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Mermaid Sirena
02-07-2012, 04:45 PM
I just read this article (http://lieselhindmann.wordpress.com/2012/02/07/now-is-not-the-time-to-be-a-steamhipster/) about Steamhipsters and thought it was absolutely amazing, it also got me to thinking about mermaiding and it's becoming popular. I propose a discussion on your feelings about it going mainstream and the like. Ok. Go.

:)

Mermaid Photine
02-07-2012, 05:35 PM
I feel like it will probably be good for buisness, but will make the mers be regarded as more of a "phase because it's cool" instead of a genuine interest. That said, it will make mermaid/man-ing (did we ever decide on the term for that?) open to more people. Hopefully, should it become popular and decline, the decline will not hurt preformance and tailmaking buisnesses. I don't see it being the catastrophe that vampires were (no offense to Smeyer fans) because mer-ing requires a bit of owrk- you don't just buy books, you make yourself a tail and swim or cosplay, make up a mer personality, or other things that I can't name off the top of my head. Point being, you need to look for your interests about mers yourself, work and thought and imagination are required, as they are not written down in a cleverly marketed book anywhere (yet!)

malinghi
02-07-2012, 05:52 PM
I think this is a really interesting conversation, and I think I could talk about this for days. Some people are afraid of something they like going mainstream, but that fear is ridiculous. For one thing, I'm talking as a guy, and I'm pretty reluctant to be seen swimming in a tail. Right now I'm afraid of looking like I'm insane, so I'm not very worried about the possibility of this becoming so well known, popular, and accepted that people are totally disinterested in me swimming in a costume sounds great.

Also, that article is correct- having something become mainstream doesn't kill it. It just means that its mainstream. So unless you're only doing something because you thought it made you look trendy, you have nothing to worry about- in fact, you can be grateful that going mainstream drives away everyone who isn't genuinely interested in it.

malinghi
02-07-2012, 05:57 PM
You know, I was about to post a Hipster Ariel meme but then I decided not to when I realized how totally overexposed it is. Which is incredibly ironic, actually.

Gem Stone
02-07-2012, 06:05 PM
I think it would be very interesting about seeing who starts mermaiding just because it got popular. Some mers (myself included) could come out and not hide so much. If it was to become popular, however, and then decline, the mers who are still mers might encounter some whispering behind closed doors so to speak. Romurs and lies might be spread just because we 'hold on to the past' as i have heard it said. Others, however, may enjoy the fact tht we support mermaiding through its ups and downs. It's a catch 22

Mermaid Photine
02-07-2012, 07:37 PM
It would be a really interesting thing to observe. Trends come and go, and I largely try to ignore them. Some are really difficult to ignore. I haven't, however, seen something I like become popular and decline. I guess that the main idea is to not be affected by the opinions of those surrounding you, and to contniue to do what makes you happy.

Also, because I am horribly out of the loop, who is it exactly that decides what becomes a trend and what doesn't? And how might I become such a person?

AniaR
02-07-2012, 07:46 PM
it's funny, I could care less :D if it means more business that's great! <3 but I like seeing all the new mermaid stuff. Doesnt bother me in the least

SweeteSiren
02-07-2012, 07:51 PM
Trends are just based on popularity - one good guide is the "most popular searches this week" list that web search engines have on their homepages. Some take off & some flop. (Anyone remember "pogs"?)
I'm trying to remember, & I think the first time I ever heard the term "mermaiding" was in a video on Hannah Fraser's website, describing the surfer who kept buzzing her while she was swimming.

Mermaid Jewel
02-07-2012, 09:33 PM
First off, I love steampunk ^.^

Secondly, I'm just afraid since I am a hiding mer that when it goes mainstream (well, it kinda already is), then it'll seem as if I am just following the wave when I actually was a mer for a while. And I'd like to come out now but...there's the high school gossip circle to deal with. That's really my only concern

Mermaid Saphira
02-07-2012, 10:18 PM
^ I feel "the high school gossip group"!! Luckily a few of my closets friends like to watch me draw new designs and always say that I should make them reality (@^_^@)

Amphitrite
02-07-2012, 10:58 PM
Frankly I rarely care what people think (I have dressed as a Jedi or Sith in public a few times). But people might stare. Meh. Get used to it! :D

