Mermaidcore is this summer's hottest style vibe, offering beach chic with a dash of brat energy. It's about romanticising summer with a cinematic vision of beach life where you are the main character. Think Daryl Hannah in Splash, not selkies and sirens.
The Grownup Mermaid Silhouette
A grownup mermaid look starts with a slinky silhouette. Swap airy kaftans or maxidresses for narrower dresses or long skirts. Instead of sporty beach shorts, opt for palazzo pants that are snug at the hip and fall wide to the floor. This aesthetic is best suited for graceful lounging, but if you need to be active, fishing-net mesh or crochet work as shorter cover-ups. A shell necklace can add glamour to a morning of wrangling sun cream onto small bodies.
Texture and Colour Palette
The line between mermaidcore and fancy dress is restraint. Avoid piling on every pearl and sparkle. Instead, borrow from the ocean's palette and texture. Elegant mermaid shades include washed-out blues and green-tinted turquoises that look faded by salt and sunshine – a slip dress in pale aqua, or a sheer shirt in lagoon blue or seafoam green. Texture matters: crochet, mesh, raffia, and subtle shimmer evoke the seaside without screaming it. A gauzy skirt catching the breeze has a magical quality, looking different every time the light hits it.
Footwear and Accessories
Fashion is nudging toward jelly shoes, truly amphibious sandals that can paddle through rock pools, survive a sea dash, and still take you to lunch. This fits the mermaidcore dream of moving seamlessly between land and water. Embrace coral jewellery, shell-encrusted flip-flops, and iridescent sarongs. The vibe is sophisticated, as seen in designer Matthieu Blazy's recent Chanel show on the Atlantic shore of Biarritz, featuring sea anemone embroidery, seahorse jewellery, and a dress of seafoam sequins – clothes for sipping rosé with a sea view, not for Ariel cosplay.
