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12[[quoteright:350:[[WesternAnimation/TheLittleMermaid1989 https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ariel_bra.png]]]]
13[[caption-width-right:350:Bivalves are a girl's best friend.]]
14
15->'''Mimic:''' By th' way, nice seashells.\
16'''Siren:''' They're just B-shells, but thanks.
17-->-- ''Webcomic/RustyAndCo''
18
19For some reason, [[OurMermaidsAreDifferent mermaids]] feel compelled to fashion bras for themselves out of seashells, even though they never bother making any other kind of clothing. Although this provides {{Fanservice}} and titillation, it was originally created for the reverse reason. Logically (as in, using the same logic that would apply to humans *cough*), a mermaid would be an InnocentFanserviceGirl, but we can't have that in a kids' movie, can we?
20
21Since, by definition, a mermaid is a fish from the waist down, only her top half must be covered, and often GodivaHair just won't do. Thus the seashell bra was invented to preserve the modesty of female merfolk everywhere. You probably think this originated with Disney's ''WesternAnimation/{{The Little Mermaid|1989}}'', but Disney was using it all the way back in 1953 to depict the mermaids in ''WesternAnimation/PeterPan'' (although they looked distinctly less bra-like in those days). Expect bras to also be made out of other marine trappings, such as starfish (though glomping a living creature to one's own body doesn't sound like a good idea in hindsight -- especially if it [[NightmareFuel ejects its stomach and starts digesting your nipples]]) or perhaps seaweed or other vague underwater flora, though the shells are often depicted as somehow clinging magically without any accompanying harnesses or straps, seaweed or otherwise. Also, the bra will almost always be made from scallop shells rather than clam, oyster, conch, or [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:NautilusCutawayLogarithmicSpiral.jpg nautilus shells]] (not unless they are hollowed out).
22
23Of course, [[ValuesDissonance not every culture]] shares the notion that the sight of [[NippleAndDimed female nipples]] somehow corrupts children, hence the [[Anime/TheLittleMermaid Japanese animated version]] of the classic Hans Christian Anderson tale features bare-chested mermaids. It's also possible to avert the whole issue entirely by having [[OrganicBra scales growing around the chest area]], extend the "fish" part of the mermaid up to the bustline like a strapless dress, or simply [[BarbieDollAnatomy not draw any nipples at all]]. Mermen, instead, will just be completely shirtless, since BareMidriffsAreFeminine. Aside from preserving modesty, the seashell bra also serves another purpose: Animators didn't have to care about the underwater Jiggle Physics, since seashells are hard and rigid.
24
25A SubTrope of ImprovisedClothes. Compare FurBikini.
26
27----
28!!Examples:
29
30[[foldercontrol]]
31
32[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
33* Lucy in ''Manga/FairyTail'' temporarily turns into a mermaid [[spoiler: when Aquarius takes her and Brandish to the Star Memory.]] She's shown wearing one of these.
34* In the filler BeachEpisode of ''Literature/TheFamiliarOfZero'', the girls punish the boys for being perverts by beating them up, tying them up, and forcing ''them'' to wear seashell bikinis. Later, when they think they are alone, the girls try on the seashell bikinis and find wearing them fun. Saito manages to spy on them.
35* ''[[Anime/GalaxyAngelRune Galaxy Angel 3rd]]'' (manga) has the girls turned into mermaids at one point, complete with Seashell Bra.
36* Guu from ''Anime/HareGuu'' wears one during the BeachEpisode.
37* Shows up in a dream/hallucinatory sequence in ''Anime/KaleidoStar''. Dream Mermaid!Sora gets this to a T (well, the current performance ''is The Little Mermaid''). She also seems a bit more... [[FanServicePack ample]] in this sequence.
38* Lampshaded in ''Manga/KamichamaKarin'', in which Kazune points out, "How do those stay ''on''?"
