2023 is the year of nostalgic styles. Not only is the Barbie movie revitalizing Y2K fashion, the upcoming live-action Little Mermaid movie is also making a big splash with mermaidcore.
Ana de Armas’ Louis Vuitton dress shined at this year’s Oscars: the flared skirt paired with ruffled details could easily be confused for a mermaid tail, especially when covered in silver rhinestones.
Quinta Brunson went for a more literal approach to mermaidcore at the SAG Awards, with a white scallop bodice contrasted against a shimmery black skirt.
Julia Garner walked the Golden Globes carpet in a pink Gucci gown with a tiered ruffled skirt, which was paired with a more structured, shell-like, embellished bodice.
Halle Bailey, who will star as Ariel in 2023’s The Little Mermaid, channeled the character through an aquamarine tulle Dolce & Gabbana gown at the Oscars. The cagey bodice, aquatic color, and volume in the skirt could easily be worn by Ariel herself when she swaps her tail for two legs.
Jessica Chastain’s Golden Globes ‘fit found itself somewhere in between a spiderweb and a seashell. She was bejeweled in a strapless Oscar de la Renta gown with nude backing and silver sequined accents.
Margot Robbie channeled Old Hollywood realness in a black sequined gown with a mermaid silhouette and slicked hair at the Oscars.
Camila Cabello’s set to the Grammys was, like Brunson’s, a black-and-white color-blocked look. The embellished top gave a nod to mermaid shells, and the black slitted skirt allowed for some flowy movement — perhaps for swimming.
Beyoncé might have been fashionably late to this year’s Grammys, but she made it all worth it. Wearing a stunning Gucci gown, her nude, structured bodice with an intricate, rippled silver skirt gave all the mermaid vibes, and her more sleek waves made her look fresh out of water.
Kendall Jenner attended the Vanity Fair Oscar Party in an archived bronze and black Jean Paul Gaultier dress. The ‘fit featured detailed, shimmery scaling throughout the piece and a mermaid-like skirt, worn with a perfectly tousled high bun.