31 Black Nail Polish Alternatives

Deborah Lippmann Single Ladies
1

Deborah Lippmann Single Ladies

Deborah Lippmann Single Ladies
2

Deborah Lippmann Single Ladies

Essie Carry On
3

Essie Carry On

Essie Carry On
4

Essie Carry On

Essie Poor Li'l Rich Girl
5

Essie Poor Li'l Rich Girl

Essie Poor Li'l Rich Girl
6

Essie Poor Li'l Rich Girl

Essie Wicked
7

Essie Wicked

Essie Wicked
8

Essie Wicked

MAC x Proenza Schouler Dayflower
9

MAC x Proenza Schouler Dayflower

MAC x Proenza Schouler Dayflower
10

MAC x Proenza Schouler Dayflower

RGB Crimson
11

RGB Crimson

RGB Crimson
12

RGB Crimson

Chanel Blue Satin
13

Chanel Blue Satin

Chanel Blue Satin
14

Chanel Blue Satin

Essie After School Boy Blazer
15

Essie After School Boy Blazer

Essie After School Boy Blazer
16

Essie After School Boy Blazer

OPI Incognito in Sausalito
17

OPI Incognito in Sausalito

OPI Incognito in Sausalito
18

OPI Incognito in Sausalito

Deborah Lippmann Don't Tell Mama
19

Deborah Lippmann Don't Tell Mama

Deborah Lippmann Don't Tell Mama
20

Deborah Lippmann Don't Tell Mama

Essie Stylenomics
21

Essie Stylenomics

Essie Stylenomics
22

Essie Stylenomics

Essie Cashmere Bathrobe
23

Essie Cashmere Bathrobe

Essie Cashmere Bathrobe
24

Essie Cashmere Bathrobe

Jin Soon Obsidian
25

Jin Soon Obsidian

Jin Soon Obsidian
26

Jin Soon Obsidian

OPI My Private Jet
27

OPI My Private Jet

OPI My Private Jet
28

OPI My Private Jet

X Formula Metamorphic
29

X Formula Metamorphic

X Formula Metamorphic
30

X Formula Metamorphic

Chanel Vertigo
31

Chanel Vertigo

Chanel Vertigo
32

Chanel Vertigo

Deborah Lippmann Dark Side of the Moon
33

Deborah Lippmann Dark Side of the Moon

Deborah Lippmann Dark Side of the Moon
34

Deborah Lippmann Dark Side of the Moon

Essie Chinchilly
35

Essie Chinchilly

Essie Chinchilly
36

Essie Chinchilly

Essie Luxedo
37

Essie Luxedo

Essie Luxedo
38

Essie Luxedo

Essie Merino Cool
39

Essie Merino Cool

Essie Merino Cool
40

Essie Merino Cool

Essie Smokin' Hot
41

Essie Smokin' Hot

Essie Smokin' Hot
42

Essie Smokin' Hot

Julep Gabrielle
43

Julep Gabrielle

Julep Gabrielle
44

Julep Gabrielle

OPI Lincoln Park After Dark
45

OPI Lincoln Park After Dark

OPI Lincoln Park After Dark
46

OPI Lincoln Park After Dark

X Formula for Sephora Dramatic
47

X Formula for Sephora Dramatic

X Formula for Sephora Dramatic
48

X Formula for Sephora Dramatic

Deborah Lippmann Modern Love
49

Deborah Lippmann Modern Love

Deborah Lippmann Modern Love
50

Deborah Lippmann Modern Love

Essie Island Hopping
51

Essie Island Hopping

Essie Island Hopping
52

Essie Island Hopping

Marc Jacobs Beauty Baby Jane
53

Marc Jacobs Beauty Baby Jane

Marc Jacobs Beauty Baby Jane
54

Marc Jacobs Beauty Baby Jane

OPI Java Mauve-A
55

OPI Java Mauve-A

OPI Java Mauve-A
56

OPI Java Mauve-A

Essie Blanc
57

Essie Blanc

Essie Blanc
58

Essie Blanc

OPI Alpine Snow
59

OPI Alpine Snow

