8 '70s Inspired Pedicures Perfect For Sandal Season

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While there are several nail trends that will dominate 2026, there are still other nail styles that can be executed this summer that are sure to bring the heat. The 1970s was an era that gave us bold patterns, eye-catching colors, and experimental designs. Simplistic nail art and overall design culture were moving in a direction that people grew to love. 

Trying chic bubble bath nails for a sophisticated manicure could be your typical go-to, changing the pace with a nail design from the 1970's will not only turn heads, but leave people guessing on how they can do it too. While the era of time may be different, the energy that these nail designs give are just as strong, if not stronger than before. With the big toe often times being the primary feature and most spacious part of toe designs, people have the opportunity to try new designs in ways that can be done right at home. 

The primary flower of the 1970s were daisies because of their whimsical appeal. This design can be fun to do for nails to add to any polish color. To achieve this look, you could try a clear or lighter shade for your base color. From there, paint each petal of the daisy on your big toe, where you have the most room, and add a white dot in the middle as the seed. While any color scheme could work, using shades of orange and yellow can help to make the look pop and pay homage to the actual look of daisies. 

Swirl design nails help to play on the 1970s psychedelic aesthetic that was popular during the era. The best way to pay homage to the era is to use earth tones such as brown, yellow, and orange to nod to the color scheme the era also favored. To create this style, you can use a liner brush. For a simpler application process, using a brush with a longer bristle, such as 15 to 20mm, can help to make the process faster and more continuous. From there, ensuring that the paint is dry between each step will help to ensure your lines look cleaner. 

Nothing screams a 1970s summer like tie-dye.Best of all, this style gives you leeway to mess up your nails because it's intentionally imperfect. As demonstrated by creator b0mbnailz, you can easily achieve a tie-dye design with the blooming gel method or the acetone-watercolor method. Start by painting your base with cream, white, or pink. For the blooming gel method, paint on your polish without curing it and add swirls. Meanwhile, for the acetone-watercolor method, use a dotting tool to apply tiny dots of fun colors in a semi-circle shape, then drag a wet brush with acetone across the nail to blend the colors effortlessly. Stick with warm tones, like neon pinks, oranges, and lime green to really get that 1970s effect.

Checker print isn't just for the racetrack; it can be for your toes, too. This retro design was big in the '70s and can be easily created with a fine-point tip nail pen, such as the Sally Hansen Nail Art Pen. After painting on a base white color, like OPI Nail Lacquer in Apline Snow, use your pen to paint three black grid lines first, then fill them in to create the checkered look. Finish by adding colorful accent nails in vibrant shades like hot pink to add to that vintage vibe.

As one of the easier nail designs to DIY, polka dots are a universal pattern that can fit any occasion or time of year. Polka dots were often seen in retro-style artworks with bold colors that played on the whimsy of the era. 

Polka-dots are one warm-weather pedicure trend that will never go out of style and considered a super easy way to elevate a regular solid color polish. To properly execute the design, use a tool such as a FULINJOY Dotting Pen, to add tiny circles over a solid base. Switching up the colors to hues like blue, green, and red is a great way to add a '70s flair to the look. 

Disco nails pay homage to the dance club culture that ruled the 1970s. The metallic finishes and eye-catching sparkles mimic the glimmer of a shiny mirrorball hanging from the center of a packed dance floor.

To create this design yourself, start with a silver base coat, such as MIZHSE Polish in Mirror Silver  and layer with glitter such as Essie Salon-Quality Nail Glitter. You can also add embellishments, like Beadsland Nail Rhinestones for 3-D sparkle effect. To keep the glitter in place, seal with a top coat.

It's no secret that lava lamps were a staple in the 1970s for how they set the mood. These funky home decorations were known for their vivid color schemes, featuring combinations such as yellow and red, green and blue, or shades of pink to pull the aesthetic in the lamp together. To achieve this look with nails, you could use a 9mm liner, like Nailz By Dev's  Dream Liner – 9mm, to create various teardrop shapes across the nail. From there, you can add a sheer jelly polish as a top coat to help add depth to the design. 

The 1970s were known as an era where people were beginning to be more expressive in their perspectives and stepping outside of the status quo. You can apply that free-spirited principle to your pedicure with mismatched graphic nails. Whether you decide to do stripes, swirls, polka dots, or a smiley face (a 1970s creation) — there's lots of room to channel the groovy vibes with this pedicure. You could even use nail stickers, such as Hearts & Stars from Olive and June, to achieve this look faster in comparison to using nail polish.