39* Somewhat related example from ''Manga/LoveHina'': Having found an oasis after getting lost in the middle of the desert, Naru makes improvised bikinis for herself and Nyamo (and then later, Shinobu, whose [[ClothingDamage clothes had been destroyed]] by one of Motoko's sword techniques) out of giant leaves. Not explained is why Kitsune put Motoko in the exact same type of outfit when they were still in civilization. This also allows a "trap" that unleashes ''caterpillars'' to be [[ClothingDamage somewhat threatening]], in a way.
40* In ''Manga/MagiLabyrinthOfMagic'' and its sequel, ''Kingdom of Magic'', magician Yamraiha wears this in keeping with her water motif. The seashells turn out to be magoi storage devices that gave her a boost when shattered, but it still doesn't explain the reason for choosing that type of bra in the first place...
41* The female mermaids in the shoujo manga ''Manga/MermaidBoys'' have these. Notably, Queen Lorelai, mother of the main character Prince Naru. She, ah, fills them well.
42* ''Manga/MermaidMelodyPichiPichiPitch'' takes ColorCodedForYourConvenience to the extreme, so of course, mermaids always have seashell bras that match their tails. They do, however, wear other kinds of clothing at times, such as skirts, but these are purely ceremonial, and usually a mermaid is depicted in only the shell bra.
43* [[ShamelessFanserviceGirl Lucoa]] from ''Manga/MissKobayashisDragonMaid'' wears this during the second DVD special when the dragons were dressing up as otters. Kobayashi points out that it ''barely'' has anything to do with otters.
44* There is an episode of ''Manga/MissMachiko'' in which a male teacher imagines the main character as a mermaid with the obligatory seashell bikini.
45* San the mermaid YakuzaPrincess from ''Manga/MyBrideIsAMermaid'' wears this in her first appearance.
46* ''Manga/OnePiece'':
47** Sanji has some {{Imagine Spot}}s of gorgeous sirens wearing Seashell Bras, but it's averted when they meet Kayme, an actual mermaid who wears a T-shirt.
48** {{Gonk}} mermaid [[NightmareFuel Kokoro]], on the other hand, does wear a Seashell Bra. One person asked if they really were seashells -- [[WordOfGod Oda]]'s initial response: "Does '[[{{Squick}} I don't want to think about it]]' count as an answer?"
49** Also, a few of the younger mermaids, especially the dancers, do. It's just not normal mermaid clothing.
50* Towards the end of the ''Anime/PantyAndStockingWithGarterbelt'' episode "If Angels Wore Swimsuits", Panty's bikini becomes ripped by a Giant Crab Ghost and falls off. Unfortunately for all the onlooking male beach-goers, two Mini-Starfish Ghosts and a Sea Anemone Ghost jump up and latch onto her in ''just'' the right places.
51* ''Anime/PokemonTheSeries'': Misty wears a pink one whenever she plays the Magical Mermaid. In her case, it's probably just a fabric bra that looks like seashells.
52* In an episode of the ''Manga/RanmaOneHalf'' anime, during an EyeCatch showing Akane as a mermaid, she wears a pink Seashell Bra.
53* Seria from ''Anime/RaveMaster'' has an interesting variation: she wears a bikini top... with a shell motif.
54* In book 10 of the ''Manga/UruseiYatsura'' manga, both Lum and Shinobu are disguised as mermaids and wear seashell bras.
55* ''Anime/YuGiOh'': Red Archery Girl and Toon Mermaid have these, although the English version of Red Archery Girl gives her an extra bit of cloth to wear under her bra.
56** ''Anime/YuGiOhFirstAnimeSeries'': Miho wears a pink one as part of a mermaid costume she wore in a bikini contest after one of her competitors ruined her bikini.
57[[/folder]]
58
59[[folder:Animation]]
60* Averted in the Latvian cartoon ''Animation/FairyTaleSitsOnTheDoorstep''. The main character meets a Mermaid braiding seaweed who's 100% in the nude. No, it's not a case of EuropeansAreKinky, because she's NippleAndDimed.
61[[/folder]]
62
63[[folder:Comedy]]
64* Featured in a joke by comedian Ron White:
65-->'''Ron White:''' I didn't know this. If you find a girl wearing a seashell bra, and you pick her up, and put her to your ear, you can hear her scream. I thought I'd hear the ocean, but not over that bitch.
