As a plus sized person, thank you so much for including different body types in your reference images! This also goes for choosing people with different skin tones. It's so nice to see myself reflected in fashion videos 💛
Okay clearly I posted this before finishing the video. The fact that I genuinely felt so represented given that you found this aesthetic to be very thin leaning online is even more interesting. Clearly you did a good job of choosing a good mix of body types, even though pickings were slim (pun intended!) So double thank you
@@lizzymorang8048 I thought exactly the same thing! I was shocked when she started saying that, but I think we're so used to getting no representation that having a few feels monumental. I agree with the thank you, though! I was so happy to see cuties with bodies like mine rocking this aesthetic!
It was so interesting that you referenced the fact that in the 2000’s there was this negative connotation associated with girly things and i never thought about how that was so much deeper than in my own head, it was a cultural thing enhanced by media and everything! I really felt that when you referenced it and it helped me make a little more piece with myself regarding the fact that I didn’t want to be girly growing up! And it makes TOTAL sense now thinking about the fact that all these aesthetics that have been famous since 2020 are, most of them, so girly, feminine and fantasy oriented, because the 2000’s kids are now adults trying to heal their inner child and accept their femininity! It makes so much sense, thank you for talking about that ❤️🩹
22 years old and i will still pretend im a mermaid everytime i go swimming🤭🤭 might have to do with rewatching H2O as an adult hahaha there will always be something mesmerizing about mermaids, oceans and the tales about them🌊✨️
I was such a HUGE Emily Windsnap fan, the descriptions of the clothes and the stuff they made in their Beauty class… GORGEOUS. I might have to go back and re-read.
I have kids and they are currently mostly obsessed with monsters and dragons. And Pokémon! So basically exactly what I loved as a 90s kid. And honestly, monstercore, dragoncore or Pokémoncore I'm absolutely here for.
I feel like mermaids never *fully* went away. I remember in the early 2010s there was mermaid stuff everywhere. it was just a different take on mermaids than mermaidcore. the first thing that comes to mind is ~mermaid hair~ lol I think we just love mermaids because they're beautiful and they live in the ocean (ideal!)
This whole video and all of your aesthetic breakdowns are incredible! What stood out to me most was your analysis that different fantasty creatures become popular at different times. I know you got into it a little bit about why is occurs (nostaglia) but the idea that we almost "choose" a fantastical creature every couple years to hyperfixate on would be so fun to deepdive on. Wonderful job as always!
I think there’s also a freedom in being a mermaid, like flying, there’s something inherently freeing in being able to swim off wherever I want in the oceans.
i was obsessed with mermaids growing up, i loved the little mermaid and also the film aquamarine!! so i personally am loving mermaidcore, i feel like it’s healing for my inner child haha
This reminds me of the outfit I wore to my best friend’s wedding in 2021. It was a ruffly, flowy, sea green skirt and a white off the shoulder, long-sleeved crop top. I called it my “mermaid outfit”. Also my cat started meowing in the other room at the same time yours did haha
I just wanted to thank you for the amount of time and effort you put into finding reference photos with such a wide variety of skin tones and body shapes and sizes! Yours is the only channel I watch for fashion inspo ❤
~~ I'm no ordinary girl, I'm from the deep blue underworld ~~ Throwback to me and my friend at 12-year-olds trying to dive and swim like we were in H20, with the crossed wrists and all. Also, Aquamarine was my favourite movie for years!! The blue shirt turned into dress and the yellow party dress lived in my mind rent free. In addition, I guess I really liked that romance wasn't the be all and end all of the story. Well, in my head this is the ultimate summer aesthetic so the holiday theory doesn't sound too far off in my personal view. Thank you for mentioning the 2000s attitude towards girly and feminine, that totally hit home. I remember how no one dared to wear skirts to school, even I hanged around in tracksuit bottoms, jeans and sweatpants despite loving skirts and dresses dearly.
Ooh, I forgot to mention my favourite outfits from this!! The last two were such vibes! Like you totally brought me back to childhood/pre-teen media with that short skirt combo and the dark siren was absolutely fantastic! Aaah, and the shipwreck little fishing village tale one was super cool as well!!
This is so relatable to me. When I was a child I'd wear a lot of skirts, because I had a lot of hand-me downs ones, so I didn't even think twice about wearing them. I just liked them and felt comfortable in them, so I'd wear them. And then for several times, girls asked me why I wore skirts so many times and I just thought "what? can't I?". Then I started to be aware of how many times I wore skirts, so I started wearing them less, until I didn't wear any skirts for years during my teenage years (the main reason was also because I didn't want to be sexually harassed by boys in my school, which would happen :(). I thought that showing some interest in girly things would be seen as a bad thing, so I'd avoid it. But now in my late 20s I'm embracing all the girly things and wearing skirts and dresses way more than pants.