OPI Alpine Snow
60

OPI Alpine Snow

Jin Soon Matte Maker
61

Jin Soon Matte Maker

Jin Soon Matte Maker
62

Jin Soon Matte Maker

Deborah Lippmann Single Ladies

Deborah Lippmann Single Ladies

Deborah Lippmann Single Ladies

Deborah Lippmann Single Ladies

Essie Carry On

Essie Carry On

Essie Carry On

Essie Carry On

Essie Poor Li'l Rich Girl

Essie Poor Li'l Rich Girl

Essie Poor Li'l Rich Girl

Essie Poor Li'l Rich Girl

Essie Wicked

Essie Wicked

Essie Wicked

Essie Wicked

MAC x Proenza Schouler Dayflower

MAC x Proenza Schouler Dayflower

MAC x Proenza Schouler Dayflower

MAC x Proenza Schouler Dayflower

RGB Crimson

RGB Crimson

RGB Crimson

RGB Crimson

Chanel Blue Satin

Chanel Blue Satin

Chanel Blue Satin

Chanel Blue Satin

Essie After School Boy Blazer

Essie After School Boy Blazer

Essie After School Boy Blazer

Essie After School Boy Blazer

OPI Incognito in Sausalito

OPI Incognito in Sausalito

OPI Incognito in Sausalito

OPI Incognito in Sausalito

Deborah Lippmann Don't Tell Mama

Deborah Lippmann Don't Tell Mama

Deborah Lippmann Don't Tell Mama

Deborah Lippmann Don't Tell Mama

Essie Stylenomics

Essie Stylenomics

Essie Stylenomics

Essie Stylenomics

Essie Cashmere Bathrobe

Essie Cashmere Bathrobe

Essie Cashmere Bathrobe

Essie Cashmere Bathrobe

Jin Soon Obsidian

Jin Soon Obsidian

Jin Soon Obsidian

Jin Soon Obsidian

OPI My Private Jet

OPI My Private Jet

OPI My Private Jet

OPI My Private Jet

X Formula Metamorphic

X Formula Metamorphic

X Formula Metamorphic

X Formula Metamorphic

Chanel Vertigo

Chanel Vertigo

Chanel Vertigo

Chanel Vertigo

Deborah Lippmann Dark Side of the Moon

Deborah Lippmann Dark Side of the Moon

Deborah Lippmann Dark Side of the Moon

Deborah Lippmann Dark Side of the Moon

Essie Chinchilly

Essie Chinchilly

Essie Chinchilly

Essie Chinchilly

Essie Luxedo

Essie Luxedo

Essie Luxedo

Essie Luxedo

Essie Merino Cool

Essie Merino Cool

Essie Merino Cool

Essie Merino Cool

Essie Smokin' Hot

Essie Smokin' Hot

Essie Smokin' Hot

Essie Smokin' Hot

Julep Gabrielle

Julep Gabrielle

Julep Gabrielle

Julep Gabrielle

OPI Lincoln Park After Dark

OPI Lincoln Park After Dark

OPI Lincoln Park After Dark

OPI Lincoln Park After Dark

X Formula for Sephora Dramatic

X Formula for Sephora Dramatic

X Formula for Sephora Dramatic

X Formula for Sephora Dramatic

Deborah Lippmann Modern Love

Deborah Lippmann Modern Love

Deborah Lippmann Modern Love

Deborah Lippmann Modern Love

Essie Island Hopping

Essie Island Hopping

Essie Island Hopping

Essie Island Hopping

Marc Jacobs Beauty Baby Jane

Marc Jacobs Beauty Baby Jane

Marc Jacobs Beauty Baby Jane

Marc Jacobs Beauty Baby Jane

OPI Java Mauve-A

OPI Java Mauve-A

OPI Java Mauve-A

OPI Java Mauve-A

Essie Blanc

Essie Blanc

Essie Blanc

Essie Blanc

OPI Alpine Snow

OPI Alpine Snow

OPI Alpine Snow

OPI Alpine Snow

Jin Soon Matte Maker

Jin Soon Matte Maker

