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Tutorials and pictures of elaborate nail art are all the rage these days online. I thought it would be fun to find the best military-themed nails and put them all in one place with some instructions and tips from the experts!

These nails are a lot of work, and are they aren’t usually for everyday, around-the-house wear. They might make a fun addition to a homecoming outfit or could be perfect for a military ball, with a bit of a glamorous touch.

See the full 4 step tutorial on NailPro’s website.

Army-Inspired Nails

Army Star Nails

Nothing says “Army” like the US Army Logo, so these are undoubtedly the most recognizable Army nails I have seen. While this is an elaborate design, it’s composed of simple shapes and just three colors, so it’s not too complicated. Nail Pro has an awesome Army Star tutorial.

Maya Szydlowski, a self-proclaimed fashion enthusiast who taught herself how to create nail art designs, says that the trick to great nails is all in the timing.

“Being patient and letting the polish dry after each step (is the key),” said Szydlowski. “That is CRUCIAL and will determine how clean the nail art will look in the end.”

Army Green Nail

Army Greens are pretty popular, and you can find more subtle versions of the famous shade of olive in versions with glitter or muted shades. All Laquered Up did a great review of greens in their post on the Army Green trend.

Camouflage Nails

My absolute favorite Army inspired nails are the camo nails. There are a number of great videos on YouTube that demonstrate easy ways to make these yourself.

Style 101 recommends white nail polish and simple designs.

Navy-Inspired Nails

Nautical Nails

The great thing about fashion inspired by the Navy is that you can borrow all sorts of nautical trends. Style Tips 101 did a post about wearing nautical themed outfits and had some awesome ideas for nautical nails!

Navy Nail Decals 

If you do not want to freehand or paint your own designs, I have also seen lots of decals that you can add to your beauty stash like these Navy nail decals from Pretty Girly Girl. (They carry decals for other military branches as well!)

Nails at Home has a full tutorial on their blog. (Bonus: you do not have to try to paint a star!)

Marine-Inspired Nails

Dress Blues Inspiration

Lets face it, everyone’s favorite fashion look for the Marine Corps is the Dress Blues. So why not use the Dress Blues as inspirations for your nails. For more ideas, check out the blog “Things I Love at the Moment” — she posted about her Dress Blue inspired nails that she wore on Veterans Day.

Minimalistic Marine Nails

I love nail designs that convey the idea and feeling but are not overly designed. That is probably why I love this design from Lisa’s Nails at Home blog (shown on the right). I love the simple modification of the French manicure with a Marine-inspired feeling!

More adventurous nails

If you are feeling a little more adventurous you should try tackling this elaborate Marine themed nail set from iCandy Nails.

Maya’s tip on elaborate designs is to use a dotting tool for small designs. (If you don’t want to spend the money, you can easily use the tip of a pen or a toothpick.)

NerdPolish has some awesome nail art skills, check out her Air Force Logo nails!

Air Force-Inspired Nails

Blue and Silver Nails

Air Force inspiration is great in blue and silver and looks very elegant. There are some great simple blue and silver tutorials like this half moon one from The Beauty Department.

Air Force Logo

Nerd Polish did a twist on painting the logo and stretched the air force logo across her nails. I love how this turned out and it keeps you from having to paint the whole design on one nail.

Flight Themed Nails

For a little more whimsy, why not try nail art base on planes and flying? I love these airplane nails from Mimi’s Vanity Box. You could probably even modify this with decals of your favorite military jet if you are so inclined.

The Daily Varnish shows off her nautical themed manicure!

Coast Guard-Inspired Nails

Nautical with Flair 

These nautical nails from The Daily Varnish are awesome. The lifeguard ring just adds an extra touch that I think is perfect!

Tip for painting: don’t worry about getting polish on your skin. In fact, paint right across it. After your nails are fully dry, you can wash the polish off your skin with soap and water.

Patriotic Themed Nails

Don’t forget the red, white and blue designs. I have seen tons of these. Check out this tutorial from Pixie Polish to turn your nails into the American Flag.

Hope we gave you some ideas. Let us know if you try any of these designs, we would love to see your results!

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