@@catmoon- I didn't even notice it being an issue at first, because most of the school year it's quite cold here and I'd rock skirts all summer long, even with friends. But at school no one wore them and there was this feeling that it wasn't okay to be girly like that. I'm sorry the boys at your school were such moronic dumbasses. Can't imagine going through something like that :(( I also started embrasing feminine and especially cute clothing sometime in my early 20s (interest in manga, anime and kpop sure helped awaken that desire for cuteness already in my late teens). Now I'm living the life dressing however I want, within the limits of my wardrobe obviously~
if you guys haven’t read forgive my fins by terra lynn childs what are you doing!!! those books (and h20) were my entire identity in middle school even tho i did not want anyone to know i was obsessed with mermaids. there’s like 3 or 4 books in the same world and her mythology ones r just as good so get yourself to a library rn i’m actually considering putting them on my summer reading list now
Every time I watch one of your aesthetic breakdowns, I feel the need to revamp my style (with thrifted clothes). Doing everything my power not to become a mermaid this summer now 😂
omg i remember reading emily windsnap in third grade it was all i daydreamed about for months! super great video, this was so interesting to me! i wanna try making some mermaidcore outfits now (but i feel like i dont have great pieces for it in my closet... time to go thrifting!)
love ur thoughts and analysis!! these types of vids are so fun, esp as someone who’s low key interested in style, but not super knowledgeable about fashion or *that* motivated
A long moment of appreciation for the two petite dangling braids pls 🙏 Okay excellent, anyway--bomb analysis, v astute points. I'm a particular fan of your point about the zeitgeist of a less-gendered femininity. I feel like I'm seeing that celebratory embrace across all genders (with whoever wants to participate), and it's so lovely to see AFAB folks perhaps manifesting this through mermaidcore! Amazing video as always!
It would be really nice to see more pluss size inclusion in fashion related media, not just when it's for a pluss size brand. It certainly is hard to find . It's obviously also extreamly important that we have racial diversity . What would also be great to see is the inclusion of dissabled people, because that's practically none existent, across the board, and what bothers me more is that it doesnt even seem to be a concern or even part of the conversation! I don't see ANYONE ever talking about it, unless it's another dissabled person, infact.
I love this so much and once it warms up in my hemisphere I'm going to try it. Especially since I've just moved to a seaside town. I am worried about my ED relapsing a little though in pursuit of a flat stomach.
also I really loved the double slip, green mesh sweater outfit. it was so cute, and the mermaid core element was clearly there but also subtle enough it could just be a cool outfit with a fresh pop of color.
I grew up living next to the Pacific Ocean and always pretended I was a mermaid when I was in the water. Now, I like to wear abalone shell jewelry when I am feeling the need for some mermaid energy. Love your fashion choices for this aesthetic!
Florence+the Machine released a song recently about mermaids! Definitely seen some looks and photo shoots based around that, though it might be more Sirencore.
the way h2o changed my life! i definitely always pretended to be a mermaid when i touched water. i don't think i would ever go out of my way to partake in this trend because it doesn't match well with my personal style, but it's so pretty and nostalgic!
Emilyyy!! I loved those books, they definitely were daydream fuel for ages 💙 what a blast from the past🧜♀ Also these aesthetic videos are really nice ☺
omg yess! emily windsnap was the best! the fact that they came out with a new one every year was like the one consistent thing throughout all my school years. i remember being OBSESSED with the way she just completely changed mermaid society and fought for social justice and equality while also just being a little middle school girl 😭😭 child me was like slay! i wanna do that!
Every outfit was a win for me! Wonderful analysis on various levels!!! My now 7 year old niece got a mermaid Barbie that's hair changed color, for Christmas in 2021. Radiant smile & thrilled vibes in her pics. My sister, my niece's other aunt, was a gorgeous mermaid last Halloween in 2022. I have had shell necklaces, earrings, and fake pearl jewelry for 15 years plus. My 1st mermaid movie was 'Splash' from 1984, featuring Tom Banks & Daryl Hannah. First mermaid story was The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen
Adding a mermaidcore themed outfit for my ""fashion"" bucket list for the summer!! Also, that kelly mermaid doll brings back so many memories, I was obsessed with the dress for some reasons
I also like to think that with a push for everyone to thrift because its more eco friendly than buying new, mermaid core offers a new pallet of style if you will on what to look for in the thrift store, as well as including items that aren't pieces of clothing into your ensemble. Ive seen so many videos of people taking a bunch of thrift store items that have pearls, seashells, or anything peachy/mermaid on them, and use them in their outfit some how, as well as taking bags of shells and covering something from the thrift store in them to give them new life.