Azurin Luna
02-08-2012, 07:01 AM
Maybe people would get more open here too, Larp is slowly getting accepted here. So if I now walk around with a wig they not all look stupid at me anymore. We got one weekend in the year that the whole fantasy world comes alive with everybody dressed up. That's the only day that they don't think you are crasy, but instead they are secretly jealous

Mermaid Saphira
02-08-2012, 07:04 AM
^ Not sure y, but the whole you I read your post, I thought of one of us mers rolling around town in a tail and a wheelchair :lol:

Mermaid Sirena
02-08-2012, 11:48 AM
Ooh have mer wheelchair races up and down mainstream! Could be pretty spiffy ^_^

My only concern with it going main stream is I hate seeing things done cheaply and poorly, I rather hope we don't start seeing cheap pathetic mer costumes around halloween like last year with that horribly tacky poorly made steampunk get up. I love quality and I love when people put their hearts into something and I'm worried if it goes mainstream we'll be over run with junk and cheap stuff worth about a nickel.

Amphitrite
02-08-2012, 12:44 PM
If it does go mainstream, I'm sure you'll get plenty of plastic, cheap crap. You have that with Star Wars everywhere. Don't worry though. As it IS a costume that must get wet (if it's the 'real' kind), I don't think that you can have too many cheapies without everyone knowing how bad they are. Soooo... I guess I wouldn't be as worried about that.

Mermaid Kenzie
06-05-2013, 02:27 AM
Am I the only one who is laughing her ass off at the pun-factor of mermaids/mermaiding hitting the main-STREAM? :lol::headdesk:

Echidna
06-05-2013, 08:45 AM
Trends mostly don't last long.
I've seen so many fads come and go about things I've always done/been interested in, then one day someone in Hollywood decides to make a movie about it, BLAM!, it's hip, the craze lasts a few months or years, and then it's "out", "uncool", "soo last decade" again.

Doubt it would be different with mermaiding; but it could be a very good opportunity to raise awareness for the fragility of our planet, the importance of the oceans in the ecosystem, and how endangered they are.

Ariadne
06-05-2013, 09:41 AM
Can I show my completely ignorant side here? Someone please explain to me exactly what "steampunk" is...all I can tell is that people dress up in Victorian/Edwardian-era clothing with clock parts on their costume. But what is that supposed to mean?

Christopher Chandler
06-05-2013, 10:48 AM
11689

Steampunk is a sub-genre (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sub-genre) of science fiction (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science_fiction) that typically features steam-powered (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steam_power) machinery,[1] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steampunk#cite_note-1) especially in a setting inspired by industrialized (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industrial_society) Western civilization during the 19th century. Therefore, steampunk works are often set in an alternative history (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alternate_history) of the 19th century's British Victorian era (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victorian_era) or American "Wild West" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Old_West), in a post-apocalyptic (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-apocalyptic) future during which steam power has regained mainstream use, or in a fantasy world that similarly employs steam power. Steampunk perhaps most recognizably features anachronistic (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anachronism) technologies (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technology) or retro-futuristic (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retrofuturism) inventions as people in the 19th century might have envisioned them, and is likewise rooted in the era's perspective on fashion, culture, architectural style, and art. Such technology may include fictional machines like those found in the works of H. G. Wells (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H._G._Wells) and Jules Verne (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jules_Verne), or the modern authors Philip Pullman (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_Pullman), Scott Westerfeld (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Westerfeld), Stephen Hunt (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Hunt_%28author%29) and China Miéville (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China_Mi%C3%A9ville). Other examples of steampunk contain alternate history-style presentations of such technology as lighter-than-air (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lighter-than-air) airships (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airship), analog computers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Analog_computer), or such digital mechanical computers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mechanical_computer) as Charles Babbage (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Babbage)'s Analytical Engine (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Analytical_Engine).
Steampunk may also, though not necessarily, incorporate additional elements from the genres of fantasy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fantasy), horror (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horror_%28genre%29), historical fiction (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historical_fiction), alternate history, or other branches of speculative fiction (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speculative_fiction), making it often a hybrid genre (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hybrid_genre). The term steampunk's first known appearance was in 1987, though it now retroactively refers to many works of fiction created even as far back as the 1950s or 1960s.
Steampunk also refers to any of the artistic styles, clothing fashions, or subcultures (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subculture), that have developed from the aesthetics of steampunk fiction, Victorian-era fiction, and films from the mid-20th century.[2] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steampunk#cite_note-Duluth1-2) Various modern utilitarian objects have been modded (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modding) by individual artisans into a pseudo-Victorian mechanical "steampunk" style, and a number of visual and musical artists have been described as steampunk.


