I Can't Stop With Purple Nail Polish Lately—These Are the Most Wearable Shades

Maybe it's just me, but I've always felt like purple is one of the most underrated nail colors on the polish spectrum. But here's the kicker: It totally shouldn't be! Although "purple" may, initially, conjure the tacky, psychedelic, Barbie-esque nail vibes of our junior high years, there are so many different shades, finishes, and directions you can go with the hue. Borderline black, a surprisingly sophisticated duo-chrome topper, and even a glowing shade of neon can all have surprising versatility and wearability. 

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(Image credit: @paintboxnails)

Whether you're a "dark nail polishes only" type of person or someone more willing to indulge your wild side, I've selected 15 stunning purple nail colors that feel 100% cool and 0% cheesy. From cult classics like OPI's Lincoln Park After Dark to new finds sure to strike your fancy, I've crafted the ultimate purple nail color gold mine just below. Keep scrolling and get ready to shop!

If you love dark purples, try…

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(Image credit: @betina_goldstein)

OPI Nail Polish in Lincoln Park After Dark

JinSoon Nail Polish in Fable

J. Hannah Nail Polish in Ikebana

Static Nails Liquid Glass Lacquer in Arsenic

LaPierre Cosmetics Nail Polish in Psyche

If you love bright purples, try…

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(Image credit: @oliveandjune)

Olive and June Nail Polish in Fierce & Loving

Olive and June Nail Polish in Bold & Unshaken

Essie Nail Polish in Tangoed In Love

Base Coat Nail Polish in Vixen

ILNP Nail Polish in Purple Plasma

If you love pastel purples, try…

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(Image credit: @paintboxnails)

Orly Nail Polish in The Snuggle Is Real

Chanel Le Vernis Longwear Nail Color in Mirage

Dear Sundays Nail Polish in No. 28 Lavender Gray

Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Nail Color in Lacey Lilac

Zoya Nail Polish in Zara

Beauty Director

Erin has been writing a mix of beauty and wellness content for Who What Wear for over four years. Prior to that, she spent two and half years writing for Byrdie. She now calls Santa Monica home but grew up in Minnetonka, Minnesota, and studied writing, rhetoric, and communication at University of Wisconsin, La Crosse. She studied abroad in Galway, Ireland, and spent a summer in L.A. interning with the Byrdie and Who What Wear family. After graduating from UW, she spent one year in San Francisco, where she worked as a writer for Pottery Barn Kids and PBteen before moving down to L.A. to begin her career as a beauty editor. She considers her day-to-day beauty aesthetic very low-maintenance and relies on staples like clear brow serum (from Kimiko!), Lawless's Lip Plumping Mask in Cherry Vanilla, and an eyelash curler. For special occasions or days when she's taking more meetings or has an event, she'll wear anything and everything from Charlotte Tilbury (the foundations are game-changing), some shimmer on her lids (Stila and Róen do it best), and a few coats of the best mascara-type product on earth, Surratt's Noir Lash Tint.