Being a novice to both Fashion Week and New York City, it was overwhelming to take in all the details. After going through notes, photos, and putting together a diary-like entry for the November issue of NAILS, I was able to decompress and take stock of all the beauty that is made possible by nail professionals. While NYFW is busy and bustling, every nail tech and model I met was cool, calm, and very kind, making the trip that much more memorable. Here are the 10 trends that stuck out to me the most:

1. Men get their nails done too. Miss Pop, lead nail artist for OPI, says this is one of her favorite trends (she recently was called in to manicure an entire football team, and couldn’t believe how pristine their nails were.) Designer Jeremy Scott embraced male nail art, by having the boys get the same treatment as the girls for his show. See also KYE by Kathleen Kye.

2. Matte is back in a big way. The new finish for the near future is anything but shiny. Matte nudes, colors, and nail art all looked subtly chic under the runway lights. See Carmen Marc Valvo, Sally LaPointe, J. Mendel, Dion Lee, and Oudifu.

3. Mismatched manis rock. Much like clothing, where you can mix prints and not be judged for it, the next big thing might be to mix up a manicure. Offer clients even more choices, by reassuring them that not everything has to match. See Libertine, Rebecca Minkoff, Degen, and Jeremy Scott.

4. Toenail art is not dead. Toes at Jeremy Scott and Charlotte Ronson both sported OPI polish used to create cool toenail art designs. If your client loves designer shoes, she’s sure to love a designer pedicure as well.

5. Negative space has finally landed on the runway. We here at NAILS have loved the look of negative space for a long time, so to finally see it hit the catwalks at Clover Canyon, Charlotte Ronson, KYE by Kathleen Kye, and Creatures of Comfort was especially exciting. Embrace this trend by executing easier versions of the design, like those seen at NYFW. 

6. Nail art walked a fine, thin line at Erin Fetherston, Azede Jean-Pierre, Wes Gordon, Meden, and Ann Yee. Fresh off the influx of geometric nail art, grid designs could be the next big thing (I’m already seeing it on clothing). I loved the lattice-looking designs, they seem intricate yet can be done with a single color and a striper brush. For a more minimal version, swipe a line (or two) across the nail.

7. The half-moon is full-on fashionable. This classic look just won’t quit. Make this mani modern by using funky colors or cut it out for a negative space style. See Delpozo, Clover Canyon, and Chris Gelinas.

8. Just like with hair, there’s an art to how you part your nail. Take a cue from Rolando Santana, L.A.M.B., Zimmerman, Dion Lee, and Angel Sanchez, and swoop lines from the sidewalls for an asymmetric color block. Don’t let symmetry get in the way.

9. Custom color mixes are nothing new to Fashion Week. For years designers have loved having manicurists mix up special blends of color just for their shows. I am seeing this happen more and more lately though (see Nanette Lepore and Pamela Rolland). For the ultimate color mash up, carry out a crazy water marble, as seen at Degen.

10. Almonds are good for you. Round, oval, and square shaped nails were scattered here and there, but almond seemed to be the preferred shape. See Cute Circuit, Michael Costello, and Kalen.

For more in-depth New York Fashion Week coverage, click here. To get a feeling for what it was like backstage, see this slideshow.