Aradne,

Here is a pic from a Steampunk con of a Steampunk mermaid.

Christopher

Ariadne
06-05-2013, 11:56 AM
Ahhh...okay. Thanks for the info! ;)

Mermaid Harmony
06-05-2013, 12:54 PM
I'm excited about it. More people to share the world with, cute mermaid clothes, jewelry, and sea inspired items. I love it, however, H2O sets us up to get soaked all of the time unknowingly to see us change... ;-)

Aziara
06-05-2013, 01:02 PM
I suppose you could say I really wouldn't mind if mermaiding went mainstream... It would be nice to be able to randomly drop 'oh yeah, and I'm a mermaid' into conversation and not be looked at like a squid just crawled out of my ear. I'm into mermaids 'cause I like them, and whether they're popular or unpopular, I don't think that's going to change. I'm also a bit shy, and if more people were into it, there'd be less people to think I'm a weirdo. Just my $.02

SeaGlass Siren
06-05-2013, 08:14 PM
11689

Steampunk is a sub-genre (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sub-genre) of science fiction (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science_fiction) that typically features steam-powered (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steam_power) machinery,[1] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steampunk#cite_note-1) especially in a setting inspired by industrialized (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industrial_society) Western civilization during the 19th century. Therefore, steampunk works are often set in an alternative history (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alternate_history) of the 19th century's British Victorian era (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victorian_era) or American "Wild West" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Old_West), in a post-apocalyptic (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-apocalyptic) future during which steam power has regained mainstream use, or in a fantasy world that similarly employs steam power. Steampunk perhaps most recognizably features anachronistic (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anachronism) technologies (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technology) or retro-futuristic (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retrofuturism) inventions as people in the 19th century might have envisioned them, and is likewise rooted in the era's perspective on fashion, culture, architectural style, and art. Such technology may include fictional machines like those found in the works of H. G. Wells (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H._G._Wells) and Jules Verne (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jules_Verne), or the modern authors Philip Pullman (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_Pullman), Scott Westerfeld (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Westerfeld), Stephen Hunt (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Hunt_%28author%29) and China Miéville (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China_Mi%C3%A9ville). Other examples of steampunk contain alternate history-style presentations of such technology as lighter-than-air (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lighter-than-air) airships (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airship), analog computers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Analog_computer), or such digital mechanical computers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mechanical_computer) as Charles Babbage (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Babbage)'s Analytical Engine (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Analytical_Engine).
Steampunk may also, though not necessarily, incorporate additional elements from the genres of fantasy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fantasy), horror (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horror_%28genre%29), historical fiction (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historical_fiction), alternate history, or other branches of speculative fiction (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speculative_fiction), making it often a hybrid genre (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hybrid_genre). The term steampunk's first known appearance was in 1987, though it now retroactively refers to many works of fiction created even as far back as the 1950s or 1960s.
Steampunk also refers to any of the artistic styles, clothing fashions, or subcultures (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subculture), that have developed from the aesthetics of steampunk fiction, Victorian-era fiction, and films from the mid-20th century.[2] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steampunk#cite_note-Duluth1-2) Various modern utilitarian objects have been modded (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modding) by individual artisans into a pseudo-Victorian mechanical "steampunk" style, and a number of visual and musical artists have been described as steampunk.


Aradne,

Here is a pic from a Steampunk con of a Steampunk mermaid.

Christopher

AIEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!! A STEAMPUNK MERMAID!!!!

spottedcatfish
06-06-2013, 05:51 PM
11689

Here is a pic from a Steampunk con of a Steampunk mermaid.

