For example, if you’re wearing a dress that’s elegant, classy, and very formal, then you’ll want a nail color that matches that vibe.

Some great options for a more traditionally formal purple dress would be navy, emerald, forest green, chocolate brown, ivory, champagne, gold, silver, and copper.

If your dress is on the fun and flirty side, then you might get a little more playful with your nails.

Some great ideas for this type of look would be mint green, baby blue, lemon yellow, or a pastel pink nail color. Orange and peach nails would work too.

For a modern and minimal look, plain nails in a neutral color like white, gray, navy, tan, or beige will do the trick.

What are the undertones in your dress?

My second tip is to look at the undertones in your dress. Is it a warm or a cool purple?

If your dress is more of a reddish-purple, it’s warm.

If it has more of a bluish-purple tone then it’s most likely cool.

Once you know if the purple shade of your dress is warm or cool, a great trick is to find a nail polish (in any color you like) that has the same undertone as your dress.

So if your dress is cool, look for nail polishes with cool undertones, and vice versa.

If you’re not sure whether a nail polish color is warm or cool, check the polish descriptions.

Zoya is great at explaining the overall tone of the polish and you can search on their website by warm or cool.

Do you want your nails to stand out?

My third tip for matching your nails to your prom dress is to think about how much you want your nails to stand out.

I mean, it’s prom so you’re probably going to want all eyes on your dress, right?

In that case, you might want to keep your nails simple and avoid too much bling or eye-catching colors.

A good way to gauge this is to think about how “busy” your dress is.

Does it have a lot of detail on it? Or is it more understated?

You can compliment a detailed prom dress by adding a modest nail color and design.

If you have a lot of detail on your dress then you don’t want a ton of gems, glitter, etc on your nails, as this will draw attention away from the dress.

If your purple prom dress is minimal, vintage, or understated, then you might want to go bolder with your nail choice.

You could go for a highly contrasting color like yellow or a bold metallic to finish the look.

Final thoughts

There are many different colors that can be paired with a purple dress. Whether you want to go with a Neutral, a complementary color, or another shade of purple, there are many options to choose from. Metallic colors like gold and silver work well. For a more formal look, try one of the jewel-toned greens or a rich chocolate brown. And for a fun and flirty look, try pairing your purple dress with coral or peach nail polish.

I hope you enjoyed my What nail polish color goes with a purple dress post!

Thanks for reading and knock ’em dead in that dress!

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