Dark Mermaid Trend – Sirens and Witches Are Breaking into 2023's Aesthetic
Sensual dark mermaids are a breaking trend in fashion and makeup. This new "supernatural" aesthetic is quickly becoming a thing on social media and among celebrities.
The influence on makeup and fashion of supernaturals like vampires and werewolves through movies and TV shows like the"Twilight" saga and "The Vampire Diaries" is at an end, and Dark Mermaids are finally coming into their own.
The siren look is inspired by the anticipation of the release of Disney's live-action version of its hit movie, "The Little Mermaid," but the trend is a darker interpretation of that fishy tail.
Dark Mermaid-inspired fashion. | Source: Shutterstock
Mermaids have haunted the mystical seas of legend for millennia as dark figures of irresistible beauty and deadly seduction. The new Dark Mermaid harks back to those myths.
The shows proposing the new fashions for Spring/Summer '23 offered a unified vision of sleek watery shimmer, magical netting, iridescent scales, and seashells.
The new Dark Mermaid is not trading in her scales to be a "real girl." She is delighting in her dark allure and cultivating an aura of otherworldly glamour.
Dark Mermaid-inspired fashion. | Source: Getty Images
The Dark Mermaid Trend Is a Nod to ‘The Little Mermaid’ But It’s Much Darker
The movie "The Little Mermaid" may inspire the Dark Mermaid trend, but it is not about upbeat balls under the sea with Ariel and her friendly crab; think Gothic mermaids draped in silky, shadowy seaweed lying in wait for sailors on the wine-dark sea.
Proenza Schouler's collection beautifully exemplified the subtle Dark Mermaid look with netting, bustiers, and sleek, wet-look hairstyles; LaQuan Smith went all out with seashell bras and shimmering metallic fabrics that flowed like water.
BlueMarine’s collection nailed the look with draped mesh and jersey, festooned with treasure from shipwrecks. Celebrities like Megan Fox, Dua Lipa, and Julia Fox have daringly flaunted their take on the Dark Mermaid look on red carpets.
Dark Mermaid Clothes Should Be Provocative and Dauntless
So what does a Dark Mermaid wear? The trend indicates flowing, fluid-fall fabrics, shining sequins scales, and sleek silhouettes that flare into a mermaid tail.
Reach for the shimmer and dramatize the eyes with vivid greens, blues, purples, and silvers to create the Dark Mermaid look.
Above all, the look is adult, provocative, and bold. From stormy blues to sea greys, all the way to dark reds, Dark Mermaids wear it boldly and with attitude.
A must for the Dark Mermaid look is the incorporation of netting and wet-look fabrics, and, to finish the look, the right accessories are essential: oxidized sunken treasures, nets dragged from the deep, and the shimmer of pearl dust on the skin.
Dark Mermaid-inspired makeup. | Source: Shutterstock
The Dark Mermaid Trend Also Finds Expression in Makeup and Hairstyles
Dark Mermaids rise from the sea on a wave of glamour, with their long wet tresses clinging to their skin. The perfect hairstyle for a Dark Mermaid has to be the wet look. Stylist Nunzio Saviano explained how to achieve it:
"Mix together a gel and a cream. If you just use a gel, it will leave the hair crunchy, and if you just use a cream, it will make the hair look greasy. However, the combo of the two works really well."
Mary Leest on February 23, 2023 in Milan, Italy | Source: Getty Images
Once the wet tresses look is nailed, move on to the makeup. Siren Eyes are blowing up TikTok and are worn by celebrities like Bella Hadid. Makeup artist Lilly Keys revealed:
"We’re currently in our villain era of makeup and styling, and these eyes embrace our inner dark femme. It’s a hypnotizing look that inspires obsession."
The look is achieved by taking the smoky cat eye a step further, making it darker around the eyes' rims, and flicking upwards at the outer corners.
For the wet look, the skin should shimmer with iridescent powder, and some artists use scales to accentuate the curves of the cheekbones and pearls as skin jewelry.
A model on February 23, 2023 in Milan, Italy | Source: Getty Images
Tips on Joining the Dark Mermaid Trend
Reach for the shimmer and dramatize the eyes with vivid greens, blues, purples, and silvers to create the Dark Mermaid look, then apply the dark, sultry, dramatic Siren Eyes makeup. Finish it off with dark glossy lips.
The hair should be worn with a wet look, tangled and tumbled, with tendrils falling around the face. A satiny slip and a handful of pearls are all needed to complete the transformation into a Dark Mermaid.