Smiling blonde woman standing beside white garden flowers

Spot-on cosy season styling: 99 autumnal polka dot nail designs

By Jess Watts | 03 September 2026 | Art & Technique

Close-up of polka-dot taupe and orange gel manicure

Check out entries to the 2 September 2026 nail art challenge from Scratch, in which techs were tasked with creating a design to fit the theme: Autumn Polka Dots.

Each nail style was submitted via Instagram or Facebook using #ShowScratch #CreativeChallenge.

Follow Scratch on Instagram and Facebook for future Creative Challenges – launching every other Wednesday.

Burgundy and nude polka-dot almond manicure
Image courtesy of Libra Nails
Blue and beige polka-dot manicure on displayed nails
Image courtesy of Aimée Linfoot
Green polka-dot and pink striped manicure on hand
Image courtesy of Janea Nail Studio
Autumn-inspired nail art with glitter, dots and tortoiseshell patterns
Image courtesy of Heather Hettrick
Hands displaying dark green woodland-themed nail art
Image courtesy of Painted by Mia
Pink and burgundy polka-dot manicure on almond-shaped nails
Image courtesy of Holly Rodgers
Pink and burgundy polka-dot manicure on hands
Image courtesy of Debbie Berney
Hands displaying red polka-dot French manicure
Image courtesy of Maisy Jeffrey
Hands displaying pink bow and polka-dot acrylic nails
Image courtesy of Kathleen Jones
Pink floral manicure with polka-dot French tips
Image courtesy of Pristine Nails
Brown polka-dot and nude French manicure on hand
Image courtesy of Nails & Beauty by Louise
Green, white polka-dot and gold glitter nail art
Image courtesy of Lisa Hoggard (Lisa-Marie’s Hair & Beauty Lounge)
Hands displaying festive red, green and black polka-dot nail art
Image courtesy of Rachel Drazdoviene
Hand with textured neutral and orange nail art
Image courtesy of Marzena Maria
Pink and brown polka-dot manicure on hand
Image courtesy of Hayley Peach
Hands with glossy pale blue polka-dot manicure
Image courtesy of Hollie Mullings
Red mushroom nail art on long pointed nails
Image courtesy of Malwina Stolarek
Hands with lavender blue nails and black polka dots
Image courtesy of Sarah Cullen
Pink and burgundy nail art with stars and polka dots
Image courtesy of Louise McLaughlin
Blue and pink polka-dot manicure on ringed hands
Image courtesy of Alison Ringham
Red polka-dot mushroom nail art on hands
Image courtesy of Sally Davis-Blair
Autumn mushroom-themed nail art with raised polka dots
Image courtesy of Irina Shemet (Instagram.com/nail_station_im)
Pastel and black polka-dot manicure on almond-shaped nails
Image courtesy of Melanie Thompson
Chocolate brown floral and polka-dot stiletto nail art
Image courtesy of Linda Williamson
Hands displaying turquoise French-tip nail art
Image courtesy of Christina Leogue (The Little Beauty Cabin)
Nude nails with orange flowers and black polka dots
Image courtesy of Liesl Perryman
Purple and blue polka-dot manicure on long nails
Image courtesy of Ana Gabriela Barrientos
Pink glitter nails with white polka-dot nail art
Image courtesy of Touch Of Creations
Pink and burgundy bow-themed manicure with striped nails
Image courtesy of Kezzll_nailzz
Blue and chocolate brown patterned almond-shaped manicure
Image courtesy of Storme Hargreaves
Brown polka-dot French manicure with gold crescent accents
Image courtesy of Vicki Wilson
Hands with pink, brown and polka-dot almond nail art
Image courtesy of Abbie Oshea
Hand displaying five intricate studded stiletto nail designs
Image courtesy of Naileditbyam
Chocolate-dipped pink almond-shaped manicure with glossy dots
Image courtesy of Sophie Longland (Instagram.com/slaynailsuk)
Hands with pink striped and polka-dot nail art
Image courtesy of Nails By CeriAnn Ltd
Manicured nails with burgundy, floral and polka-dot designs
Image courtesy of Julie Quinn Cornes
Red, white and pale blue star-patterned manicure
Image courtesy of Zsuzsanna Varga
Silver glitter almond nails with black polka dots
Image courtesy of MarieshasBeauty LoungeGlossop
Colourful polka-dot nail art on manicured hands
Image courtesy of Kelly Wells
Burgundy polka-dot nails with white 3D flowers
Image courtesy of Claire Williams
Pink and brown chocolate-inspired manicure on hand
Image courtesy of Laura-Jayne Martin
Red and pink polka-dot almond-shaped manicure
Image courtesy of Oksana Danovska
Hands with mushroom and starry blue nail art
Image courtesy of Nail_Licious By Stacey
Hands displaying pink and burgundy polka-dot nail art
Image courtesy of Simply Gel By Rachel
Tattooed hands with glittery nude polka-dot stiletto nails
Image courtesy of Charmaine Jeffreys-Coulton (Maine Beauty)
Pink and lime green polka-dot almond nails
Image courtesy of Katie Louise Charnock
