The Tamesis
Almost every bride says this in the weeks after their engagement. In an endless retelling of the carat whispers and endless retellings of the moment the question was posed, a friend or bridal stylist will often ask something like, “So, have you ever considered wearing a dress?” The bride-to-be will usually retort with a laughing, slightly bewildered, “I don’t know,” followed by a quick warning, “But not a mermaid.”
This reaction is so common it almost feels like bridal gospel, although that’s not always the case. French fashion designer Marcel Rochas first brought the mermaid dress into the spotlight in the 1930s. His elegant, subtly sexy creations – worn by movie stars and cover girls alike – were nearly unrecognizable compared to the dazzling, over-dramatic caricatures that would become synonymous with silhouettes.
The style’s unfortunate association with mason jars and teal bridesmaid dresses has left it trapped in an early 2010s time capsule alongside skinny jeans, herringbone prints and sepia Instagram filters. Come 2020, brides have ditched body-hugging styles in favor of understated slips and anything with a basque or low waist. But history — especially fashion history — tends to repeat itself. If the fanfare surrounding 2016 earlier this year is any indication, the fashion world may be going back to the past.
Brides need look no further than the red carpet and recent ready-to-wear and couture shows to find inspiration for the modern mermaid. Teyana Taylor remains true to this style for the 2026 awards season, sporting designs from Schiaparelli, Burberry, Tamara Ralph, Ashi Studio and Tom Ford, each reinterpreting the classic mermaid silhouette in a new light. she one battle after another Co-star Chase Infiniti also went full-on 2010s in various takes on Louis Vuitton’s flared silhouette, including a chiseled, sculptural burgundy gown with dramatic billowy flares at the knees and a mirrored ruffled top paired with a mermaid skirt.
