Six fall nail colours we keep coming back to

Standing in front of the colour wall is the hardest part of a fall appointment. Everything looks good in the bottle, and you have about thirty seconds before you panic and pick the same red as last year.

So here's a shortlist. Six colours that keep earning their place every fall, who they suit, and how to wear them so they feel current.

Deep wine

The fall classic for a reason. A rich burgundy looks polished on short nails and dramatic on longer ones, and it's one of the few colours that works with every skin tone. Cooler, berry wines lean modern. Brown-based wines feel more vintage.

Wear it: glossy, on a short almond or oval. Add a matching chrome if you want it to glow under restaurant lighting.

Olive and moss

If burgundy feels predictable, go green. Deep olive and moss are earthy without being dull, and they look especially good with gold jewellery and camel, cream or brown clothes. On warm and olive skin tones it's honestly hard to beat.

Wear it: short squoval, glossy. Matte olive is lovely for the first few days, but gloss holds up better through a week of typing and dishes.

Espresso and chocolate

Brown nails used to be a hard sell. Now they're the neutral of the season. A deep espresso looks rich and grown-up, and a milkier chocolate reads soft and cosy. Both are easy to wear to work.

Wear it: round or oval shapes keep brown from feeling severe. A thin espresso French on a sheer base is a lovely in-between if a full brown feels like a lot.

Plum and midnight purple

Deep plums, aubergine and near-black purples are what you wear when you want something darker than wine but softer than black. They shift with the light: almost black at night, clearly purple by day.

Wear it: this is where cat eye shines. A plum cat eye has a band of light running through it that makes it look like velvet.

Midnight navy

Our pick for anyone who lives in black. Midnight navy gives you the drama of black nails with more depth, and it doesn't show chips and grow-out as harshly as true black does.

Wear it: short square, high gloss. It's the most low-maintenance dark shade on this list.

The better nude

Not everyone wants a dark colour, and you don't need one. A sheer, slightly warm pink or a milky nude looks cleaner than bare nails, hides small imperfections and grows out quietly. For a lot of people it's the most-worn colour of the year.

Wear it: in BIAB if your nails are weak, or Shellac if they're already strong. Ask for a "milky" or "sheer" finish rather than an opaque beige.

Still can't choose?

A few tricks that help at the colour wall:

• Match your metal. Gold jewellery loves olive, espresso and warm wines. Silver loves plum, navy and berry tones.
• Look at your coat. You'll see your hands against it every day until April.
• Think about the next three weeks. Darker shades show chips and regrowth more than sheer ones. If you won't be back for a while, go lighter or add BIAB for strength.
• Do one accent. Not ready for a full set of green? Try it on one finger and see how you feel.

Gel colour and Shellac usually last two to three weeks, so you'll get at least one more colour change before the holidays. Book your next appointment whenever you're ready.

— The Luxify Nails team