Mermaid Costume

The Mermaid Buzz

Woman's mermaid costume

While mermaids have always been intriguing, they are hot, hot, hot for the costume crowd right now. Why are they so popular? Certainly, Disney's Princess Ariel: The Little Mermaid inspires many young girls to wear undersea attire, but some credit also goes to Mattel's recent Barbie Mermaidia movie. Older girls are emulating Aqua from summer of 2006's Aquamarine while others are just creating a classic fairy tale look.

Mermaid Costume Basics

What do you need to be a mermaid? Here is your basic costume checklist:

• A fish-style tail or tail fins
• A bikini style top
• Long flowing hair

Extras:

• Sea shell jewelry or accessories
• A tiara
• A fish or sea star companion

It's All About the Tail

The defining piece of most mermaid costumes is the tail. However, it is difficult to walk if you have a tail instead of feet; of course, walking is useful for partying and trick-or-treating. So, most mermaid costumes do not cover the wearer's feet with the tail; instead, costumers add fins to a long skirt to suggest a tail, or create a tail that is draped down behind the mermaid's feet so she can still walk.

Homemade Costume Instructions

Little mermaid with tail

If you prefer to craft your costume yourself, you will need either basic sewing skills or at least some skill with a glue gun. For your bikini top, you can wear nearly any sparkly bikini. Don't have one? Try second hand stores, and feel free to embellish it with rhinestones, sequins or small seashells. If the weather is cold or you prefer to be less revealing, you can put it on over a pale pink or flesh colored leotard.

Creating your tail is a little more challenging. It is easiest to start with a straight knit skirt. You will need some extra fabric in a similar color. Then, you may either add tail fins jutting out from either side of the skirt, or make a tail extension with fins that hangs down from the back of the skirt. If the tail drags on the ground, consider adding a loop so you can catch the tail up when you are walking or in a place where it might get dirty.

Once you have added the fins or tail, you are ready to cover your mermaid tail with sparkling fins; cut them from metallic fabric, or add large sequins. Alternately, you can use fabric glitter glue to create a scale pattern down the skirt-tail. Wear tights in the same color scheme to help finish the look.

If you already have long hair, you will not need to do anything but brush it silky smooth for your costume. If you have short hair, or want to go for the red-headed Ariel's look, you can find a long, flowing wig at your local costume shop or party store.

For accessories, dig out the shell lei from your Hawaii trip or don a seashell-covered tiara.

Purchasing Costumes

Ariel, the little mermaid

Not feeling crafty? If you prefer to buy your costume, there are many great options available. We've located some of the best mermaid costumes just for you:

• Check out our mermaid costume pictures.
• Girl's Ariel Little Mermaid Costume from Disney online.
• Lillian Vernon offers two mermaid costumes for girls: Little Mermaid costume and classic mermaid costume
• Shella costume from Barbie: Mermadia, for girls
• Sexy adult mermaid costume
• Woman's mermaid costume dress
• Woman's two-piece costume
• Matching mother-daughter costumes