Last updated: July 17, 2026·🔄 Guide reviewed and refreshed ahead of Halloween 2026.· By Oggy

Halloween Costume Guide

Prince Eric from The Little Mermaid (2023) Halloween Costume Guide

A prince who would rather be on a boat than in a throne room.
Classy Fedora Prince Suit
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Quick Answer: Prince Eric’s costume is a casual open shirt and vest combo, not formal royal dress.
  • White Henley Shirt (essential)
  • Navy Blue Suit Vest (essential)
  • Khaki Dress Pant
  • Black-Brown Boots
  • Blue Linen Scarves
  • Khaki Beach Hat

Eric spends most of the 2023 Little Mermaid trying to get off his own ship and away from royal duty, which is why his signature look is an open henley and vest instead of a crown and sash. The shirt worn loose under the vest, not tucked and buttoned, is what separates this from a stiff period costume. The film was a major theatrical release directed by Rob Marshall and stayed in heavy Disney+ rotation, so this reads clearly at any party, especially next to an Ariel costume.

Items Total6 Items
DifficultyEasy
VibeCasual Seafaring Prince
Cost$70-$170

Prince Eric Halloween Costume Items

Prince Eric from The Little Mermaid 2023 Halloween costume infographic showing white henley shirt, navy blue vest, khaki pants, boots, scarf, and beach hat

Prince Eric Costume Items

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Prince Eric The Little Mermaid Jonah Hauer-King
  • 1White Henley Shirt (essential)Worn open at the collar, never buttoned to the top. This is the piece that sets the casual, off-duty tone the whole costume depends on.
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  • 2Navy Blue Suit Vest (essential)Worn over the henley, unbuttoned or lightly buttoned. This is the piece that pushes the look from “guy in a shirt” to specifically Eric.
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  • 3Khaki Dress PantPlain and fitted. Most people already own a close match.
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  • 4Khaki Beach HatAdds to the seafaring feel. Skip it if you’d rather keep your hair visible.
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  • 5Blue Linen ScarvesA small texture detail. It reads fine without one too.
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  • 6Black-Brown BootsCheck your closet first. Any worn leather boot in a dark brown gets you there.
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Prince Eric cosplay from The Little Mermaid 2023 wearing open white henley shirt under navy vest

How to Style the Prince Eric Halloween Costume

The vest buttoned all the way up is the fastest way to lose this costume, it starts reading as a waiter’s uniform instead of a prince avoiding his own coronation. Leave at least the top button open over the henley. At a party, if the shirt gets tucked in too neatly, the whole look drifts toward “office casual” instead of “runaway royal,” so keep it a little loose.

Eric spends the film chasing the idea of somewhere he hasn’t seen yet, and he says as much out loud: “Wouldn’t it be amazing to discover someplace no one’s ever seen before?” That restlessness is more useful to channel at a party than any formal prince mannerism.

Don’t iron the henley

A crisp, pressed shirt undercuts the whole point of the look. Eric’s version is meant to look like it survived a boat trip, not a dry cleaner.

The beach hat gets in the way indoors

It looks right in photos but it’s awkward at a crowded indoor party, brims catch on things and block your view in dim lighting. Carry it and put it on only for pictures if that’s a concern.

Prince Eric Group Halloween Costume Ideas

Couples Idea

Prince Eric & Ariel

Excellent couples pairing, arguably the most obvious one on this entire site. Everyone knows the story, the visual contrast between his muted khaki and her bright colors works from across a room, and it needs zero explanation.

Prince Eric Ariel

Duo Idea

Prince Eric & Grimsby

Strong duo if you want something other than the obvious couple’s costume. Grimsby’s stiff formal wear against Eric’s open shirt makes the “future king who doesn’t want the job” dynamic visible without anyone needing to explain it, but it only works if the other person actually commits to playing uptight.

Prince Eric Grimsby

Family or Friend Group

Prince Eric, Ariel, Sebastian, Ursula

Excellent group concept covering hero, love interest, comic relief, and villain in one shot. The range in color and silhouette across four characters gives a group photo real variety instead of four people in similar outfits.

Prince Eric Ariel Sebastian Ursula

Group Idea: Disney Live-Action Princes

Prince Eric, Prince Charming, Prince Naveen

Might work, but these three come from different live-action films with no shared visual identity, so the group reads as “assorted Disney princes” rather than a cohesive concept. It works fine as a loose theme night, it just won’t click as an instantly readable group photo.

Prince Eric Prince Charming Prince Naveen
Prince Eric from The Little Mermaid 2023 in his casual seafaring outfit with vest and open shirt

Prince Eric Halloween Costume DIY Tips

Building the Look

This is a wardrobe-friendly build. Nothing here needs to be custom made.

  • Henley shirt and khaki pants: check your closet, these are common basics.
  • Vest: thrift stores usually have a navy or dark blue option, this is worth the small extra effort to get right.
  • Boots: any dark leather pair works, don’t overthink this one.
  • Scarf and hat: skip either if you don’t already own one, they’re not doing the identifying work here.

Playing Prince Eric at the Party

Eric is polite and a little restless, more interested in the next adventure than his own royal duties. That’s an easy, low-effort personality to hold for a night without needing a script.

  • Talk about wanting to see somewhere new, that’s his whole deal in the film.
  • “It was you all along, I don’t know what came over me” works as a line if someone asks about your date.
  • Stay polite even when the party gets loud, Eric doesn’t really raise his voice.

Prince Eric Halloween Costume: FAQ

Wear the white henley shirt open at the collar with the navy blue suit vest over it, add khaki dress pants and black-brown boots, then finish with the blue linen scarf and khaki beach hat. The open henley under the vest is the specific combination that reads as Eric rather than a generic period prince.

Yes. The 2023 live-action Little Mermaid was a major theatrical release and stays in rotation on Disney+, and Eric is one of the two lead characters, not a side role. Most people will recognize the look paired with an Ariel costume.

“Wouldn’t it be amazing to discover someplace no one’s ever seen before?” captures his restlessness with royal life better than any of his more formal lines. He also tells Ariel, “It was you all along, I don’t know what came over me,” once he realizes who saved him.

Prince Eric is played by Jonah Hauer-King. The film was directed by Rob Marshall and released in May 2023, with Halle Bailey starring as Ariel (IMDb).

Skip them if you want. They add to the beach-adventure feel of Eric’s casual scenes, but the shirt and vest combination already carries the recognition on its own.

Who directed The Little Mermaid (2023)?

Which item goes over the white henley shirt in this costume?