"H20: Just Add Water" Girls Are This Summer Fashion Icons

Jonathan M. Schiff's Australian television show H20: Just Add Water - which debuted in 2006 and followed three teenagers who become mermaids - was probably part of some people's childhood. But this summer, it's part of everyone's style. That's right, in this season when temperatures are reaching extreme levels and it seems impossible to remain comfortable indoors, the show's beachy style has risen to mainstream fashion. 

The fashion in H20: Just add Water

The series' fashion goes beyond printed bikinis and mermaid tails but showcases many iconic Y2K trends that are now trendier than ever. At the time of the show, the costume designer responsible for the production's first 21 episodes was Jean Turnbull, followed by Lucinda McGuigan, who worked on 41 episodes. Now, some of the creatives responsible for following the Y2K lead are Anna Sui, Heaven by Marc Jacobs, Diesel by Glenn Martens, KNWLS by Charlotte Knowles, Masha Popova, and Ludovic de Saint Sernin. While 2000s fashion pops up on our screens daily, whether through social platforms like TikTok or in designer collections, with the arrival of summer, the Y2K trend takes on a fresh perspective – one that leads us straight to H20: Just Add Water. While the most iconic moments of the series occur when the trio is in their orange-textured mermaid tails, a closer examination reveals that their influence extends beyond the swimwear-mermaid memo.  

Summer Y2K 

The show's wardrobe is pure summer Y2K: since the group lives in a beach town, their outfits consist of many fresh looks. In general, these include pastel-toned ensembles, printed floral strappy shirts, capri leggings, jorts, baby tees, miniskirts, denim pieces, cargo pants and skirts, accessories such as sunglasses, headbands, stone earrings, bucket hats and shell necklaces. While some might mainly associate these garments with the 2006 movie Aquamarine, which also features mermaids, it also applies to Schiff's series. And although both productions revolve around mermaids, both showcase some differences. While Aquamarine has more vibrant outfits, H20: Just Add Water has softer tones. Besides, another distinctive feature from H20: Just Add Water is that each character represents, in a certain way, a subculture of 2000s fashion. Rikki Chadwick, played by actress Cariba Heine, shows off 2000s fashion with more of a grunge flair – red blouses, dark shades, skull-print tees, and lots of cargo bottoms. Meanwhile Emma Gilbert, played by actress Claire Holt, had a more sporty, preppy approach, seen in athleisure and lightweight looks. And Cleo Sertoni, played by star Phoebe Tonkin, had a much more boho look, noticed in embroidery, florals, tie-dye, and boteh prints. 

And Summer 2024

Take the new color of the moment: butter yellow – a pastel yellow not too bright yet neutral enough – for instance. Seen in collections such as Burberry Fall/Winter, 2024, Louis Vuitton Spring/Summer 2024, Sandy Liang Fall/Winter 2024, Loewe Spring/Summer 2024, and Gucci Resort 2025, this soft yellow shade is highly connected with the cottage-core trend that took over social media lately – just in time for summer. According to Instagram account analyst @databutmakeitfashion, searches for butter yellow fashion have increased 98% on the ASOS site in the last month. And when trying to pair it with something, the audience seems eager and sure to do so with Jorts. As a type of longer shorts, Jorts – one of H20 Emma’s favorites – have been facing lots of fame now too. Seen in collections such as Ottolinger Spring/Summer 2024, Michael Kors Fall/Winter 2024, Chanel Resort 2025, and celebrities such as Gigi Hadid, Zendaya, and Ariana Greenblatt, the piece emerges as the It bottom for summer. Back in April, @databutmakeitfashion shared that Jorts' popularity has increased 76% based on a sentiment analysis she ran on X (previously Twitter). Besides the aforementioned trends, many other current fashions nod to the iconic trio of mermaids. While Rikki has brought cherry red to the forefront, Emma has helped sportswear achieve a certain reputation, and Cleo put boho right back in the spotlight. All of these done in time for the warm season. So, when in doubt about what to wear this summer, turn on the television and watch H20: Just Add Water. It's certain to find a lot of inspiration for the heated season, as well as items that are considered to be ahead of the times.