66[[/folder]]
67
68[[folder:Comic Books]]
69* In the ''[[ComicBook/AdventureTimeGraphicNovels Adventure Time]]'' spin-off graphic novel ''Masked Mayhem'', Lumpy Space Princess and her frenemy Melissa both dress as mermaids with seashell bras at a fancy dress party.
70* In the comic book ''ComicBook/{{Boneyard}}'', one of the local Universal-like monsters is a female version of the Gill Man from ''Creature from the Black Lagoon''. Nessie, as she's called, covers her monstrous NonMammalMammaries with tiny seashell ''pasties''. She also wears actual fishnet stockings.
71* Complete editions of [[http://centaurore.blogspot.com/2013/04/aurore.html Belgian comics]] ''[[OurCentaursAreDifferent Les Centaures]]'' by Pierre Seron explain that editors suggested the female centaur to wear seashells bras, despite having nothing to do with sea. The author objected she was so young and innocent she had nothing to hide. Europeans are more tolerant for young girls being topless if their breasts are not grown yet.
72* The Blue, a fictional underwater race from the ''ComicBook/{{Fathom}}'' comics, make all clothing up to full body armor using bits of underwater flora and fauna. Despite them also having [[SchizoTech far more advanced technology than surface dwellers]].
73* In [[https://www.pinterest.com/pin/503347695856599491/ one issue]] of ''ComicBook/KatyKeene'', Katy and Sis are mermaids wearing these.
74* Issues drawn by Adam Hughes (and some other artists about the same time) of the ''ComicBook/LegionOfSuperHeroes'' and ''Legionnaires'' comics have had seashell bras (and bottoms) indicating nudity (simply assume they aren't there, then the characters' reactions make sense).
75* When Namorita, DistaffCounterpart of the ComicBook/SubMariner, turned blue and changed her name to Kymera, she added a net skirt and one seashell "cup" to her bikini-like outfit.
76* [[ActionGirl Sun]] from ''ComicBook/PocketGod'' wears one.
77* There was a Mermaid Smurfette introduced in ''ComicBook/TheSmurfs'' comic book series who wore a seashell bra. This character eventually got an appearance in the ''Smurfs Village'' game app.
78* The mermaid encountered by ComicBook/{{Superboy}} (Kon-El), as a sort of next-gen Lori Lemaris, in ''Adventure Comics 80 Page Giant''. ComicBook/PostCrisis Lori herself sometimes wears a normal bikini top, but more often has GodivaHair. Pre-ComicBook/{{Crisis|on Infinite Earths}} Lori wore something resembling a blouse or minidress at all times.
79* ''Franchise/WonderWoman'' [[ComicBook/WonderWoman1942 Vol 1]]: The mermaids in [[SpellMyNameWithAnS Ronno/Renno]]'s underwater village wear sheshells over their breasts, while the mermen just go naked.
80[[/folder]]
81
82[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
83* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Coraline}}'', The Other Forcible wears one dressed as Venus. She's [[FanDisservice an obese old lady]].
84* Interesting variation in Disney's ''WesternAnimation/{{Fantasia}}'', with female centaurs wearing tops and necklaces made out of ''flowers'' that appear to be motivated more by the TheissTitillationTheory than actual modesty, even though the centauresses otherwise exhibit BarbieDollAnatomy...
85* ''WesternAnimation/{{The Little Mermaid|1989}}'' of course, though Ariel is unusual in that her top has a strap. Similar bras are worn by Ariel's six sisters and nearly all other female merfolk inhabiting Atlantica; the sea witch Ursula has octopus flesh go over her chest instead, though. Some people think the overweight mermaid illusion seen in Ursula's song has her chest covered by scales, but looking closely reveals she too wears a Seashell Bra.
86* In ''WesternAnimation/Madagascar1'', when Gloria washes ashore, she has two starfish on her chest (beside the fact that [[BarbieDollAnatomy there is nothing there to cover]]) and a crab on her crotch (make of that what you will).
87* The title character of ''Literature/{{Paprika}}'' wears one while briefly in mermaid form.