OK EMILY WINDSNAP!!! I fucking love those books 🥹 I’ve always been hugely into fantasy content and Emily was who I wished I was 🧜🏽♀️ you just woke up my inner child! Kinda wanna read them again 🤔
I think mermaidcore fits perfectly into the broader trends of escapism and nostalgia that we've been seeing for a while now! Also, I can't help but wonder whether climate change and the rise of sea levels also (unconsciously) influenced us. Random thought, but romanticising a life under water while we are facing this very huge threat (while our leaders are failing us)? As someone who lives in a country of which 1/3 is below sea level, it sounds like a solid coping mechanism 🥲
i thought this too! also can’t help but connect the increase in wildfires/widespread wildfire smoke + drought conditions/heat waves to this aesthetic revolving around water - what better way to beat the heat (metaphorically) than to be a cool mermaid who doesn’t need to worry about A/C or evacuation routes
omgggg the mermaid kelly doll!!!!! I also had her!!!! Stop!!! She was such a vibe. I was so excited for this video and it definitely delivered ☆☆ also: to your question on which mythical creature is popular with kids these days, the kids and even teenagers around me seem to have a special liking for unicorns and specially the my little pony series
I enjoyed your exploration of the trend. Your thoughts reminded me of a book you might find interesting: Women and Other monsters- it explores women in mythology. Enjoyed the video!
I just created a mermaid capsule wardrobe for the summer and i actually included crochet white flowy pants. I wear it with white bustier or flowy white top with ruffles and blue bikini undernath (I live by the Mediterranean sea) and i think it works well ! Thank you for your content, you areso inspiring ! ❤❤❤ Love from France
One if the protagonists, Cora, in the Wayward Children book series by Seanan McGuire is a plus-sized mermaid! Although I think her first appearance is in the 5th book or something like that (and she isn't technically a mermaid in the books, she just used to be one). It's also just a great series for anyone who likes fantasy, horror, mystery, and... very short books 🧜🏻♀️
I don’t think so have a lot of pieces I could use for mermaidcore 😢but I’m always inspired by aesthetics to try new things. This video sure helps a lot to break down how to style it. Personally I’m waiting for pirate core to come into fashion 😂 I think it helps with the diversity that a lot of cultures close to tropical weather beaches are brown, historically. But maybe I’m completely going on a limb here.
I found you through Kathleen Illustrated’s channel, and what an absolute delight. I love the way this video was organized, all the different parts, and I was pleasantly surprised by the analysis portion just because I don’t usually see that in fashion content. Every generation seems have something that society deems worthy of hate just because the target audience is young girls/women. As a parent, I have to say there seems to be such an over saturation of content that there isn’t one thing that sticks out to me. I think unicorns, cats, and dinosaurs have been pretty constant for years though. Maybe sloths? I think that’s a newer one, but not really a fantastical creature. I personally have been stuck on werewolves for the past decade or so 😂 Hopefully shape-shifters will be newest craze from Nimona’s influence 🤞
A few years ago Emily Ratakowski wore a handful of mermaidcore outfits, for a coastal birthday trip, which was the earliest I had seen the trend. It was immaculate, but definitely more focused on thin bodies which hindered me feom wanting to partake in it. There's much more widespread and diverse participation in it now and its much more mainstream. I think little mermaid and people being able to dress up and go out for summer and not just staying at home.
Love your style analysis videos, you’re great at explaining things! They’re so helpful at breaking down what makes me like certain outfits! Do you think you could do a similar one for the horror game protagonist aesthetic?
10:41 unicorns were big for a while You have unicorn printed/themed sex toys, unicorn school bags, unicorn makeup, unicorn frappecino, unicorn kids hair accessories. Save for the makeup/sex toys/coffee a lot of unicorn stuff is mainly kids stuff/marketed to kids It was super big to push unicorns onto kids for a long time but also it came from kids demanding unicorns
i really like this video! the fits, the inspo pics, and especially the analysis!! ❤ also really enjoying the love for emily windsnap & h20 in the comments!
My ten year old has a few pairs of elf ears and my eight year old went through a very heavy (yet somewhat brief) avatar way of the water phase, but no other mythical creatures come to mind - although when they were younger it was my little pony all the way! I’m curious to see how they end up dressing as older teens in the next ten years!
While I think The Little Mermaid remake movie is a great help in promoting diversity within Mermaidcore, I think it also has to do with what you said. That this aesthetic is rooted in a literal fantasy that is not bound to real world problems, like classism in Dark Academia and racism in Cottagecore. The reference point is a mythical creature, which no one can say was dominated by a certain group in any point in history.
