We love an espresso manicure, and Naomi Watts proves essie's Odd Squad is the way to get it

With autumn all around us, essie's popular dark brown shade is perfect for a luxe-looking manicure

Naomi Watts is pictured with a wavy bob hairstyle and wearing an olive green blazer, a white t-shirt and large sunglasses at the Tod's fashion show during the Milan Womenswear Spring/Summer 2026 on September 26, 2025 in Milan, Italy/ in a beige template alongside a product shot of essie's Odd Squad nail polish (which is a dark, coffee brown), and a brown nail polish spill.
(Image credit: Getty Images/Daniele Venturelli/WireImage)

Naomi Watts' short, coffee-brown nails are exactly the sort of chic and cosy manicure we've been craving this season, and it turns out, this low-maintenance essie polish was behind it.

While the 2025 nail trends have kept us fully supplied with inspiration over the last few months - with juicy sorbet nails and dainty polka dot nails, to name just a few - when cooler weather hits, we find ourselves returning to the classics. That said, autumn/winter can also be quite a busy time, with the festive period looming and chillier weather making the idea of venturing outdoors for a nail appointment not that appealing. Thankfully, that's where traditional, air-drying polishes really come in handy, as they offer a quick wash of colour in minutes.

The fuss-free polish behind Naomi Watt's autumnal coffee nails

When it comes to autumn nail designs, we never seem to tire of juicy reds, burgundy and rich browns. They never fail to look and feel expensive, no matter what outfit you pair them with or where you're headed. And while we enjoy a professional nail appointment as much as the next person, sometimes you need a quick and budget-friendly alternative: enter, essie's Odd Squad.

To us, there's nothing 'odd' about this shade; it makes total sense for autumn wear and looks right at home with the season's chic and cosy fashion trends, with its bold, coffee-like tint and glossy shine. And as mentioned, it has nail artist and celebrity approval, as actress Naomi Watts was seen sporting the colour during Milan Fashion Week.

As we can see, Watts opted for a short and soft square style, topped with the luxe dark brown, which we know was none other than essie's Odd Squad, thanks to celebrity nail artist, Iram Shelton, who shared the details in her Instagram post.

The colour is described by the brand as a 'rich coffee brown', with red undertones, and we just can't get over how chic and expensive it looks on Watts' fingernails. For a similar look, but with the addition of essie's Gel Couture formula, the shade All Checked Out is also a lovely option.

Along with this gorgeous brown polish, Shelton has also shared subsequent posts detailing Watts' other autumnal nail looks, including one very stylish wine-like manicure, created using essie's iconic Bordeaux polish (which is one of this writer's favourite at-home nail colours).

Naomi Jamieson
Digital Beauty Writer

Naomi is a Digital Beauty Writer at woman&home, where she covers everything from makeup to skincare but specialises, particularly, in fragrance and nail trends. Through her work, Naomi shares her trend expertise and personal product recommendations. She is also a judge for woman&home's annual hair, skincare and beauty awards.

Previously, she worked as a Lifestyle News Writer for My Imperfect Life magazine, where she used her savvy for TikTok to bring readers the latest beauty buzzwords, fashion movements and must-have products.

Before that, Naomi split her time between both GoodTo and My Imperfect Life, whilst training for her Gold Standard diploma in Journalism with the NCTJ.

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