It’s finally that time of year when days get shorter, the air is a bit crisper, and cozy sweaters, tights, and ankle boots replace sundresses and sandals. Give your nails a fall makeover as well with an easy nail art design that brings a bit of the season to your fingertips.

The simple pattern on these leaf-inspired nails looks way more complicated than it actually is—and that's the best kind of nail art! And with a cold winter expected on the horizon, these pretty fall nails may last even longer than the fall foliage itself. So grab your favorite fall latte and a few polishes in autumnal hues and get ready to give your nails a fall makeover.

In nature, fall leaves come in a variety of colors, but I chose three China Glaze shades for my design: Solar Power, Mahogany Magic, and Life Preserver. The background color I chose is Jacqueline, a Zoya favorite of mine! In addition to the polishes for the leaves and base color, you'll also need a clear base coat and topcoat, black nail polish for detailing, a large dotting tool (like this) and a small detailing brush (this one is my favorite right now). I would also recommend having a sticky note handy to use as a palette; you'll be dropping polish onto it and dipping your tools in the drops.

Here's how to get these fun fall nails:

1. After applying base coat, apply two layers of a neutral color like Jacqueline to your nails. Once it's dry, dot your nails with different-color dots, leaving space between them as shown.

2. With your detailing brush, draw lines from the outside of the dots to a point; then fill in the shapes you created. It should look something like mine, but leaves aren't perfect in nature, so if yours aren't either, that's OK!

3. Use the detailing brush to add a little stem to the bottom of your leaf shape.

4. Once the leaves are completely dry, add little hatch marks using the detailing brush and black nail polish.

Remember to finish your design with a top coat. Skipping that step will cause your work to chip quickly and look unfinished. If you use a quick-drying topcoat like Seche Vite, it will dry in minutes, so you can get back to sipping your pumpkin spice latte and snuggling under a cozy blanket without the fear of smudged nails. Enjoy!

For more nail art tutorials, visit Katy at Nailed It!