Christopher

Never in my life did I ever imagine I'd see a steampunk mermaid! This shows how versatile mermaiding really is! I'm not surprised if it goes mainstream, and I'd welcome those who join. But I see this mermaiding thing as being a little simililar to the furry fandom, as it requires work to be a part of and can be expensive. I see mermaiding being a niche community because of this. However, the idea of mermaids is already gaining popularity and going mainstream, which would mean more opportunity for us who enjoy the art of mermaiding.

Mermaid Kalliope
06-12-2013, 05:14 AM
I am kind of split on it going mainstream...

Pros: It's more popular, which means more mermaids to swim with and more accepting locales. More mermaid themed everyday clothing and jewellery, more variety (though we already have quite a bit! ^_^), more business, less "You're a what...?!", more acceptance, more people will take you seriously and LISTEN to you about the things you teach, more swim time less oogling time. (Don't get me wrong, I don't mind the hoards of children, but I just wanna swim sometimes. Haha)

Cons: People will just do it because it's "cool" and won't really think much about the environment and what it means to be a mer. That it's so much more than just tail and a costume. Girls (and/or boys) who just have the money to get a nice tail will get it because it's "cool" and then flaunt it everywhere, making other people start seeing mers as having that attitude. People not realising the dangers of swimming with a tail and possibly getting severely injured or killed. :-( I mean, look at some other fads... They're dangerous! Like free running, if you don't know what you're doing, you can be severely hurt or killed! Mermaiding isn't something that you can just hop into and try to swim on your own in the ocean. ><

I guess, I'm just worried that some one is going to do something beyond stupid and ruin it for the rest of us. :-/ Or maybe I just happen to live in an area where people do incredibly stupid stuff.

SeaNymph
06-12-2013, 07:00 AM
I don´t like it that mermaiding goes mainstream. I mean, where is the mystery, the unique-ness, the magic gone? In earlier times people where fascinated by watching a mermaid and today? "Oh, a mermaid, hey I have a tail, I´m a mermaid too." or "Oh another mermaid?" When I watch the comments of people on the tailmakers pages, people do not care about really being a mermaid, they only ask: "How much is this tail?" How much? How much?
I´m very sad about this development. Even if it does have pros, like new and better mermaid stuff, of course. But even this is not restricted to us real mermaids but it´s available for EVERYONE. Getting jobs becomes harder because more people want them. Public media often does not differ between professional and wannabe mermaids if they have nice faces. Underwater photographers are overwhelmed with people who want to make photos as mermaid for the first time. Facebook is overcrowded with images of wannabe mermaids who cannot pose BUT have a tail. And all people think now, we are all the same and we are compared with "mermaids" that cannot dive two meters. So what is the point of being a mermaid? Today it is: Okay, I have the money to buy a tail. This will destroy our small unique community and public will get bored soon. "Yawn, another mermaid?"
I only hope that soon will come another creature that causes mainstream and distracts people from mermaids.
Really sad....Could anyone please tell me how to live with this development?

Ponytales
06-12-2013, 08:06 PM
I actually don't see mermaiding itself becoming mainstream. Maybe see some places offer simple spandex tails more but the price of a latex or silicone (or even neoprene with monofin) tail will keep most trend hoppers out of it. I mean, look at 99% of fads. They're something you can pick up most anywhere for low prices, which is how they get so popular. Pogs, jelly bracelets, colorful hair clips, feather earrings, etc are all stuff you could pick up anywhere from the department store to the dollar store. Twilight is trendy because you can walk into any store selling any teen goods and buy a book, tshirt, poster or necklace with your favorite supernatural heartthrob on it. No teens (or their parents) are going to spend $3000 for something that will only be popular for a year or two.

What I do see happening is a sudden increase in mermaid related TV, movies, books, fashion, and merch. Already there seems to be some kind of pastel-grunge-esque fashion offshoot being tagged with mermaid going around the net. The farthest it will probably go is lots of girls with long brightly colored dyed hair, lots of seashell jewelry, and a sudden popularity for scale pattern leggings. We might get some awesome movies out of it at least.