88* Before ''The Little Mermaid'' there was ''WesternAnimation/PeterPan'', whose mermaids sported a motley mix of GodivaHair, seashell bras, and starfish pasties.
89* In ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitansGoVsTeenTitans,'' we see one alternate universe where the team are mermaids. Starfire has a seashell bra, while [[RareMaleExample Robin has the starfish version]]. In contrast, Raven [[OrganicBra has the]] [[WesternAnimation/{{The Little Mermaid|1989}} Ursula look]], Beast Boy is a turtle, and Cyborb still has a metal torso.
90[[/folder]]
91
92[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
93* ''Film/Les1001Nuits'' has a scene with Sheherazade (Creator/CatherineZetaJones) [[SexySurfacingShot emerging from the ocean]] wearing only a starfish bra and seashell panties.
94* ''Film/{{Hercules|1983}}'' (1983) has Cassiopeia dressed in [[FanService thin strips of cloth falling from a collar around her neck]] and (to retain its PG rating) a thong bikini and small sea shells. Even better, she is played by [[MsFanservice Ingrid Anderson]].
95* The mermaids in ''Film/{{Hook}}'' have seashells held in place with straps. Though the green-haired one's breasts are just barely covered.
96* The three mermaid sisters in ''Film/Mermaids2003'' normally have their breasts covered by natural scales but whenever Venus performs in the club -- doing a seductive dance "dressed" as a mermaid -- she wears a seashell bra.
97* The Disney Channel Made For TV Movie ''Film/TheThirteenthYear'' has the protagonist's mermaid mother wearing two conch shells over her breasts.
98* This trope and its aversion was one of the reasons a mermaid character was cut completely from ''Film/TurboAPowerRangersMovie''. She was played by a 15-year-old actress who would have had GodivaHair. Probably not suitable for a family film.
99* In the 1968 sci-fi B-movie ''Film/VoyageToThePlanetOfPrehistoricWomen'' (which is actually a re-cut of the Soviet sci-fi ''Planeta Bur''), the Venusian natives are [[HumanAliens blonde women]] wearing seashell bras and skin-tight rubber pants.
100[[/folder]]
101
102[[folder:Jokes]]
103* Why does Ariel wear seashells? [[spoiler:Because B-shells are too small and D-shells are too big!]]
104[[/folder]]
105
106[[folder:Literature]]
107* ''Literature/BadMermaids'': Long ago, all mermaids wore shell tops, which are two shells connected by string. Nowadays T-shirts are more common, but shell tops are still fairly popular. [[TheEighties Last century]] there was a fad for shell tops with huge shoulder pads.
108* In ''Literature/TheCopperPromise'' by Jen Williams, it's briefly mentioned that one of the designs Wydrin considered for her tattoo was a mermaid with "giant [[UnusualEuphemism barnacles]]".
109* ''Literature/{{Dinoverse}}'': Not a mermaid, but in ''I was a Teenage T. rex'', one of the leads becomes a Leptoceratops, and despite not having anything to cover she didn't feel comfortable going naked. She tries sticking leaves on with sap -- they fall off. The Quetzalcoatlus character takes pity on her and makes a top-and-bottom out of seashells with holes poked in them and strung together by vines; these last a little longer.
110* In ''Literature/InCryptid'', [[SirensAreMermaids sirens]] who visit beaches wear these, to discredit any reports of "mermaid sightings".
111* In an early scene from Creator/RobertAHeinlein's ''Literature/IWillFearNoEvil'', Eunice and her husband are discussing the mermaid body paint she'll be wearing to work the next day. (Office dress codes having gotten ''really'' casual in the future.) They make a bet over whether a literally painted-on Seashell Bra will fool her employer into thinking it's real. (It does.)
112* In the ''Literature/LostVoices'' trilogy, mermaids normally go naked, since there are no mermen. When Luce starts meeting the human boy Dorian, she starts wearing makeshift bras of seaweed or kelp so she won't feel self-conscious in front of him.
113* ''Literature/MermaidsOfErianaKwai'': Most merfolk go naked, but some of Queen Medusa's citizens wear clothes, including both human-style bikini tops and live sea creatures.