Rampant fat phobia in the 00’s?!!!! Try being a midsize plus teen in the 80’s. Seventeen magazine told us to shop in the men’s section…the 00’s were a dream by comparison!
I really appreciated the effort you made to find diverse reference images! ❤️ and I really appreciated the cultural analysis and calling out the rampant fatphobia of the 2000s because DAMN was it there. as well as intense racism! so I feel like your work in this video to call those things out and simultaneously include racially and bodily diverse images is actively combatting that cultural legacy, and preventing it from being replicated in the Y2K nostalgia. I also just wanted to mention I really appreciate the mention of other cultural depictions of mermaids and pointing out this aesthetic seems to be based in western conceptions of mermaids. you always bring a global perspective to your videos, and that’s wonderful!
I feel like mermaidcore is borderline to vague to really be an aesthetic, it's more like an inspo. I can easily see 2 mermaidcore looks and get completely different vibes where they don't even seem like they share... any visual language which I think is what defines an aesthetic. I see why this would be inspiring to you and be a fun place to play with fashion.
Okay I do know children, and tbh their favorite 'creature' thing is mermaids! They absolutely love The Little Mermaid, they even have a fake mermaid tail costume! Also, another one would be ice/snow queen, as one might've guessed, because of the Frozen movies.
Really enjoyed watching your breakdown of mermaidcore. It's obvious how much work and research you put into it. Did you study fashion history and analysis in school?
This movie doesn’t have nearly as much cultural impact as the new The Little Mermaid movie with Halle Bailey, but Ruby Gilman: Teenage Kraken might inspire some people in this aesthetic. As someone who loves the more childish, cartoony, fun side of aesthetics, I really like it. Also, you’re brain is so gorgeous, I can only strive to be as wise and thoughtful about fashion as you.
he... hey i was wondering, as im rewatching this vid (love your vids btw) would u consider making a similar deep dive on Barbiecore ? Totally ok if that's not in the carts im just asking bc i went to see the movie and the brainrot is real
Girl I'm so sorry this is not related to the video but we have the SAME hair, except yours is so neat and beautiful and falls so nicely :') I have a lot of trouble with mine frizzing up, do you ever get that too? And what products/brands do you use on your hair? Again, sorry this isn't related to the video but I am dying to know how you get your waves to look like that 😭💖
As a plus sized person, thank you so much for including different body types in your reference images! This also goes for choosing people with different skin tones. It's so nice to see myself reflected in fashion videos 💛
Okay clearly I posted this before finishing the video. The fact that I genuinely felt so represented given that you found this aesthetic to be very thin leaning online is even more interesting. Clearly you did a good job of choosing a good mix of body types, even though pickings were slim (pun intended!) So double thank you
Hard agree!!! The examples always feel so much more realistic and relatable because of this ❤
@@lizzymorang8048 I thought exactly the same thing! I was shocked when she started saying that, but I think we're so used to getting no representation that having a few feels monumental. I agree with the thank you, though! I was so happy to see cuties with bodies like mine rocking this aesthetic!
i'm always so tired of seeing the same body types and skin tones when people make those "_ aesthetic basics"
It was so interesting that you referenced the fact that in the 2000’s there was this negative connotation associated with girly things and i never thought about how that was so much deeper than in my own head, it was a cultural thing enhanced by media and everything! I really felt that when you referenced it and it helped me make a little more piece with myself regarding the fact that I didn’t want to be girly growing up! And it makes TOTAL sense now thinking about the fact that all these aesthetics that have been famous since 2020 are, most of them, so girly, feminine and fantasy oriented, because the 2000’s kids are now adults trying to heal their inner child and accept their femininity! It makes so much sense, thank you for talking about that ❤️🩹
I think fairies are the most popular creatures as of now which I am also living for
22 years old and i will still pretend im a mermaid everytime i go swimming🤭🤭 might have to do with rewatching H2O as an adult hahaha
there will always be something mesmerizing about mermaids, oceans and the tales about them🌊✨️
30 here and doing the same
Almost 40 and I own various Mermaid tails which I swim in and I am part of a Mermaid Community.😅
I was such a HUGE Emily Windsnap fan, the descriptions of the clothes and the stuff they made in their Beauty class… GORGEOUS. I might have to go back and re-read.
I also have read Emily Windsnap i did find them a bit of a slow burner but it is such a good book totally recommend.
I have kids and they are currently mostly obsessed with monsters and dragons. And Pokémon! So basically exactly what I loved as a 90s kid. And honestly, monstercore, dragoncore or Pokémoncore I'm absolutely here for.