Jin Soon Matte Maker

Jin Soon Matte Maker

Deborah Lippmann Single Ladies
Deborah Lippmann Single Ladies
Essie Carry On
Essie Carry On
Essie Poor Li'l Rich Girl
Essie Poor Li'l Rich Girl
Essie Wicked
Essie Wicked
MAC x Proenza Schouler Dayflower
MAC x Proenza Schouler Dayflower
RGB Crimson
RGB Crimson
Chanel Blue Satin
Chanel Blue Satin
Essie After School Boy Blazer
Essie After School Boy Blazer
OPI Incognito in Sausalito
OPI Incognito in Sausalito
Deborah Lippmann Don't Tell Mama
Deborah Lippmann Don't Tell Mama
Essie Stylenomics
Essie Stylenomics
Essie Cashmere Bathrobe
Essie Cashmere Bathrobe
Jin Soon Obsidian
Jin Soon Obsidian
OPI My Private Jet
OPI My Private Jet
X Formula Metamorphic
X Formula Metamorphic
Chanel Vertigo
Chanel Vertigo
Deborah Lippmann Dark Side of the Moon
Deborah Lippmann Dark Side of the Moon
Essie Chinchilly
Essie Chinchilly
Essie Luxedo
Essie Luxedo
Essie Merino Cool
Essie Merino Cool
Essie Smokin' Hot
Essie Smokin' Hot
Julep Gabrielle
Julep Gabrielle
OPI Lincoln Park After Dark
OPI Lincoln Park After Dark
X Formula for Sephora Dramatic
X Formula for Sephora Dramatic
Deborah Lippmann Modern Love
Deborah Lippmann Modern Love
Essie Island Hopping
Essie Island Hopping
Marc Jacobs Beauty Baby Jane
Marc Jacobs Beauty Baby Jane
OPI Java Mauve-A
OPI Java Mauve-A
Essie Blanc
Essie Blanc
OPI Alpine Snow
OPI Alpine Snow
Jin Soon Matte Maker
Jin Soon Matte Maker

A few weeks ago, I asked you ladies to weigh in on my black nail polish crisis: is it still chic or did the faux-goth thing look, like, totally passé? Many of you stuck up for the shade in question, while several others offered wildly varied alternatives. (What's better to chase an onyx obsession than a soft shade of periwinkle?) And since I love nothing more than indulging in my nail polish obsession, I took the opportunity to give your suggestions a try. From dark blues to mauves, from white to matte black, here are 31 polishes (because who needs even numbers anyway?) to give a shot when black just isn’t what the manicurist ordered. What's your favorite?

Berries/Reds

Deborah Lippmann Single Ladies

Essie Carry On

Essie Poor Li'l Rich Girl

Essie Wicked

MAC x Proenza Schouler Dayflower

RGB Crimson

Blues

Chanel Blue Satin

Essie After School Boy Blazer

OPI Incognito in Sausalito

Greens

Deborah Lippmann Don't Tell Mama

Essie Stylenomics

Greys

Essie Cashmere Bathrobe

Jin Soon Obsidian

OPI My Private Jet

X Formula Metamorphic

Mauves/Purples

Chanel Vertigo

Deborah Lippmann Dark Side Of The Moon

Essie Chinchilly

Essie Luxedo

Essie Merino Cool

Essie Smokin' Hot

Julep Gabrielle

OPI Lincoln Park After Dark

X Formula for Sephora Dramatic

Pinks/Nudes

Deborah Lippmann Modern Love

Essie Island Hopping

Marc Jacobs Beauty Baby Jane

OPI Java Mauve-A

Whites

Essie Blanc

OPI Alpine Snow

Matte Top Coat

Jin Soon Matte Maker

—Elizabeth Brockway

Photos by Elizabeth Brockway and Devon Swartz.