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Nailed It: Bookish Press-On Nails and Decals

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Kelly Jensen

Editor

Kelly is a former librarian and a long-time blogger at STACKED. She's the editor/author of (DON'T) CALL ME CRAZY: 33 VOICES START THE CONVERSATION ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH and the editor/author of HERE WE ARE: FEMINISM FOR THE REAL WORLD. Her next book, BODY TALK, will publish in Fall 2020. Follow her on Instagram @heykellyjensen.

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Whether or not you’ve got the skills to do your own fancy manicures, if you’re a book lover who wants to show your love on your nails, you’ve got options. We’re in a golden era of press and glue on nails, as well as an era where finding a little extra bling is easy and fun.

Perhaps you’ve never done much in terms of your nails and are skeptical. Have you considered how much you look down at your hands throughout the day? If you’re someone who uses a phone or keyboard for work, chances are it’s not an insignificant amount of time. Give yourself something to smile at and don some bookish nails.

Find below a fun collection of bookish press-ons, stickers, and more. A good number of these bookish nail kits are especially perfect for comics readers. The dynamic colors make them fun, and their easy use makes them foolproof for even the worst nail-doers among us.

Note that because of the nature of how these nails are created — some are hand-painted, one-of-a-kind designs, while others are made in larger, less time-consuming batches — the prices fluctuate greatly.

Bookish Nails To Give Your Fingers Some Flair

Image of "book nerd" nails.

How perfect is it that “book” and “nerd” fit nicely across your fingers? This custom, hand-painted set will keep your nails looking good for a long, long time. $96

Image of pop comic art nails in bright colors

Evoke the comic book aesthetic every time you pop these hand-painted comic nails on your fingers. $23 and up

Image of rainbow book nails.

Pride meets nostalgia with these reading rainbow nails. $12

Image of nails featuring symbols and words from SIX OF CROWS

If you love Leigh Bardugo and Six of Crows, there is no more ideal nail set than this one. $30

Image of Wonder Woman nail decals

No need to make a time commitment for bookish nails. Rather than buy a set of press-ons, grab some decals. This Wonder Woman nail decal set brings power to your fingertips. $6

Image of crime nails, including crime scene tape, handcuffs, and blood.

But how great are these nails for true crime and thriller aficionados? $92

Image of pink press on nails with books on them.

Books, books, books, and more books. These book lover nails deliver. $21

Image of nails featuring Poe, the Raven, the Tell-Tale heart, and other symbols of Poe's stories.

The only way you can (Edgar Allan) Po(k)e your favorite people. Poe press-on nails, $50 and up

Image of long nails featuring bright pop comic art.

Stiletto nails for fans of comic pop art. The colors on this set are knock out. $40 and up

Image of taupe, white, and black nails with book page text on them.

These sophisticated nails are made from book page text. $25

Image of white nail decals reading "I love books" and "read."

Last but not least, keep it simple with these book lover nail decals. $4

Want to add more bookish bling to your hands? You’ll love these book rings then, too. Imagine the stories you can tell between a good literary press-on set AND ring.