Burgundy almond nails with white polka dot design
Image courtesy of Udderly Beautiful Nails & Beauty
Hands with grey and silver polka-dot manicured nails
Image courtesy of Kerry Pegg
Hands with yellow floral and brown polka-dot nail art
Image courtesy of Michelle Franklin
Hands with white black-spotted nails beside green foliage
Image courtesy of Emily Woodman
Pastel blue and chocolate brown polka-dot nail art
Image courtesy of AbsoLoutely Nails & Beauty
Manicured nails with polka dots, mint green and red polish
Image courtesy of Rachel Parry
Colourful polka-dot and striped almond-shaped nail art
Image courtesy of Kelly Pinkney
Autumn nail art with cow print, polka dots and tartan
Image courtesy of Nicole Houghton
Pink and white polka-dot floral manicure on almond nails
Image courtesy of Karymar Gonzalez Torres
Pink glitter nails with dark red polka dots
Image courtesy of Angharad Davies
Manicured hands with burgundy French tips and gemstone ring
Image courtesy of Nail Envy
Hands displaying green and floral ladybird nail art
Image courtesy of Manicured Social
Black polka-dot manicure on long cream almond nails
Image courtesy of Gemma Helman
Hands with brown polka-dot nail art
Image courtesy of Lynsey Walker
Pink nails with colourful embossed pumpkin and bow designs
Image courtesy of Nails At The Maples
Hands displaying pink and burgundy polka-dot nail art
Image courtesy of Zoey Leonard
Woodland-themed nail art with mushrooms, leaves and basket weave
Image courtesy of Instagram.com/seahorsebeauty_pressonnails
Glossy sage green and polka-dot manicure on hand
Image courtesy of Claire Caherty
Blue mushroom and butterfly floral nail art set
Image courtesy of Sandra San
Pink and polka-dot burgundy manicure on a hand
Image courtesy of Courtney Nicole (That FX Nail Girl & Training Academy)
Glossy pastel green and mauve polka-dot almond nails
Image courtesy of Kasia Kate Nails
Chocolate brown polka-dot French manicure on almond nails
Image courtesy of Cherelle Wall
Hands displaying colourful fruit-inspired French tip nail art
Image courtesy of Millee Barton
Glossy brown and cream floral polka-dot nail art
Image courtesy of The Yorkshire Nail Shed
Colourful nails with gold dotted wave designs
Image courtesy of Petra Szabó
Pastel blue and brown polka-dot almond-shaped nail art
Image courtesy of Mell Benbow
Red French tip manicure with white polka dots
Image courtesy of Louise Bradshaw
Gingerbread and festive drink nail art manicure
Image courtesy of Clare Lavis
Blue polka-dot nails with red mushroom artwork
Image courtesy of Lynn Pearson- Moore
Hands with blue and chocolate polka-dot nail art
Image courtesy of Jess Hales
Woodland mushroom and rabbit nail art on nude nails
Image courtesy of Sammie Nailed That Service
Burgundy and pink polka-dot bow nail art
Image courtesy of Rays of Beauty
Red polka-dot and yellow-tipped nail art
Image courtesy of Tilly Thwaites
Pink, blue and brown patterned acrylic nails with rhinestones
Image courtesy of Calley Barham
Pale pink manicure with polka dots and floral accents
Image courtesy of Ginine Huggitt
Hands with nude nails decorated with blue polka dots
Image courtesy of Lisa Smith – Love Nails
Hands displaying polka-dot and glitter nail art
Image courtesy of Nailystical by Katy.
Hand with colourful polka-dot nail art held by gloved technician
Image courtesy of Canvinia Beauty
Red mushroom nail art with 3D woodland characters
Image courtesy of Julia Szczypel (By Instagram.com/yukii_nails_)
Autumn-inspired green, cream and ladybird nail art
Image courtesy of Kasia Kate Nails
Hands with brown and white patterned manicure
Image courtesy of Cheryl Jenkins
Hand with festive patterned manicure and gold bow nail charm
Image courtesy of Lindsey Salleyman
Hands with glossy coffee-inspired brown and cream nail art
Image courtesy of Nails By Fallon
Nude almond nails with black and white polka dots
Image courtesy of Revera Leeds
Burgundy and nude polka-dot manicure on hands
Image courtesy of Elizabeth Jones (Nails Art by Elizabeth)
Hand with glossy mushroom and foliage nail art
Image courtesy of Haus of Beauty
Burgundy manicured nails with leaf and dotted designs
Image courtesy of Kayliegh-anne Cork (The Beauty Annex)
Teal and pink mushroom-themed nail art designs
Image courtesy of Nail Envy By Ange
Burgundy and white patterned almond-shaped manicure
Image courtesy of Resarf Enelra
Brown polka-dot manicure with white bunny designs
Image courtesy of Jordan Spring
Hands displaying nude, brown and cream patterned manicure
Image courtesy of Maria Bourne
Terracotta polka-dot manicure with gold ring
Image courtesy of Agnieszka Mańka
Hands displaying pink star and polka-dot nail art
Image courtesy of Nails x Mills
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