I'm a Beauty Editor With a Fashion Degree—How I'm Translating the Fisherman Trend Into My Makeup Routine

In the age of trends as long-lasting as our attention spans (thanks, TikTok), I’ve taken a step back from indulging in every fashion fad that finds its way onto my For You Page. But where I’ve cut corners in my wardrobe, I’ve found ways to incorporate trends—metaphorically—into my makeup.

As someone who graduated from college with a fashion degree and flowered into a beauty editor, my brain is hardwired to see the connections between garment patterns and face charts—how the translucent sequins of fish scale-inspired fabric correlate with the shifting duo-chrome of an iridescent shimmer shadow. A lifelong lover of fun eye makeup, equally expressive clothing, and cohesive looks, I looked to our fashion team for extra insights on the trends capturing their trained eyes today and switched on my beauty brain to translate said styles into makeup looks.

To no one’s surprise, the fisherman aesthetic rose (er, swam?) to the surface quite quickly. While seemingly functional (but sometimes veering costume-like), there ended up being more similarities than not across beauty and fashion when it comes to this marine-inspired aesthetic.

What Is the Fisherman Aesthetic?

Blame it on summer’s arrival, but the fisherman aesthetic feels just as current in beauty as fashion this season. From the fish-shaped clutches dotting Bottega Veneta’s F/W 24 show to the Staud sardine bag overtaking our FYPs, there’s no doubt that visions of sealife are swimming in our minds these days. In fact, Google Trends analytics show that queries about fish necklaces are at an all-time high, and the term “sardine earrings” doubled in search volume over the past week.

In fashion, this aesthetic often includes woven bags and shoes (think: fisherman sandals), practical trench coats, nautical stripes, and gold-tinted seashell or fish-shaped jewelry—but when it comes to beauty, this trend has less to do with “man” and more to do with “fish.” While clothing focuses on land, I cast our beauty direction into the crystal depths of the sea: Emulating reflective scales with glitter, rippling water with glossy lids, and sea glass with sapphire eyeliner.

Ahead, two wearable makeup looks inspired by this marine life aesthetic that require minimal products and deliver all the summer feels.

Look 1: High Tide Eye Shadow

One easy way to incorporate this aesthetic into your makeup is by sticking to the basics: glowy, mermaid-like skin, sunkissed cheeks, and powder blue eyes. Whether you want to tone down the blue shadow instead of a sheer wash or amp it up à la Twiggy, this vintage-inspired shade is the key to achieving that light blue, high-tide look.