114* The ''ComicBook/SabrinaTheTeenageWitch'' novelization "Age of Aquariums" (in which Sabrina transforms herself into a mermaid) features a cover picture of Sabrina wearing a seashell bra. The book itself doesn't state whether she wears one or not.
115* In ''Literature/TheSyrenaLegacy'', female Syrena wear a seaweed wrap.
116* In ''Literature/TheVazulaChronicles'', all mermaids wear a pair of large seashells. Poor mermaids like Merletta wear only that, while wealthier mermaids can afford more elaborate coverings and jewelry. Mermaids only take off their shells when exchanging them for new ones, and an adult mermaid can wear the same pair of shells for years.
117[[/folder]]
118
119[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
120* The mermaids in ''Series/{{Charmed|1998}}'' have a variation where their breasts are covered by strategically-placed scales. Worth noting is that the hair of the actresses playing mermaids was too short to function as GodivaHair.
121* ''Series/FaerieTaleTheatre's'' adaptation of "Literature/TheLittleMermaid" used an interesting scheme: if a mermaid was out of the water (like sitting on the beach for instance), she had GodivaHair, whereas while she was underwater (and thus her hair would be floating around and unable to do its GodivaHair function), she had a Seashell Bra, or more specifically, two scallop shells stuck to her chest with no straps whatever, not even one connecting the two shells.
122* Mermaids in ''Series/H2OJustAddWater'' and ''Series/MakoMermaidsAnH2OAdventure'' have scales in exactly the same pattern as a bra, complete with straps, with a bare midriff between that and the scales of their tails. Mermen are bare chested.
123* ''Series/{{Mortified}}'': The mermaid costume Taylor wears (and almost drowns in) in "Mother in the Nude" incorporates a seashell bra.
124* Despite her being an iconic example, the live-action Ariel in ''Series/OnceUponATime'' doesn't wear a strapless seashell bra, but instead sports one made out of... something. It's encrusted with pearls, gems, and shells, but appears to be some kind of purple leather.
125* ''Series/PowerRangersLightspeedRescue'': PlayedWith Marina, a mermaid and love interest to Chad, who wears something similar to a seashell bra.
126[[/folder]]
127
128[[folder:Pro Wrestling]]
129* The 2005 Wrestling/{{WWE}} [[WalkingSwimsuitScene Divas Magazine]] had a picture of Wrestling/{{Ivory}} wearing one.
130[[/folder]]
131
132[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
133* ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'': The 2nd edition ''Monstrous Manual'' depicts an aquatic elf in a Seashell Bra and a mermaid in something a little scalier.
134* The Orotheans in ''TabletopGame/MagiNation'' play this trope straight.
135* The mermaid in ''TabletopGame/ResArcana'' uses two seashells as a bra.
136[[/folder]]
137
138[[folder:Theatre]]
139* The Lady of the Lake from ''Theatre/{{Spamalot}}'' wears a seashell bra over a long gown.
140[[/folder]]
141
142[[folder:Video Games]]
143* ''VideoGame/DeadOrAlive''
144** Helena's Godfather bikini (and its palette swaps) from ''Dead or Alive Xtreme 2'' is this... though it's so small it's more like Seashell PASTIES...
145** Her "Ultimate Sexy Costume" DLC in ''VideoGame/DeadOrAlive5'' [[UpdatedRerelease Ultimate edition]], which largely resembles the above bikini.
146* ''VideoGame/FateGrandOrder'': Surprising no one, Kiara Sesshouin's summer swimsuit form creates the appearance with a strategically-placed clamshell necklace over BarelyThereSwimwear. Since she cites ''The Little Mermaid'' as one of her favorite stories, it's probably an homage to the Disney version.
147* [=AnticEnt's=] online ''Kingdoms'' CCG has the elemental hero Jorma, who wears starfish on her breasts because she's just that badass.
148* Used in ''VideoGame/KingsQuestII''; Graham has to charm a merwoman that's sunning herself on Kolyma's shore.
149* In ''VideoGame/LollipopChainsaw'', a seashell bikini is an alternate skin Juliet Starling can wear.
