Wedding season is upon us (raise your hand if you have at least three weddings to attend this summer) and with it comes the headache of what to wear. Of course, every wedding is different and could come with its own dress code—my friend sent a mood board and I highly respect that. But if your search for the perfect wedding guest dress has not yielded the desired results, there's a pretty dress trend you could take inspiration from, emerging from our favourite celebrity red carpet moments lately: the mermaid dress.
At the Thunderbolts premiere in London, Florence Pugh graced the red carpet in the perfect ruffled gown from Alexander McQueen's Autumn/Winter 2025 ready-to-wear collection, paired with Aquazzura heels and Noudar jewellery. Her perfectly matching hair aside, the look felt like a breath of fresh air, ringing in the official start of summer occasion dressing.
She's clearly not the only one with the mermaid dress in mind. Blake Lively wore a caged number by Tamara Ralph for her latest film, Another Simple Favor's NYC premiere. The figure-hugging bodice and airy chiffon skirt are even more reminiscent of a mermaid, especially in this perfect shade of seafoam green.
When paired with a floaty silhouette, the aquamarine hue (which is basically the pretty pastel cousin of spring/summer 2025's pistachio green trend) immediately gives the gown a fairy-esque vibe, appropriate for black-tie weddings and red carpets alike. It's incredibly flattering, too, and a minty fresh alternative to summer whites or Barbie pink. It's no wonder Gemma Chan, who plays the most elegant character Astrid from Crazy Rich Asians, is a fan.
Of course, Gemma's sequinned Tamara Ralph look with a neck scarf is the most glamorous iteration of the trend, but this delicate Tiffany's-adjacent hue will transform even the simplest slip dress into a look worthy of a Hollywood star.
The good news is, there's no shortage of these elegant dresses on offer from our favourite brands this summer to answer all your occasion-dressing needs. From Reformation to Cult Gaia, here are our favourite mermaid dresses to shop below.