I feel like mermaids never *fully* went away. I remember in the early 2010s there was mermaid stuff everywhere. it was just a different take on mermaids than mermaidcore. the first thing that comes to mind is ~mermaid hair~ lol I think we just love mermaids because they're beautiful and they live in the ocean (ideal!)
yess! i remember how popular slogan tees with mermaid themes were in the 2010s! not to mention those metallic leggings with the scallop pattern! 😅
This whole video and all of your aesthetic breakdowns are incredible! What stood out to me most was your analysis that different fantasty creatures become popular at different times. I know you got into it a little bit about why is occurs (nostaglia) but the idea that we almost "choose" a fantastical creature every couple years to hyperfixate on would be so fun to deepdive on. Wonderful job as always!
I think there’s also a freedom in being a mermaid, like flying, there’s something inherently freeing in being able to swim off wherever I want in the oceans.
i was obsessed with mermaids growing up, i loved the little mermaid and also the film aquamarine!! so i personally am loving mermaidcore, i feel like it’s healing for my inner child haha
omg the deep cut to Emily Windsnap 🤯 what a gorgeous cover!! I loved her growing up 🪼🐠🐬🧜♀️
Yes! Emily Windsnap! I forgot about that but when I saw the cover I was right back to childhood.
This reminds me of the outfit I wore to my best friend’s wedding in 2021. It was a ruffly, flowy, sea green skirt and a white off the shoulder, long-sleeved crop top. I called it my “mermaid outfit”. Also my cat started meowing in the other room at the same time yours did haha
I just wanted to thank you for the amount of time and effort you put into finding reference photos with such a wide variety of skin tones and body shapes and sizes! Yours is the only channel I watch for fashion inspo ❤
omg emily windsnap rocked 9 year old me’s world, those books were (are?) my entire identity😂
~~ I'm no ordinary girl, I'm from the deep blue underworld ~~
Throwback to me and my friend at 12-year-olds trying to dive and swim like we were in H20, with the crossed wrists and all. Also, Aquamarine was my favourite movie for years!! The blue shirt turned into dress and the yellow party dress lived in my mind rent free. In addition, I guess I really liked that romance wasn't the be all and end all of the story.
Well, in my head this is the ultimate summer aesthetic so the holiday theory doesn't sound too far off in my personal view. Thank you for mentioning the 2000s attitude towards girly and feminine, that totally hit home. I remember how no one dared to wear skirts to school, even I hanged around in tracksuit bottoms, jeans and sweatpants despite loving skirts and dresses dearly.
Ooh, I forgot to mention my favourite outfits from this!! The last two were such vibes! Like you totally brought me back to childhood/pre-teen media with that short skirt combo and the dark siren was absolutely fantastic! Aaah, and the shipwreck little fishing village tale one was super cool as well!!
This is so relatable to me. When I was a child I'd wear a lot of skirts, because I had a lot of hand-me downs ones, so I didn't even think twice about wearing them. I just liked them and felt comfortable in them, so I'd wear them. And then for several times, girls asked me why I wore skirts so many times and I just thought "what? can't I?". Then I started to be aware of how many times I wore skirts, so I started wearing them less, until I didn't wear any skirts for years during my teenage years (the main reason was also because I didn't want to be sexually harassed by boys in my school, which would happen :().
I thought that showing some interest in girly things would be seen as a bad thing, so I'd avoid it. But now in my late 20s I'm embracing all the girly things and wearing skirts and dresses way more than pants.
@@catmoon- I didn't even notice it being an issue at first, because most of the school year it's quite cold here and I'd rock skirts all summer long, even with friends. But at school no one wore them and there was this feeling that it wasn't okay to be girly like that. I'm sorry the boys at your school were such moronic dumbasses. Can't imagine going through something like that :((
I also started embrasing feminine and especially cute clothing sometime in my early 20s (interest in manga, anime and kpop sure helped awaken that desire for cuteness already in my late teens). Now I'm living the life dressing however I want, within the limits of my wardrobe obviously~
Yess I’m trying to dress like the mermaid core aesthetic you did such a good job breaking it down 💗
if you guys haven’t read forgive my fins by terra lynn childs what are you doing!!! those books (and h20) were my entire identity in middle school even tho i did not want anyone to know i was obsessed with mermaids. there’s like 3 or 4 books in the same world and her mythology ones r just as good so get yourself to a library rn i’m actually considering putting them on my summer reading list now
Every time I watch one of your aesthetic breakdowns, I feel the need to revamp my style (with thrifted clothes). Doing everything my power not to become a mermaid this summer now 😂
omg i remember reading emily windsnap in third grade it was all i daydreamed about for months! super great video, this was so interesting to me! i wanna try making some mermaidcore outfits now (but i feel like i dont have great pieces for it in my closet... time to go thrifting!)
