What Color Nail Polish Goes with a Teal Dress?

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Sprucing up your wardrobe with a bold color, like teal, can breathe new life into your everyday attire and snap you out of a black and beige rut (not that there’s anything wrong with black or beige outfits, done right!).

Now that you’ve taken the plunge into the deep, blue-green you’re wondering what color nail polish goes with a teal dress!

You’ve definitely come to the right place because we are going to give you the lowdown on all of our favorite nail colors that will go with a teal dress. We’ll also go over the difference between teal and turquoise and give you a few pointers on how to match your nails to any dress.

If you’re looking for the short answer, you can:

  • Match the nails to the dress
  • Choose the complementary color (which is vermillion for teal)
  • Opt for a cool neutral, like taupe, grey, or cool beige
  • Nude is always a solid choice

We also have a few more colors that you may not have thought would work with teal, so keep reading!


Contents

What’s The Difference Between Teal And Turquoise?

Teal and turquoise are two colors that are very closely related, but they are not the same. There is often confusion between these two colors, and it doesn’t help that people often use the terms ‘teal’ & ‘turquoise’ interchangeably.

But there is indeed a difference.

Why is this important?

If you are looking for what nail polish goes with a teal dress, and your dress is actually turquoise, then a lot of the colors we’re going to go through below won’t really apply because teal and turquoise are different colors.

teal is a tertiary color (which means it’s a color that’s mixed using a primary color and secondary color – blue and green), whereas turquoise is a mix of blue, green, and yellow.

And although there may be a few colors that go with both, the best nail colors for a turquoise dress will be different from those that best match a teal dress.

Teal

The color teal actually gets its name from a duck! Or rather the swath of iridescent blue/green feathers on either side of the teal duck’s head.

Teal is basically the darker, more sedate cousin of turquoise. Both these colors are a combination of blue and green, but turquoise is much lighter than teal and also has a bit of yellow mixed in with the blue and green.

Teal is associated with rest, rejuvenation and peace of mind. With its darker tone, teal is a much calmer shade than turquoise. Teal is more understated and elegant and can be worn all year round.

Turquoise

Turquoise is an uplifting, lively color that embodies a sense of growth and renewal. It’s most associated with the color of the Caribbean ocean and it’s considered primarily a summer color.


What Color Nail Polish Goes with a Teal Dress?

Unlike like grey, beige, or black which goes with pretty much everything, teal is not a neutral color. This means you need to mind the nail colors you wear with it to make sure they don’t clash.

For any dress that’s not a neutral, teal included, you have three basic ways to go with nail polish colors that will always work:

  1. Match the dress
  2. Choose a complimentary color
  3. Go neutral

These three options will work with any color dress, but different colors will have additional colors that also work.

Teal is no exception, so we are also going to look at a few additional nail colors that don’t fall into the three categories above that will also look great with a teal dress.


Option 1 – Match The Dress

Matching the dress is an option that works most of the time for muted tones, pastels, and dark colors. The only time matching your nails to your dress can backfire is if you have a very bright-colored dress.

Having equally bright nails might have your nails and dress competing for attention. Luckily, this is not a problem with teal, which makes it a fantastic nail color option.

Credit: Instagram / nailcouturelincoln

Though true teal has technically more green in it than blue, any deep blueish-green tends to be referred to as teal. So ‘teal’ fabric colors can vary a little from dress to dress in the shade and tone.

You can go a few shades lighter or darker on your nails as long as you match the same tone as your dress.

You can go a few shades lighter or darker on your nails as long as you match the same tone as your dress.

These are a few of our favorite greenish-blue and blueish-green ‘teal’ nail polish colors:

Although nail colors like teal, yellow, and black are now mainstream nail polish colors, it wasn’t so long ago that any colors other than pinks, reds, and nude nail polish were really only worn as a sign of rebellious teenage angst.

If you aren’t ready to cross over into the non-traditional nail colors yet, or you are having trouble finding a color that matches your dress, don’t worry!

We have a lot of other nail color options that will work with a teal dress.


Option 2 – Choose A Complementary Color

This is where you get to have a little fun! We’re here to help to show how to use a little color theory to choose its natural complementary color for your teal dress.

There are 12 main colors on the color wheel.

  1. Primary colors: Red, Blue, Yellow
  2. Secondary colors: Green, Orange, Purple
  3. Tertiary Colors: Amber, Vermillion, Magenta, Violet, Teal, Chartreuse.

Complementary colors sit directly across from each other on the color wheel. Complimentary colors have a high contrast to one another. So if you go this route, just know your dress and nail color pairing is going to be noticed!

Teal’s complementary color is vermillion, which is a fiery, orange-red. So if you are looking for a statement nail color that will definitely make your nails stand out, vermillion is your color!

Credit: Instagram / sabry_danails

Here are some of our favorite vermillion polishes:


Option 3 – Go Neutral

Teal is a cool color, so cool neutrals like cool beige, grey, taupe, and of course nude polishes will look stellar with a teal dress.

Cool neutrals go together with teal like the beach and the ocean.

Any teal and cool neutral combo will never steer you wrong.