150* In ''VideoGame/PanelDePon'', Neris and Natia wear one.
151* Played with in ''VideoGame/Persona4''. During the beach trip, Kanji loses his [[SlipperySwimsuit speedo]] due to Teddie's antics. The Protagonist has the option to tell Kanji to cover his man-parts with a seashell to which Kanji almost agree to do but rejected it because its "too sexy".
152* The ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' [[http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/File:368Gorebyss.png Gorebyss]] appears to have one even though it isn't remotely humanoid.
153* Anneta Fish from ''VideoGame/RaymanOrigins'' wears a clamshell ''pasty'' that somehow sticks to her breasts.
154* ''VideoGame/RumbleRoses'' has the seashell bikini, it is available for all girls in the cast aside from the robots.
155* ''Videogame/RuneScape'': The discontinued Tropical Islander outfit is comprised of an enormous seashell bra and short grass skirt. The male variant is bare-chested.
156* ''Videogame/{{Shantae}}'':
157** Parodied via a series of in-character Twitter posts. Shantae takes a bath in a pond, but finds [[GoneSwimmingClothesStolen her clothes missing when she comes back for them.]] Not wanting to run around naked, she tries using whatever she can reach from the water to cover herself, including the wildlife.
158--->'''Shantae:''' Well, I've tried wearing all sorts of aquatic creatures and am pretty badly hurt at this point.
159** ''VideoGame/ShantaeHalfGenieHero'': While most mermaids in the series are topless (don't worry, [[NonhumansLackAttributes nothing is shown]]), [[GiantWoman Giga]] [[KingMook Mermaid]] has her chest covered with a pair of shells that are bigger than Shantae herself. When Shantae transforms into a mermaid, she instead has a large starfish clinging to her back with two of its tentacles wrapped around her chest.
160* The Neireid queen in ''VideoGame/SoulNomadAndTheWorldEaters''.
161* ''VideoGame/{{Terraria}}'': A top made out of seashells is part of the female variant of the Mermaid Costume that can be randomly given from the Angler. The male variant wears a necklace instead.
162* ''VideoGame/VirgoVsTheZodiac'': Pisces the Redeemer, a [[OurMermaidsAreDifferent mermaid]] with fish motifs, wears a top made of seashells and fish scales.
163* In ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'', the dryads (centaur-like creatures with the upper body of an elf and the lower body of a deer) wear a terrestrial variant, a bra made of leaves (although, as they also have [[PlantPerson plant-like traits]], it may be [[OrganicBra part of their bodies]]). Averted with the female naga (the closest thing the game has to a mermaid), who have breasts covered with scales, or wear the top of a ChainmailBikini.
164* Mermaidyn from ''VideoGame/YokaiWatch'' has a strapless variant. She just has two seashells over her breasts.
165[[/folder]]
166
167[[folder:Web Animation]]
168* ''WebAnimation/HomestarRunner'': In one Strong Bad E-mail, SB nicknames a cardboard cutout of a mermaid Princess Shellbra.
169* In a disturbing subversion by guro manga artist Shintaro Kago, [[https://youtu.be/MnC_kVSzVNw this animation]] depicts the shells on a mermaid's breasts to hide sharp-toothed mouths. One of them opens up and eats a fish alive.
170[[/folder]]
171
172[[folder:Webcomics]]
173* An ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'', Website/{{Tumblr}} [[https://egspinups.tumblr.com/post/151257271595/double-finally-mermaids-mermaids-where-have strip]] features Nanase and Ellen as mermaids in the the style of ''WesternAnimation/TheLittleMermaid1989'' complete with these.
174* [[https://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20200306#.YfiL5_hMFPa Referenced and defied]] in ''Webcomic/GirlGenius'' when Agatha has to disguise herself as a mermaid to negotiate with fish people. The mousse sculpture that caused the initial diplomatic confusion wears starfish pasties, but Agatha refuses.