love ur thoughts and analysis!! these types of vids are so fun, esp as someone who’s low key interested in style, but not super knowledgeable about fashion or *that* motivated
I suspect that mermaid core evolved from or is a renaming of sea punk which appeared in the 2012s or so
Love the plain mules. Oyster shell vibe
A long moment of appreciation for the two petite dangling braids pls 🙏
Okay excellent, anyway--bomb analysis, v astute points. I'm a particular fan of your point about the zeitgeist of a less-gendered femininity. I feel like I'm seeing that celebratory embrace across all genders (with whoever wants to participate), and it's so lovely to see AFAB folks perhaps manifesting this through mermaidcore!
Amazing video as always!
It would be really nice to see more pluss size inclusion in fashion related media, not just when it's for a pluss size brand. It certainly is hard to find . It's obviously also extreamly important that we have racial diversity . What would also be great to see is the inclusion of dissabled people, because that's practically none existent, across the board, and what bothers me more is that it doesnt even seem to be a concern or even part of the conversation! I don't see ANYONE ever talking about it, unless it's another dissabled person, infact.
I was OBSESSED with Emily windsnap back in the day, I had all the books at one point 😂 It made me write my own little mermaid story
I love this so much and once it warms up in my hemisphere I'm going to try it. Especially since I've just moved to a seaside town. I am worried about my ED relapsing a little though in pursuit of a flat stomach.
also I really loved the double slip, green mesh sweater outfit. it was so cute, and the mermaid core element was clearly there but also subtle enough it could just be a cool outfit with a fresh pop of color.
make sirencore too, it looks so intriguing
I grew up living next to the Pacific Ocean and always pretended I was a mermaid when I was in the water. Now, I like to wear abalone shell jewelry when I am feeling the need for some mermaid energy. Love your fashion choices for this aesthetic!
Florence+the Machine released a song recently about mermaids! Definitely seen some looks and photo shoots based around that, though it might be more Sirencore.
the way h2o changed my life! i definitely always pretended to be a mermaid when i touched water. i don't think i would ever go out of my way to partake in this trend because it doesn't match well with my personal style, but it's so pretty and nostalgic!
Mermaidcore suits you beautifully! Also can I just say I appreciate you showing diverse body types in your example photos
It’s interesting to think about if a live action remake made a popular Princess or character plus sized
Mermaid core is so cute! I didn’t even realise it was a thing until I came across your video
Emilyyy!! I loved those books, they definitely were daydream fuel for ages 💙 what a blast from the past🧜♀ Also these aesthetic videos are really nice ☺
omg yess! emily windsnap was the best! the fact that they came out with a new one every year was like the one consistent thing throughout all my school years. i remember being OBSESSED with the way she just completely changed mermaid society and fought for social justice and equality while also just being a little middle school girl 😭😭 child me was like slay! i wanna do that!
Every outfit was a win for me! Wonderful analysis on various levels!!! My now 7 year old niece got a mermaid Barbie that's hair changed color, for Christmas in 2021. Radiant smile & thrilled vibes in her pics. My sister, my niece's other aunt, was a gorgeous mermaid last Halloween in 2022. I have had shell necklaces, earrings, and fake pearl jewelry for 15 years plus. My 1st mermaid movie was 'Splash' from 1984, featuring Tom Banks & Daryl Hannah. First mermaid story was The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen
It’s just always going to be FUN to play dress up. Even if other people can’t tell….
exactly!!! you get it !
Adding a mermaidcore themed outfit for my ""fashion"" bucket list for the summer!! Also, that kelly mermaid doll brings back so many memories, I was obsessed with the dress for some reasons
I also like to think that with a push for everyone to thrift because its more eco friendly than buying new, mermaid core offers a new pallet of style if you will on what to look for in the thrift store, as well as including items that aren't pieces of clothing into your ensemble. Ive seen so many videos of people taking a bunch of thrift store items that have pearls, seashells, or anything peachy/mermaid on them, and use them in their outfit some how, as well as taking bags of shells and covering something from the thrift store in them to give them new life.
OK EMILY WINDSNAP!!! I fucking love those books 🥹 I’ve always been hugely into fantasy content and Emily was who I wished I was 🧜🏽♀️ you just woke up my inner child! Kinda wanna read them again 🤔
loved the analysis part !!
I think an asymmetrical tuck in look 1 would be perfect!