I've already seen this come and go in a few hobbies already. Everyone gets freaked out over the mainstream, the mall is suddenly full of related merch, the forum sees a slight increase in traffic and then it dies down, leaving us with lots of clearance rack goodies and a few new faces that stick around and learn the ropes. It happened to the pirates when PotC came out, it happened to the steampunks (though they are still suffering through a plague of cog-coated everything), and mermaids will survive it too.

Mermaid Kalliope
06-13-2013, 04:32 AM
True, but I live in like the CENTRE of hipsters/trends. LA/Orange county, California. Yeesh... -.- If it hits hot topic we're doooooomed. Haha, but maybe I can take advantage of this trend and get someone to pick up my mermaid script. >> MWAHAHAHA *ahem* >>

LONG LIVE THE MERS! *swims off*

Elle
06-13-2013, 04:43 AM
Trends are just based on popularity - one good guide is the "most popular searches this week" list that web search engines have on their homepages. Some take off & some flop. (Anyone remember "pogs"?)
I'm trying to remember, & I think the first time I ever heard the term "mermaiding" was in a video on Hannah Fraser's website, describing the surfer who kept buzzing her while she was swimming.

I remember pogs. I used to collect them, and tazos.
Even if it does become mainstream and then fall out of 'vogue' i'm not too worried. I rarely change my style. I've had the same hair-do for the last 8 years, the only thing that varies is the length and sometimes the colour.
I won't grow out of mermaiding/maning, so what does it matter :)

Ariel-Starfish
06-13-2013, 06:02 AM
True, but I live in like the CENTRE of hipsters/trends. LA/Orange county, California. Yeesh... -.- If it hits hot topic we're doooooomed. Haha, but maybe I can take advantage of this trend and get someone to pick up my mermaid script. >> MWAHAHAHA *ahem* >>

LONG LIVE THE MERS! *swims off*


I could only dreaming of having a Hot Topic here, or more nearby. So i could buy all the little mermaid/disney stuff xD Otherwise, I have to buy everything online and no one else wears any clothing I own :D lol I only love TH for ther disney line trough. the rest is blech -_-

BlueMermaid
06-13-2013, 01:43 PM
Hot topic is selling lots of mermaid stuff right now.....:lol:



If it hits hot topic we're doooooomed. Haha, but maybe I can take advantage of this trend and get someone to pick up my mermaid script. >> MWAHAHAHA *ahem* >>

LONG LIVE THE MERS! *swims off*

Ponytales
06-13-2013, 02:20 PM
True, but I live in like the CENTRE of hipsters/trends. LA/Orange county, California. Yeesh... -.- If it hits hot topic we're doooooomed. Haha, but maybe I can take advantage of this trend and get someone to pick up my mermaid script. >> MWAHAHAHA *ahem* >>

LONG LIVE THE MERS! *swims off*
I'm from Portland, so we're probably even in hipster trends. And it almost guaranteedly will hit Hot Topic. Imagine, in a few years you'll be able to go to the mall and buy a tshirt with a steampunk pony mermaid sitting on a bloody cupcake wearing a mustache on it.

BlueMermaid
06-13-2013, 02:40 PM
You guys obviously haven't been to HotTopic.com latley:
http://search.hottopic.com/search?p=Q&ts=custom&lbc=hottopic&w=mermaid

