We were fully ready to embrace pastels until we saw Sarah Jessica Parker's liquorice manicure

While lavender milk and butter-yellow shades continue to dominate the spring trends, if pastels just aren't for you, Sarah Jessica Parker's liquorice manicure is the perfect, rebellious alternative.

After all, black nails, like red, never go out of style, regardless of whether they feature among the 2025 nail trends or not. In our opinion, they're the little black dress of manicures, with their moody, couture feel and expensive-looking shine. A sentiment perhaps shared by Sarah Jessica Parker, who opted to stray from this month's trending spring nail colours to instead embrace a liquorice hue, which she paired with a very chic nail shape.

So, if you're looking to avoid sheer nail polishes and floral shades this season, here's why SJP's manicure might be the unexpected alternative you've been holding out for.

The chic, anti-spring manicure Sarah Jessica Parker is embracing

Stepping out for the opening night of "Smash" on Broadway on April 10th, Sarah Jessica Parker embodied sophistication in a black lace dress, black pointed-toe stilettos and a long tailored coat. To complete the monochromatic look, Parker also opted for a short, square glossy black manicure, which, unsurprisingly, caught the eyes of our nail-obsessed beauty team.

So far this year, we've spotted a trend of milky (or soap) pinks and nude nails appearing on the red carpet, more so in the lead-up to spring. Our own April nails were also a sea of subtle pastel hues but SJP's nails pose as a reminder that, no matter the season, a dark nail colour will always look elevated and afford a sense of timelessness, much like red or burgundy. A black manicure feels high-fashion, and if anyone knows a thing or two about fashion, it's Sarah Jessica Parker.

We can understand reservations about wearing this bold and sultry hue, but as Parker proves, it can look very chic for an event and is so versatile. Like your favourite black jeans or top, a black manicure goes with everything, and if, like Parker, you opt for a short square nail shape, that will also offset the darkness of the shade, offering a touch more subtlety and modernity.

Recreate Sarah Jessica Parker's black manicure

If you're keen to create SJP's anti-spring manicure, we recommend opting for a similarly short and squared-off nail shape before applying a base coat, preferably a hybrid best nail strengthener like OPI's Nail Envy or Start To Finish polish. Then apply two to three coats of your chosen black nail polish.

For an extra mirror-like shine, apply a clear top coat like essie's Gel Couture top coat or the NAILKIND Mr Volume plumping gloss - which is a favourite of Digital Beauty Writer, Naomi Jamieson's.