I think mermaidcore fits perfectly into the broader trends of escapism and nostalgia that we've been seeing for a while now! Also, I can't help but wonder whether climate change and the rise of sea levels also (unconsciously) influenced us. Random thought, but romanticising a life under water while we are facing this very huge threat (while our leaders are failing us)? As someone who lives in a country of which 1/3 is below sea level, it sounds like a solid coping mechanism 🥲
i thought this too! also can’t help but connect the increase in wildfires/widespread wildfire smoke + drought conditions/heat waves to this aesthetic revolving around water - what better way to beat the heat (metaphorically) than to be a cool mermaid who doesn’t need to worry about A/C or evacuation routes
omgggg the mermaid kelly doll!!!!! I also had her!!!! Stop!!! She was such a vibe. I was so excited for this video and it definitely delivered ☆☆ also: to your question on which mythical creature is popular with kids these days, the kids and even teenagers around me seem to have a special liking for unicorns and specially the my little pony series
Can confirm! My baby sibling is very into the magical ponies as well as magical princesses right now too
yes absolutely Emily Windsnap !! i also had a sparkly mermaid shirt as a kid that would change colors in the sunlight :)
Life is crazy and heavy rn and this is such a whimsical light start to my day ❤
The siren look was spot on! It looked so natural on you
I enjoyed your exploration of the trend. Your thoughts reminded me of a book you might find interesting: Women and Other monsters- it explores women in mythology.
Enjoyed the video!
This is such a great video idea! I also wonder if the more intersectionality of this aesthetic is because Halle Bailey was casted as Ariel.
i love that green knit top so much
I've been WAITING for this video!! I knew you'll make one about mermaidcore.
your tiny braids are adorable
I just created a mermaid capsule wardrobe for the summer and i actually included crochet white flowy pants. I wear it with white bustier or flowy white top with ruffles and blue bikini undernath (I live by the Mediterranean sea) and i think it works well !
Thank you for your content, you areso inspiring ! ❤❤❤
Love from France
MY FAVE AESTHETIC MY FAVE LOOK THANK U THIS VIDEO IS SO GOOD
i'm wondering how barbie core will evolve after the movie and if you would make a video about that! media really can effect bodies and fashion!
Mom here, the current trendy mythological creature for the 2020s is definitely unicorn 😆
You are quickly becoming one of my favourite fashion youtubers, another amazing video ❤️✨
One if the protagonists, Cora, in the Wayward Children book series by Seanan McGuire is a plus-sized mermaid! Although I think her first appearance is in the 5th book or something like that (and she isn't technically a mermaid in the books, she just used to be one). It's also just a great series for anyone who likes fantasy, horror, mystery, and... very short books 🧜🏻♀️
I don’t think so have a lot of pieces I could use for mermaidcore 😢but I’m always inspired by aesthetics to try new things. This video sure helps a lot to break down how to style it. Personally I’m waiting for pirate core to come into fashion 😂
I think it helps with the diversity that a lot of cultures close to tropical weather beaches are brown, historically. But maybe I’m completely going on a limb here.
I found you through Kathleen Illustrated’s channel, and what an absolute delight. I love the way this video was organized, all the different parts, and I was pleasantly surprised by the analysis portion just because I don’t usually see that in fashion content. Every generation seems have something that society deems worthy of hate just because the target audience is young girls/women.
As a parent, I have to say there seems to be such an over saturation of content that there isn’t one thing that sticks out to me. I think unicorns, cats, and dinosaurs have been pretty constant for years though. Maybe sloths? I think that’s a newer one, but not really a fantastical creature. I personally have been stuck on werewolves for the past decade or so 😂 Hopefully shape-shifters will be newest craze from Nimona’s influence 🤞
You went deep sea diving! Love the fashion and the commentary. ❤
Emily Windsnap was so good omg I feel so seen
literally iconic!!!!
I feel like mermaids and fairies are sharing the mythical creature popularity rn
Emily Windsnap oml I forgot about her love her
Living for the siren version. ❤
When I was three and had really long hair, my mother would comb me with a fork for months, because I refused to be combed as human I clearly wasn't
thank you for telling us that h20 is free to stream on youtube. now i know what ill be doing until this rain passes
OMG EMILY WINDSNAP MY BELOVED ❤❤❤
changed my life trajectory
@@beepwrld TRULY
Plz do a Colorful capsule wardrobe for SUMMER!!!🎉🎉
Didn’t know anyone else read the Emily windsnap books 🙌🧜♀️
A few years ago Emily Ratakowski wore a handful of mermaidcore outfits, for a coastal birthday trip, which was the earliest I had seen the trend. It was immaculate, but definitely more focused on thin bodies which hindered me feom wanting to partake in it. There's much more widespread and diverse participation in it now and its much more mainstream. I think little mermaid and people being able to dress up and go out for summer and not just staying at home.