175* The mermaids in Kate Beaton's ''Webcomic/HarkAVagrant'' wear these. [[http://www.harkavagrant.com/index.php?id=119 Aye, they]] [[http://www.harkavagrant.com/index.php?id=123 be a]] [[http://www.harkavagrant.com/index.php?id=124 sexy omen.]]
176* InvokedTrope in ''Webcomic/MerStory'': because dealing daily with a naked mermaid is too distracting, the protagonist Jason asks Aqua to bring him large seashells, with which he makes what he calls the "classical" mermaid seashell bra. Aqua is more amused than anything.
177* The Mermaids in the Monster-only world of ''Webcomic/{{Monsterful}}'' stick to this trope as well, featuring [[http://www.monsterful.com/chapter14page14.php Starfish]] and [[http://www.monsterful.com/chapter14page14.php Shellfish bras.]]
178* Parodied in a ''Webcomic/QuestionableContent'' [[http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1236 strip]]. In a panel clearly labeled as shameless fanservice, Faye is clutching a pair of seashells to her breasts, claiming that her [[SlipperySwimsuit bikini top was swept away]].
179* The page quote is from [[http://rustyandco.com/comic/30/ one strip]] of ''Webcomic/RustyAndCo'' The "Monster Guide" page on the same site also mentions this about the siren:
180-->Don't ask what keeps the seashells on.
181* The comic ''Tsubomi Blue Dreams'' has the protagonist wearing ''starfish'' as a bra. Say it with me now: "OOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWW!!"
182* In ''Webcomic/YetAnotherFantasyGamerComic'', [[http://yafgc.net/comic/1535-familiarity/ Mi, the gen familiar of Sha'ir Waleed]] (a maridan from the Elemental Plane of Water) is wearing a seashell bra. And bottom. And headband ornament.
183* Avoided in ''Webcomic/TheSeaInYou'' as in that universe mermaids are humanoid fish, not humans with fishy characteristics.
184[[/folder]]
185
186[[folder:Web Original]]
187* [[http://akaichounokoe.deviantart.com/art/Clamshelle-428604756?q=gallery%3AAkaiChounokoe%2F43418904&qo=2 Clamshelle]] is the only one so far wearing a seashelle bra, the other ones usually wear flowers or something akin to a bathing suit top, like [[http://akaichounokoe.deviantart.com/art/Sing-425091997?q=gallery%3AAkaiChounokoe%2F43418904&qo=4 Sing]] or [[http://akaichounokoe.deviantart.com/art/Oyster-Pinkblue-375891269 Oyster]]
188* Asked about on Website/DeviantArt, [[http://xninjared.deviantart.com/art/The-Mermaid-Problem-155487940 "The Mermaid Problem."]] Considers the theory if females are born with it, and if not, how they measure cup/clam size. Also deconstructs it by asking why Mermaids wearing dead clams as their bras if they are friends with fish.
189[[/folder]]
190
191[[folder:Western Animation]]
192* ''WesternAnimation/TheAdventuresOfPussInBoots'': The hideous mermaid who insists on following Puss everywhere in "Mermaid" wears a seashell bra.
193* ''WesternAnimation/AlvinAndTheChipmunks'':
194** Jeanette in the episode "Sploosh" (a parody of ''Film/{{Splash}}'') where she is a mermaid.
195** Brittany in "Alvie's Angels" when she use a mermaid disguise.
196* ''WesternAnimation/{{Animaniacs}}'':
197** Averted with Mindy in the episode "Mermaid Mindy" (whose fish tail forms a sort of onesie) but implied with her mother (who we only see from behind, with a visible red strap).
198** An issue of the comic featured a spoof of the ''Little Mermaid'' with [[MsFanservice Minerva Mink]] as the mermaid, wearing a shell bra exactly like Ariel's.
199* Subverted during both episodes of ''WesternAnimation/TheBackyardigans'' that have mermaids, "Viking Voyage" and "Into the Deep". During those episodes, Tasha and Uniqua are mermaids (well, Uniqua just in the latter), but their tails ''[[http://www.coverbrowser.com/image/bestselling-movies-2007/325-1.jpg cover the entire torso]]'', so they don't need seashell bras.
