Halle Bailey Nails Mermaidcore With a Pearl Mani and Seashell Headpiece

Girly nostalgia seems to be on the rise, and it’s very apparent in the fashion and film worlds. TikTok singlehandedly breathed new life back into the Bratz dolls aesthetic, and you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who isn’t impatiently waiting for Greta Gerwig’s Barbie to hit theaters this summer. The latest blast from the past comes from Disney’s new live-action The Little Mermaid, starring Halle Bailey as Ariel. Bailey has been serving up gorgeous looks for the film's premieres, and just showed everyone what it means to dress like a mermaid princess.

On May 15, Bailey walked the red carpet for the UK premiere of The Little Mermaid wearing a white Miss Sohee gown with a plunging neckline, low back, halter straps, and tulle ruffling along the bust. Mermaidcore has been trending for a bit now, but Bailey truly looks like she just emerged from a shell. The gown brings a new meaning to the word “scalloped” and features layers of rhinestone-encrusted fabric that moirrors scallop shells stacked on top of each other. Her dress features a long train, and stylist Nicky Good accessorized the look with a gorgeous headpiece that looks like coral made from diamonds, pearl drop earrings, and a ring.

Bailey looks like an underwater princess and her nautical manicure ties the look together—she wore the same aquatic chrome manicure that she did at the US premiere of the film. Nail artist Yoko Sakakura created the look with pre-measured Aprés Gel-X Sculpted Round Medium Tips ($30), as well as two coats of the Aprés Gel Couleur in Secret Lagoon ($15). She then created a reflective finish with the shade Angelic from the Aprés Heavenly Top Gelcoat Set ($70) and then applied pearl nail decals to make the nails look like they were plucked from the sea.

Bailey went the natural route with her beat and wore almost nothing on her eyes aside from liner, mascara, and a pop of brightness on her inner corner. She paired it with a soft-matte cloud skin complexion and a mauve two-toned lip. Much like at the US premiere, however, Bailey’s arms juxtapose her face’s complexion and glisten as though she just emerged from water.

The entire look is an ode to Ariel, and it couldn’t be complete without Bailey’s bright red braids reaching well below her hips (because, hello, what's mermaid hair without length?).

All in all, Bailey knows how to serve both princess and mermaid in one fell swoop.