SINicallyTwisted
06-13-2013, 02:58 PM
11689

Steampunk is a sub-genre (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sub-genre) of science fiction (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science_fiction) that typically features steam-powered (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steam_power) machinery,[1] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steampunk#cite_note-1) especially in a setting inspired by industrialized (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industrial_society) Western civilization during the 19th century. Therefore, steampunk works are often set in an alternative history (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alternate_history) of the 19th century's British Victorian era (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victorian_era) or American "Wild West" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Old_West), in a post-apocalyptic (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-apocalyptic) future during which steam power has regained mainstream use, or in a fantasy world that similarly employs steam power. Steampunk perhaps most recognizably features anachronistic (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anachronism) technologies (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technology) or retro-futuristic (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retrofuturism) inventions as people in the 19th century might have envisioned them, and is likewise rooted in the era's perspective on fashion, culture, architectural style, and art. Such technology may include fictional machines like those found in the works of H. G. Wells (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H._G._Wells) and Jules Verne (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jules_Verne), or the modern authors Philip Pullman (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_Pullman), Scott Westerfeld (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Westerfeld), Stephen Hunt (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Hunt_%28author%29) and China Miéville (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China_Mi%C3%A9ville). Other examples of steampunk contain alternate history-style presentations of such technology as lighter-than-air (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lighter-than-air) airships (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airship), analog computers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Analog_computer), or such digital mechanical computers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mechanical_computer) as Charles Babbage (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Babbage)'s Analytical Engine (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Analytical_Engine).
Steampunk may also, though not necessarily, incorporate additional elements from the genres of fantasy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fantasy), horror (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horror_%28genre%29), historical fiction (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historical_fiction), alternate history, or other branches of speculative fiction (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speculative_fiction), making it often a hybrid genre (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hybrid_genre). The term steampunk's first known appearance was in 1987, though it now retroactively refers to many works of fiction created even as far back as the 1950s or 1960s.
Steampunk also refers to any of the artistic styles, clothing fashions, or subcultures (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subculture), that have developed from the aesthetics of steampunk fiction, Victorian-era fiction, and films from the mid-20th century.[2] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steampunk#cite_note-Duluth1-2) Various modern utilitarian objects have been modded (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modding) by individual artisans into a pseudo-Victorian mechanical "steampunk" style, and a number of visual and musical artists have been described as steampunk.


Aradne,

Here is a pic from a Steampunk con of a Steampunk mermaid.

Christopher

LOL! Hey! That's me! I'm very flattered! That was taken at the Watch City Steampunk Festival in Waltham, Ma <3 ;)

Ponytales
06-16-2013, 08:44 PM
You guys obviously haven't been to HotTopic.com latley:
http://search.hottopic.com/search?p=Q&ts=custom&lbc=hottopic&w=mermaid

That's more like riding the 90s nostalgia train though. I dunno bout you guys but I was all about Little Mermaid as a kid.

spottedcatfish
06-17-2013, 03:49 AM
You guys obviously haven't been to HotTopic.com latley:
http://search.hottopic.com/search?p=Q&ts=custom&lbc=hottopic&w=mermaid

Never in a million years did I think I'd see this! :jawdrop: Forget about mermaids going mainstream, I'd say it already is! :mermaid kiss:

Mermaid Kalliope
06-18-2013, 05:06 AM
You guys obviously haven't been to HotTopic.com latley:
http://search.hottopic.com/search?p=Q&ts=custom&lbc=hottopic&w=mermaid


*dies* it happened...

Sorry, I love mermaids, but the "Keep Calm and Kiss the Girl" just :mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad: :mad:

I used to find it so awesome when I saw a "Keep Calm and _____" quote because I am way into watching British shows, but now it's like "Oh, look a Keep Cal-- never mind. -.- It's so dead. Done. Over it."

I'd have to agree that most of that is throw back to the 90s. The Little Mermaid was EVERYTHING for me as a kid (Born in '89), so I don't really see that as a "mermaids are main stream." Now, if I start seeing Hannah, Linden, Eric, Merlissa and Raina in Hot Topic... THAT'S when I'd say it's gone mainstream.

Though, I must admit... I love the girl, but I kinda blame her for the "Merhipster" stuff: Traci Hines. She's all about the "Merhipster" look. She (correct me if I'm wrong) has a clothing line on etsy called "Adorkable" or something that has tonnes of mermaid hipser-esque stuff. Some of it is pretty cute, actually! I'd say check it out, but just sayin'... y'know?

Hrm... :-/

<3 To Traci, though... Totally not trying to bash her, just pointing something out. (I've actually met her several times and she is such a sweetheart!)

MerMarla
06-18-2013, 02:33 PM
LOL! Hey! That's me! I'm very flattered! That was taken at the Watch City Steampunk Festival in Waltham, Ma <3 ;)

Yikes!!! SINically !!!! I thought that might be you, after we shared a few posts. My friend in Waltham writes for their online eNews sent me this pix and the closeup of the fluke, said I just might know you.... said not at this moment. I would have loved to have seen all the Steampunk there! Your costume is to die for! Fabulous!