200* The ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' episode "Lois Kills Stewie" has a seashell speedo on a reverse mer-man: he's a fish on the top, and a man on the bottom.
201* Angel in ''WesternAnimation/FishPolice''.
202* Averted in an episode of ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'', where Fry's mermaid fiancee wears a tube-top.
203* On ''WesternAnimation/JimmyTwoShoes'', Heloise wears one during a DreamSequence where she's a mermaid.
204* ''WesternAnimation/JohnnyBravo'': In the episode "Moby Jerk", the rude mermaid Johnny encounters wears a strapless one.
205* [=AndrAIa=] from ''WesternAnimation/ReBoot'' is a bit more modest than the typical mermaid (at least at first), wearing one gigantic scallop shell that covers her entire torso. After the {{Timeskip}} she gets a more {{Stripperific}} outfit with a bra that appears to be made out of some kind of fish skin.
206* In ''WesternAnimation/RegularShow'', during Mordecai's dream sequence in the episode "Meat Your Maker", he envisions Margaret wearing one that just ''barely'' covers her [[UnusualEuphemism lady pecs]].
207* Deconstructed for BlackComedy in ''WesternAnimation/RobotChicken'' in one sketch about [[WesternAnimation/TheLittleMermaid1989 Ariel]] and her siblings going out among the fish citizens, where they callously grab the nearest fish to use as accessories. They rip apart a clam family to make bras, [[WouldHurtAChild making "pasties" out of the baby one.]]
208* Daphne and Miyumi wind up [[GoGoEnslavement wearing these]] when they are captured by the natives in ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooAndTheSamuraiSword''.
209* In ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons''' parody of ''Literature/TheOdyssey,'' the [[OurSirensAreDifferent sirens]] wear these. [[spoiler:[[FanDisservice They're "played" by Patty and Selma]]]].
210* Smurfette in ''WesternAnimation/TheSmurfs'' episode "Sassette's Bewitching Friendship" wore one when Melina the good witch accidentally changed her into a mermaid.
211* FanDisservice[=/=]Parody the ''WesternAnimation/SpongebobSquarepants''[='=] superhero parody Mermaid Man has a pair of shells over his completely round torso, despite the ComicBook/{{Aquaman}}-esque orange scale shirt he also wears.
212** PlayedWith in some episodes, where mermaids can be seen wearing normal bras with seashells randomly attached to the front, as seen [[http://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20110109001653/spongebob/images/2/22/Amphitrite.jpg here]].
213** {{Averted}} by Mindy in TheMovie, who just wears a [[PrincessesPreferPink pink]] shirt.
214* Tom in ''WesternAnimation/TomAndJerryTales'' has two starfish on his chest with his unintentional mermaid disguise in "Octo-Suave".
215* Bloom in ''WesternAnimation/WinxClub'' has one of her bikinis with this.
216* The early '90s Spanish variety show ''¿Pero Esto Que Es?'' had a regular animated segment called ''Las Vacaciones de Vicky'' starring the show's animated mascot Vicky Rabbit, in which she and Zanahorio the anthropomorphic carrot are trapped on a DesertedIsland, and she wears a loincloth and seashell pasties.
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219[[folder:Real Life]]
220* Many companies that make swimwear have marketed actual bikinis with tops like this. Such swimwear tends to be very expensive, and usually isn't the type you should actually swim in.
221* [[https://www.facebook.com/pages/Raina-the-Halifax-Mermaid/183327321702019 Raina the Halifax Mermaid]] wears a seashell bra during most of her appearances, but in later days has started wearing one made from ''an octopus''. According to her, little kids were fascinated by it (not in that way!), poking it to see if it was real (it isn't).
222* Professional mermaids -- as in people who wear the costume and perform in the water -- are likely to wear normal bikini tops that are designed like seashell bras.
223* The 1986 Expo in Vancouver B.C. had "Transportation" as its theme, and appropriately, they had an old sailing ship as one of the exhibits, which had a bare-breasted mermaid as a figurehead. However, the manager of the World's Fair was an Evangelical Christian, and to general public hilarity, he insisted that the mermaid be clad in a specially constructed seashell bra.
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