Rihanna's Red Summer Nails Are The Perfect End-Of-Season Look

Fans may be pleading for another album — and a quick glance at her IG comments will confirm that pleading might even be an understatement — but Rihanna seems happily preoccupied with other matters. The pop star has been taking her children to her native Barbados, gracing magazine covers, and launching a new foundation. It’s been a busy summer for the bad gal indeed, even if studio time might not have been on the agenda. But Rih hasn’t let a packed schedule keep her from keeping up with her mani appointments — and her latest bright red set is peak summer nail inspo.

The Fenty Beauty founder was photographed in New York City on August 19, donning a chic peach velour tracksuit (with major Y2K vibes), a structured, animal-skin handbag in a complementary tone, and cascading curls. On her fingertips, she sported one of the hottest nail colors of the waning season: Bright red. She kept the length short — her preferred profile, particularly when she’s off-duty — and the undertones neutral, resulting in a classic, wearable summer manicure.

Regardless of the undertones one chooses, a red nail look will always be a summertime staple, as classic and versatile as a French mani or (another Rihanna go-to) a neutral nude. As nail artist Maryna Slynko said of the warm tomato red color earlier this year, it “can make even a simple manicure feel more bold and alive, especially during the summer season.”

Another highlight from Rih’s streetstyle beauty? The lip look, which consisted of a deep, cool-toned liner with a more mauve shade toward the center, which I’ll certainly be saving to my makeup inspo board.