(((HUGz))) and Bubble https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/e/B0C'z
Mermaid Marla

Mermaid Julianne
06-18-2013, 04:12 PM
As I sit here reading everyone's thoughts on the topic, I've realized that even if everyone here was okay with the mermaiding world becoming mainstream, would the rest of the world even accept it? My school is really accepting of LGBT, nerds, and other people that often get made fun of at normal high schools, (I go to an acting school with only 135 students, we are a bit weird) but to be honest, I'm not sure people would accept something like this. I was at lunch one day and I was telling three of my friends about mermaiding, and they all laughed and walked away, thinking it was some sort of joke. Eventually, I convinced one of my friends it was okay by talking about the mermaids that used to work at Disney World, but overall, everyone thought it was stupid. It actually seriously hurt my feelings, especially since everyone at my school is usually so accepting of everything. And it seems almost everyone I come across is like this, my family, my friends, my school, the list goes on and on.

Now, I'm not some sort of mermaiding promoter or anything, but this community and mermaids are a big part of me, and I just want the people I care about to know it. But no one I talk to seems to take it well, except for two of my friends, one who thinks its the coolest thing and is really excited that I bought a tail, and the other who barely knows about the community but tries to talk to me like she knows everything and that she's added being a professional mermaid to her bucket list (I have serious problems with her, but that's not important)

The other thing is, mermaiding has been in the media a bunch of times, but other than the huge breakout of mermaid YA novels, nothing really huge has happened to the community. I mean, Lady Gaga and Katy Perry have done some mermaiding stuff, Eric's been on My Crazy Obsession, Traci has got her hipster mermaid thing going on youtube, not to mention all of the movies, news specials, and tv shows based off mermaids, like H20 and that mockumentary on Discovery. What I'm wondering is if mermaiding hasn't become a mainstream thing by now, will it ever? Personally, I don't want it to, because I feel like the magic that comes with putting on a tail in the first place will be lost, and kids won't believe anymore. But who knows... these are my thoughts anyways.

P.S: @SINcallyTwisted Your steampunk tail is probably one of the coolest things I've ever seen.

SINicallyTwisted
06-18-2013, 05:10 PM
Yikes!!! SINically !!!! I thought that might be you, after we shared a few posts. My friend in Waltham writes for their online eNews sent me this pix and the closeup of the fluke, said I just might know you.... said not at this moment. I would have loved to have seen all the Steampunk there! Your costume is to die for! Fabulous!

(((HUGz))) and Bubble https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/e/B0C'z
Mermaid Marla


LOL! Yes, that was indeed me. Is your friend from Mystic River Photography? I had tons of photos taken that day.

SINicallyTwisted
06-18-2013, 05:11 PM
P.S: @SINcallyTwisted Your steampunk tail is probably one of the coolest things I've ever seen.

Awww *blush* Thank you! ;)

Mermaid Kalliope
06-19-2013, 12:00 AM
SIN! That is badass! Is is swimmable? Or not?

SINicallyTwisted
06-21-2013, 12:25 PM
SIN! That is badass! Is is swimmable? Or not?

Thank you! I'm glad you like it!

I'm sure it could be swimmable but I wouldn't dare try as the tail is made with micro-suede and a leather like material. I do plan on creating more tails, one of which I'm in the process of for GraniteCon in Sept. as well as a quick swimmable tail for an appearance in July at a swim park in NH. ;)

Mermaid Varshana
06-21-2013, 02:28 PM
I was at lunch one day and I was telling three of my friends about mermaiding, and they all laughed and walked away, thinking it was some sort of joke. Eventually, I convinced one of my friends it was okay by talking about the mermaids that used to work at Disney World, but overall, everyone thought it was stupid. It actually seriously hurt my feelings, especially since everyone at my school is usually so accepting of everything.

High school, right? Yeah. High school kids react to a lot of stuff exactly like this. I'm nearly 30, and most of my friends are my age or just slightly younger. They think this mermaiding thing is pretty badass ;)

Mermaid Momo
06-21-2013, 07:22 PM
I just want to put out there that sea/mermaid punk is a thing. (Also,invade anyone wants to know what it is, I have no idea what so ever. All the googling in the world and searching the tumblr tags and I still have no idea what so ever )

Mermaid Momo
06-21-2013, 07:23 PM
*incase