Halle Bailey isn’t the only one making waves. The 23-year-old stars in the new live-action Disney film “The Little Mermaid,” which debuts Friday. In the film, she dazzles in iridescent flippers and at various premieres, she has wowed audiences in shimmering pastel gowns with flared skirts and intricate details.
But it’s not just Hollywood making a splash—young trendsetters outside the entertainment industry are also embracing the mermaid-inspired look.
On TikTok, the hashtag #MermaidCore is trending with over 200 million views. A recent report from fashion site Nasty Gal reveals that Google searches for “mermaid style” have surged by 736% worldwide over the past year. Meanwhile, Pinterest has seen a 614% increase in searches for “mermaid core” leading up to the film’s release.
This aesthetic blends coastal leisurewear, Y2K glitz, and beachy bohemian vibes, with a color palette dominated by shimmering blues, soft seafoam greens, and metallic silvers.
“Mermaidcore is a really fun and fresh trend inspired by oceanic colors and things like shells, pearls, and crystals,” said Jenny Rojinski, 32, a fashion designer and content creator from Los Angeles. “It makes me feel alive.”
As a DIY project, Rojinski dedicated nearly 100 hours to crafting her own mermaid core look, creating a bralette and sarong belt from pearls, seashells, and fishing wire she bought on Amazon.
She also assembled a sandy-white skirt and detachable sleeves from repurposed knit, crochet, eyelet, and silk brocade fabrics.
Her creations have captivated nearly 700,000 viewers on TikTok.
“People love mermaidcore because it’s an escape, it’s dreamy, and it makes you feel like you’re in a different world,” Rojinski explained.
The fusion of deep-sea extravagance with wearable art dates back to the 1930s, when couturier Jean Patou introduced his “aquatic-inspired gown” in Vogue. In recent years, luxury brands like Versace, Burberry, and Blumarine have revitalized the stylish allure of mythical sirens. Manhattan fashion consultant Amanda Sanders agrees with Rojinski about the look’s escapist roots. “It’s a break from reality,” she said, comparing the mermaid movement to recent trends like “Cottagecore” and “Barbiecore.”
“‘The Little Mermaid’ originally came out [in 1989] as a cartoon, so it’s nostalgic for millennials and Gen Z,” Sanders added. “It’s a fun, fantasy-fashion trend that lets people express a childlike playfulness through their wardrobe.”
Chazlyn Yvonne, 21, a self-described “whimsical content creator” on social media, shared with The Post that diving into the mermaidcore trend has helped her reconnect with her inner child.
“It’s freeing,” said the tastemaker.
She wore a $160 sea foam green “Siena” dress from Wild Rose & Sparrow, paired with pearl earrings and seashell hair accessories, to a special screening of “The Little Mermaid” in Los Angeles on Wednesday.
“I wasn’t even that into mermaids as a little girl,” said Yvonne, a 2023 graduate of the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in Los Angeles. “But this aesthetic — and seeing [Bailey], someone who looks like me, playing Ariel, which is something I didn’t see as a kid — is really inspiring.”
And as for critics who aren’t embracing the trend, she has this to say:
“Gen Z loves micro-fashion trends like this,” Yvonne stated. “We’re going to keep doing us.”
