Selena Gomez is a constant source of nail inspiration because there are very few looks the 32-year-old hasn’t tried.
Throughout summer 2025, Gomez has been at the forefront of this year’s most minimalist nail trends—from simple purple pastels to nearly naked glass manicures—but that hasn’t always been her preference. Just ask her celebrity nail artist Tom Bachik, who shared a throwback to a previous summery set that might inspire short-nailed maximalists to get back to the salon.
On July 4, Bachik posted a snap of the red and white bandana design with the caption “Bandana Baby ❤️🤍 #fb @selenagomez Happy Fourth everyone!! #nailsbytombachik.” While it certainly fits the holiday theme, Selena Gomez actually wore this look for her first Vogue cover shoot in 2017.
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My favorite thing about this throwback design is how well it fits her short square nails, a shape that’s trending among more and more celebs in summer 2025. Of course, this natural shape lends itself particularly well to current naked nail trends or bright pops of color, but that doesn’t mean you have to ditch nail art altogether.
Sure, long nails typically provide an ideal canvas for more playful, intricate designs. In this case, however, the fine white squiggles and dots create a clear bandana pattern without feeling cramped or masking the apple-red shade underneath.
In fact, there are plenty of fun nail designs that are suitable for short nails, like the striped “Terry Cloth Beach Towel Mani” Bachik recently posted on his Instagram feed or the polka-dot pattern currently dominating summer nail and fashion trends alike. And if none of these designs speak to you, Glamour has you covered with even more summer-nail ideas to try before Labor Day, regardless of length.