Love your style analysis videos, you’re great at explaining things! They’re so helpful at breaking down what makes me like certain outfits! Do you think you could do a similar one for the horror game protagonist aesthetic?
10:41 unicorns were big for a while
You have unicorn printed/themed sex toys, unicorn school bags, unicorn makeup, unicorn frappecino, unicorn kids hair accessories. Save for the makeup/sex toys/coffee a lot of unicorn stuff is mainly kids stuff/marketed to kids
It was super big to push unicorns onto kids for a long time but also it came from kids demanding unicorns
Try this style for fall and winter please🩵
Time stamps bc I’m bored
0:00 intro
1:01 what is mermaidcore?
1:33 what is the origin?
2:18 breakdown
4:25 styling
5:48 outfits
i really like this video! the fits, the inspo pics, and especially the analysis!! ❤
also really enjoying the love for emily windsnap & h20 in the comments!
So cute! 🤩😍
I love your videos!
My ten year old has a few pairs of elf ears and my eight year old went through a very heavy (yet somewhat brief) avatar way of the water phase, but no other mythical creatures come to mind - although when they were younger it was my little pony all the way! I’m curious to see how they end up dressing as older teens in the next ten years!
While I think The Little Mermaid remake movie is a great help in promoting diversity within Mermaidcore, I think it also has to do with what you said. That this aesthetic is rooted in a literal fantasy that is not bound to real world problems, like classism in Dark Academia and racism in Cottagecore. The reference point is a mythical creature, which no one can say was dominated by a certain group in any point in history.
Rampant fat phobia in the 00’s?!!!! Try being a midsize plus teen in the 80’s. Seventeen magazine told us to shop in the men’s section…the 00’s were a dream by comparison!
One of my best friends is a professional mermaid. Living her dream ❤
Suchhhhhhh a good breakdown 😍🤩😍
1:53 the x aesthetic/x core thing seems to have originated on tumblr afaik
10:30 i don't know children but last i checked it was unicorns. it might be something else now
I really appreciated the effort you made to find diverse reference images! ❤️ and I really appreciated the cultural analysis and calling out the rampant fatphobia of the 2000s because DAMN was it there. as well as intense racism! so I feel like your work in this video to call those things out and simultaneously include racially and bodily diverse images is actively combatting that cultural legacy, and preventing it from being replicated in the Y2K nostalgia. I also just wanted to mention I really appreciate the mention of other cultural depictions of mermaids and pointing out this aesthetic seems to be based in western conceptions of mermaids. you always bring a global perspective to your videos, and that’s wonderful!
absolutely! your effort is seen and appreciated!
I feel like mermaidcore is borderline to vague to really be an aesthetic, it's more like an inspo. I can easily see 2 mermaidcore looks and get completely different vibes where they don't even seem like they share... any visual language which I think is what defines an aesthetic. I see why this would be inspiring to you and be a fun place to play with fashion.
Okay I do know children, and tbh their favorite 'creature' thing is mermaids! They absolutely love The Little Mermaid, they even have a fake mermaid tail costume! Also, another one would be ice/snow queen, as one might've guessed, because of the Frozen movies.
Really enjoyed watching your breakdown of mermaidcore. It's obvious how much work and research you put into it. Did you study fashion history and analysis in school?
This movie doesn’t have nearly as much cultural impact as the new The Little Mermaid movie with Halle Bailey, but Ruby Gilman: Teenage Kraken might inspire some people in this aesthetic. As someone who loves the more childish, cartoony, fun side of aesthetics, I really like it.
Also, you’re brain is so gorgeous, I can only strive to be as wise and thoughtful about fashion as you.
10:33 i think its fairies bc of fairy core and winx becoming popular again
he... hey i was wondering, as im rewatching this vid (love your vids btw) would u consider making a similar deep dive on Barbiecore ? Totally ok if that's not in the carts im just asking bc i went to see the movie and the brainrot is real
OMG I NEVER FINISHED EMILY WINDSNAP BUT IT WAS AWESOME
coming to this vid sooo late but thank you for saying emily windsnap RIGHTS
Girl I'm so sorry this is not related to the video but we have the SAME hair, except yours is so neat and beautiful and falls so nicely :') I have a lot of trouble with mine frizzing up, do you ever get that too? And what products/brands do you use on your hair? Again, sorry this isn't related to the video but I am dying to know how you get your waves to look like that 😭💖
@@beepwrld thank you so much for responding!! I will definitely be picking up that frizz serum 🥰
The little girls right now are into unicorns!
❤❤❤
i see mermaidcore as daytime, clear blue water, and light sandy beaches, but sirencore as nighttime, rocky coasts, and dark dangerous water
Emily Windsnap is in the chat