Skip the Floral Manicures—This Is the Dated Print Fashion People Can’t Get Enough of for Spring
Walk on the wild side.
There are some patterns that will never go out of style. Whether your mind first flits to stripes, plaids, or polka dots, it will inevitably land on animal print (and if it doesn’t, I ask how long you’ve been living under that rock?).
Between spots and stripes, there’s no denying the fact that leopard, cheetah, zebra, and tiger prints oscillate in and out of the fashion spotlight throughout the years—or however long the fleeting lifespan of a microtrend these days—overtaking our closets in an array of animalistic maximalism that feeds the fashion lover’s soul. But as a beauty editor, it’s my job to see how these trends impact the beauty space over time, and I’m happy to report that a cooler, chicer, more elevated version of the animal stripe manicure trend that dominated the early aughts is back just in time for spring.
While dated iterations of this trend might coat the entire nail in garish neons with black or white stripes, 2026’s version of this untamed manicure is a bit more domesticated. Think: warm tiger prints and desaturated zebra-striped French tips—a touch here and there of zig-zagging slashes, or a cascading chrome print that’s nearly invisible in some lighting. The key is minimal touches of maximalism, and I’m absolutely wild for it. Whether pulling inspiration from Hailey Bieber’s tiger pants to Kendall Jenner’s zebra tips, there’s a well of inspiration awaiting your spring nail appointments.
Curious to see more? Keep scrolling for the coolest tiger and zebra-striped manicures I’m saving to try this spring.
10 Animal Stripe Nail Ideas to Try
Deep Tiger
For something a bit more subtle, try this carnelian manicure with deep black stripes. The depth of the colors almost make the animalistic accents unnoticeable unless you look closely, making this the perfect style for minimalists who want to step outside of their comfort zone without going too wild. (Pun intended.)
Accent Nail
If you'd rather incorporate animal print accents over a full-on design, then show this mismatched set to your manicurist. Painted on as a cascading French tip, this cool brown and berry set plays with elements of tiger print, reptilian scales, and tortoiseshell in an unconventional way that looks oh-so gorgeous together.
Cat Eye Tiger
When celebrity manicurist Zola Ganzorigt designed this "white tiger print" set for Vanessa Hudgens, I knew it was a short matter of time before the trend took hold. With elongated tips and a nude base, Ganzorigt elevated the almond-shaped French tips with white cat eye polish and black tiger stripes. Something about combining these "big cat" elements exudes panther-esque prowess.
Zebra French
I've had this chic, black and white set by celebrity nail artist Queenie Nguyen saved for a while, and I'm itching to recreate it this spring. A few swipes of a black striping brush takes this classic almond French tip from elegant to elevated, with an overlay effect that takes this "dated" style from '00 to '26.
Micro French
If you're inspired by Nguyen's set but want to work with your natural nail length over extensions, I urge you to reference this snapshot of a BIAB manicure by professional nail artist Joanne Thomas. This chic, pale pink manicure features thin, micro French tips with small black zebra stripes, proving that you can easily sport fun French manicures on short nails.
Neutral Tiger
Animal print is a neutral, IMO, so what better way to don tiger print than in its natural hues? Painted in an amber-y brown with thin, black stripes, this square-set manicure by celebrity nail artist Betina Goldstein will be on my nail inspiration board for the next six months. Though the manicurist doesn't specify her exact base color, Essie's Bed Rock & Roll looks like a dead ringer for the rusty shade.
Chrome Stripes
Though this manicure may look busy at first glance, it has all the makings of a Gen Z-approved set. Utilizing both chrome and velvet polishes on different fingers, this manicure is a feast for the eyes—but the detail I'm saving for future reference is metallic tiger stripes. From brown slits across a chrome base to silvery accent stripes, this set involves tiger print in a very new-age way.
Classic Zebra
You can never go wrong with a classic mani, and this realistic black and white zebra print design is as true to the source material as it gets. Start with a white base and allow the polish to fully dry before going in with black polish on a thin nail art brush. Paint sweeping black stripes, connecting some at the sides in a V-like shape, and voila!
Striped Square French
While it's true that several of the aforementioned designs feature almond-shaped nails, these wild stripes look especially cute on square shapes, too. This set features a smattering of tiger and zebra stripes—sprinkled with a few leopard spots, too—in French tip and asymmetrical styles, playing up the angular shapes and adding texture.
Velvet Touch
If you, too, can't get enough of the cat eye nail trend, then consider incorporating it into your next manicure with a statement zebra accent. This look features two zebra nails with a barely there velvet finish along the stripes and a mixture of cat eye French tips and full nails, pulling everything together into one cohesive look. x
Shop Products for Animal Stripe Nails
The perfect red-brown for tiger-striped looks.
One of the most iconic white nail polishes ever (and a great base for zebra-striped manicures).
We love Chanel nail polish here at Who What Wear, and this inkblot black shade is one of our top recommendations.
To create these animalistic stripes, use a thin brush like any of the ones from this five-piece set.
To achieve the velvet look from Hudgens' set, try a velvet nail polish like the shade Moon from Manucurist.
Another velvet nail polish option I'm adding to cart (largely thanks to its low price).
These gel nail art liners are perfect for creating those dainty stripes.
If you prefer to paint with gel polish at home, consider adding this UV lamp—rated the best we've ever tried—to your cart.
A lower-priced option that we also love.
For a quick and easy option, try these zebra-striped press-ons from Nail Reformation.
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