OPI Nail Lacquer Samoan Sand | Sheer Soft Pink Crème Chip Resistant Nail Polish | Vegan, Fast Drying, Streak Free
OPI Nail Lacquer Samoan Sand | Sheer Soft Pink Crème Chip Resistant Nail Polish | Vegan, Fast Drying, Streak Free
Pro-wide nail polish brush hugs nails for smooth, even coverage sans streaking or bubbling
$11.49 Amazon Prime
Orly Breathable Nail Color, Nourishing Nude, 0.6 Fluid Ounce
Orly Breathable Nail Color, Nourishing Nude, 0.6 Fluid Ounce
Nude creme; Heals and repairs with argan oil, pro-vitamin B5 & vitamin C; Longer lasting color, no base or topcoat needed
$8.95 Amazon Prime
Sally Hansen Color Therapy Nail Polish, Re-Nude, Pack of 1
Sally Hansen Color Therapy Nail Polish, Re-Nude, Pack of 1
WELCOME TO COLOR THERAPY: Adds a splash of vibrant color to your nails; FORMULATED FOR YOU: Made with an argan oil formula
$3.99 Amazon Prime
Maybelline New York Color Show Nail Lacquer, Taupe on Trend, 0.23 Fluid Ounce
Maybelline New York Color Show Nail Lacquer, Taupe on Trend, 0.23 Fluid Ounce
Chip free nail color; The official nail color of Mercedes-Benzes fashion week in new York; Formaldehyde, dbp and toluene free
Sale
essie Nail Color Polish, Cocktail Bling
essie Nail Color Polish, Cocktail Bling
DBP, Toluene and Formaldehyde free; Provides flawless coverage; Provides outstanding durability
$8.00

Option 4 – Other Nail Colors That Work With Teal

Dusty Pink Salmon

Credit: Instagram / maarina.juarez

Infuse a little boho chic into your outfit with a dusty pink salmon nail polish, like ILNP nail polish  in Radiant Neon Peach

Gold and Silver

Credit: Instagram / mani_maniaczka

Have a glitzy occasion to attend that makes you want to bring on the bling? Both gold and silver will work with teal. If you are wondering whether to go with gold or silver, match your nails to your jewelry (and also consider your skin undertone).

And if you’re having trouble deciding whether you should go with teal or a metallic, why not do both?

Revlon Nail Enamel, Chip Resistant Nail Polish, Glossy Shine Finish, in Blue/Green, 933 Chameleon, 0.5 oz
Revlon Nail Enamel, Chip Resistant Nail Polish, Glossy Shine Finish, in Blue/Green, 933 Chameleon, 0.5 oz
Gorgeous color goes on smoothly and bubble free; Choose from 64 sheer, opaque, shimmer, metallic, and chrome shades
Sally Hansen Insta-Dri®, Go For Gold, Quick Dry, Long Lasting, Streak-Free Shine, Gold Nail Polish
Sally Hansen Insta-Dri®, Go For Gold, Quick Dry, Long Lasting, Streak-Free Shine, Gold Nail Polish
Getting smooth and sexy looking; This nail lacquer creates a shiny, daring, and immaculate nail with ease
$7.99
Sale
essie Nail Polish, Glossy Shine Finish, No Place Like Chrome, 0.46 fl. oz.
essie Nail Polish, Glossy Shine Finish, No Place Like Chrome, 0.46 fl. oz.
use with essie base coat and top coat for a long-lasting, high gloss manicure
$8.50 Amazon Prime

Dark Colors

Credit: Instagram / tusz.pod.reka

You’ll notice all of the other colors we’ve added to our list of nail colors that match with a teal dress, except for teal, are on the lighter side.

It’s not that there aren’t any dark colors that match with teal! But dark on dark has a tendency to get a bit heavy and depressing sometimes. However, if you’re feeling moody and want to try out a darker color, plum, raspberry red, and chocolate brown will also work with teal.

Sally Hansen Color Therapy Nail Polish, Exotic Acai, Pack of 1
Sally Hansen Color Therapy Nail Polish, Exotic Acai, Pack of 1
Color that cares while you wear; Intensive Nourishment for healthy looking nails; Up to 10 days fade-proof, Chip-Resistant Wear
$8.69
essie Nail Polish, Glossy Shine Finish, Plumberry, 0.46 fl. oz.
essie Nail Polish, Glossy Shine Finish, Plumberry, 0.46 fl. oz.
use with essie base coat and top coat for a long-lasting, high gloss manicure
$19.50
ZOYA Nail Polish, Emilia, 0.5 Fl Oz (Pack of 1)
ZOYA Nail Polish, Emilia, 0.5 Fl Oz (Pack of 1)
Big 10 Free; Long Wear Formula; Vegan Friendly; Professional Salon Formula
$12.00 Amazon Prime

Conclusion

We love teal, it’s such a beautiful color. Now you have a good sense as to how to pair your nail colors with your teal dress.

Teal, vermillion, cool neutrals, like grey, cool beige, taupe and nude, as well as dusty pink salmon, silver, and gold will all look fantastic with a teal dress.

If you want to go for a darker color, try plum, raspberry red, and chocolate brown. 

Written by Jacqueline Ames

Jackie is the resident fashion and nail design guru at Luxe Luminous. With a degree in Management and a deep-seated passion for the glamorous styles of the 50s and 60s, Jacqueline offers a unique fusion of business acumen and vintage fashion flair in her captivating articles.