Zendaya Swaps the Naked Nail Trend for a Nostalgic Fall Manicure Shade
Introducing punk-rock eggplant purple.


Zendaya, like many celebrities, spent the summer dabbling in the naked manicure trend: a look defined by short tips, impeccable cuticles, and soft flesh-toned colors. Memorably, the Challengers star wore milky pink bubble bath nails with a structured square shape to the 2024 Paris Olympics in July. And in September, Zendaya sported an opaque blush nude shade with an even shorter natural shape at Paris Fashion Fashion Week. Beloved by the likes of Kaia Gerber, Gigi Hadid, and Kendall Jenner, naked nails are clean, elegant, and versatile—qualities that make them particularly well-suited to busy press tours and back-to-back modeling gigs where celebrities might be wearing several different outfits in a single day. No wonder they were such a hit at fashion month.
On Thursday, Oct. 17, however, Miss Z stepped out in Los Angeles wearing her first fall manicure of the season: a dark eggplant purple that almost looked black from afar. Although I can't confirm the exact shade yet, it certainly looks like an OPI polish Kylie Jenner has been wearing since she was a teenager: Lincoln Park After Dark. If you're old enough to remember the golden age of Tumblr, you've probably owned at least bottle of the inky plum lacquer before. That said, Zoya and Manucurist both offer similar shades of blackened aubergine.
Zendaya wears dark purple nail polish in her first fall manicure of the season.
The rest of Zenday's ensemble played into the nostalgic vibe of her manicure. The outfit's crowning jewel, of course, was a rare vintage T-shirt featuring a print of artist Gilbert Young's painting, "He Ain't Heavy." The 28-year-old paired the covetable graphic tee with baggy brown pleated trousers, blue socks, and white On Running sneakers in keeping with her brand ambassadorship for the Swiss footwear company. She also accessorized with stud earrings, a gold chain necklace, and a gold cuff bracelet that accented her nails nicely.
Zendaya strolls through Los Angeles in a rare vintage tee and baggy brown trousers.
Apart from her punk rock purple polish, however, the Euphoria star looked effortlessly undone with her honey-blonde hair pulled into a messy bun and her skin left largely makeup-free. That's the power of freshly painted nails—you'll still look polished, even if you skimp on the rest of your glam.
Stay In The Know
Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.
Hanna Lustig is a staff writer at Marie Claire, where she gets to gab every day about the topics she holds most dear: fashion, beauty, and celebrity. Hanna’s editorial journey began with formative internships at Elle and InStyle, where she was lucky enough to work for some of the smartest women in media while she was still in college at the University of Tennessee. Hanna then accepted a digital culture reporting fellowship at Insider, where she helped carve out a new beat dedicated to covering influencers. Those experiences later served her well as a staff writer at Glamour, where she developed a knack for spinning quick turnaround celebrity news and trend reporting into juicy feature stories. Some of her greatest hits include an earnest ode to the no-pants trend, this meticulously reported feature exploring the rise of endoscopic facelifts, this snappy take on the Chanel-designed fantasy of Sofia Richie’s wedding, this tribute to WAGs past and present, and this timeline of Katie Holmes’s life and career as told through her denim collection.
Diane Keaton once hung up on Hanna during an interview, but thankfully that mishap did not derail what has otherwise been a deeply fulfilling career writing for and about women. As one of Marie Claire's resident experts on style and culture, her current coverage ranges from exploring TikTok's contrast makeup theory and the return of the boat shoe trend to interviews with costume designers for hit shows like Nobody Wants This and The Penguin. When she’s not at work, Hanna can probably be found listening to pop music, talking to her dog, and gossiping with her best friends. For more of Hanna’s perfect opinions on pop culture, you can follow her on Instagram and X.
-
The Weekend Hobby George and Louis Are Currently Obsessed With
"At weekends, we go from one competition to the next," Prince William revealed.
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Queen Mary Forced to Cancel Engagements Due to Illness
"Her Majesty The Queen, like many others right now, has become ill."
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Why Princess Kate and Prince William "May Need a Referee"
Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis could get caught in the middle, according to one royal expert.
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Sparks Are Flying Between Zoë Kravitz's Windswept Updo and Soft Grunge Makeup for Saint Laurent
She captivated the front row.
By Hanna Lustig Published
-
Jenna Ortega Modernizes the Concealer Lips Trend for the 2025 Oscars After-Party
The star brought early aughts beauty nostalgia to the 2025 Oscars after-party.
By Hanna Lustig Published
-
Sabrina Carpenter's New Prada Mascara Campaign Is Accidentally 'Severance'-Coded
The pop star's latest campaign feels like something straight out of Lumon Industries.
By Hanna Lustig Published
-
Keke Palmer Revives the Copper Hair Trend With Long Mermaid Waves
This spicy reddish-brown hair trend was made for the beloved actor.
By Hanna Lustig Published
-
Millie Bobby Brown's Messy Blonde Beehive Is So Pamela Anderson-Coded
The platinum blonde star brought '90s bedhead glamour to the red carpet premiere of 'The Electric State.'
By Hanna Lustig Published
-
So, Is the $685 SKORR Glow Laser Julianne Moore’s Secret to Flawless Skin?
If this mysterious handheld device is good enough for the Oscar winner, it's good enough for me.
By Hanna Lustig Published
-
Hailey Bieber Styles Her Sugar Cookie Pedicure With Sheer Tights and Strappy Lace-Up Sandals
The beauty founder is tapping back into a milky white nail trend.
By Hanna Lustig Published
-
2025's Pixie Cut Trend Could Upstage the Ubiquitous Celebrity Bob
It girls can't stop making the chop.
By Hanna Lustig Published