I fell in love with the viral mermaid skirt (originally by the brand Idáh), but I wasn’t as excited about the high price, or the loud clinking sound it makes when worn.
To fix that, I sourced shells from Etsy and added a layer of fabric to the back of each one to soften the “windchime” effect.
It worked perfectly and I got the look I loved without the cost or the attention-grabbing noise every time I moved!
Full tutorial in videos below!
- It helps to lay out the shells like you’d want before sewing and working bottom up!
- Aleene’s fabric fusion glue is ideal so the skirt can be dry clean safe.
- I recommend sourcing shells with 1 hole (not 2) for a more polished look.

Tutorials