Everyone could use a little color to spice up the monotonous winter gloom. Nail polish is a reliable way to make life more fun, flirty and even sparkly. Below is a guide to the best colors and what they’re good for, as well as what they look best with.

Reds: In the winter months, deeper shades of red are the way to go. For everyday outfits and day-to-day life, crimson or garnet shades of red are an appropriate way to add color without being overly vibrant. Red compliments dark skin tones nicely, but also contrasts well against fair skin. Deep reds are also easy to wear from day to night, as they are appropriate for school but also look sophisticated on a date or a girls’ night out.

Blues: Essentially every shade of blue is good for the winter, from light snowflake blue to deep navy. Blue is a casual color, but can be spiced up depending on the tone or shininess. Blue sparkles are a great way to go, as they look good over almost any color and can spice up your nails without being obnoxious.

Purples: Purple is an excellent winter color. Plum purple and reddish-purples give an elegant, stylish look to your nails, and contrast well with both silver and gold jewelry. Deep purple can almost act as a neutral color, so it goes well with practically any outfit combination. Also, light grayish purples work well for everyday life if you’re going for more of the urban look with colorful scarves or jewelry. If you want to spice up your purple nails but not distract from their color, put a clear top coat over to make them extra shiny, or put sparkles on a few select nails.

Silver and gold: These colors are classic for a reason. They go with literally any outfit, without being too fancy or casual for any occasion. They are clean and sophisticated, but still fun and metallic. They’re also light enough that you can easily doodle little patterns, flowers, or other designs on top of them. When in doubt, go for silver, gold or both.

Neutrals: These colors are the go-to when you’re feeling overwhelmed or know you have a crazy week ahead of you. They will keep your nails looking clean so you don’t look down and see your nails at their wintery worst, and you won’t have to do much at all to maintain them. They also go with all outfits, hence the term neutral. But you can still spice up these colors with stripes, doodles or sparkles of different colors. Even fun bracelets and rings can give your fingers the needed bling to complement your simple polished nails.

While we may not have hot summer tans or cute dresses to wear during the winter, we can always flaunt our nail polish. Go for the sparkles, the dark, the light and doodles and let your creativity show.