Thick woman wants to be a Mermaid!

[Iamonlyme@me.com]

Hope the title caught some attention which hopefully brings me some input :)

I am a thick woman I am only 5'3" and I way around 200lbs. First let me say I love me and am very comfortable in my body, I routinely wear 2 piece swimsuits and feel fine doing that. However, After I finish my daughters new tail I would like to make me a matching one. You know mother mermaid and her offspring lol anywho I would like input from other mers.
So here is my question! How high do other beautiful thick mers like their waist?? And how did you measure to create that waist?


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[Mermaid Mia]

Hello fellow mer! I am also 5'3 and currently weigh about 170.

I like my waist high on the skinniest point of my body cause it helps with gapping around the rotund booty and doesn't slip that much. I also find that a thicker elastic is more comfortable and less prone to rolling.

I have tried measuring to create the pattern and also laying and tracing. Honestly the best method i have found is the tracing, add about 2 inches on each side (keeping in mind seam allowance). Then i take it in after the initial baste stitch. Thats for a fabric / neoprene tail though :)

I hope this helps! Looking forward to seeing you and your daughter in your tails :3


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[Iamonlyme@me.com]

Hello fellow mer! I am also 5'3 and currently weigh about 170.

I like my waist high on the skinniest point of my body cause it helps with gapping around the rotund booty and doesn't slip that much. I also find that a thicker elastic is more comfortable and less prone to rolling.

I have tried measuring to create the pattern and also laying and tracing. Honestly the best method i have found is the tracing, add about 2 inches on each side (keeping in mind seam allowance). Then i take it in after the initial baste stitch. Thats for a fabric / neoprene tail though :)

I hope this helps! Looking forward to seeing you and your daughter in your tails :3


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Thank you! That is how I measure for my daughters. So am I correct in understanding yours sits at your natural waist? Right under your rib cage?


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[Iamonlyme@me.com]

And that was my other question measuring for the booty lol so I don't end up with a high waist and low booty issue lol


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[Mermaid Mia]

Yes it does sit at my natural waist. And i actually add more fabric around the top and hem it when im closer to done so that it sits right on my body. The back does end up being taller than the front to acomidate for booty XD
My neoprene tail shows what I'm talking about best
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160726/ec181abebc95faa5ce630a1637c1ac9a.jpg


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[Iamonlyme@me.com]

Awesome thanks! I am trying to decide if I want a one piece tail with a top the appears attached, just a tail at my natural waist, or one that sits at hip level? I tend to wear my jeans at hip because I don't like the feel of things digging into my ribs lol BTW you have a picture?


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[Iamonlyme@me.com]

Yes it does sit at my natural waist. And i actually add more fabric around the top and hem it when im closer to done so that it sits right on my body. The back does end up being taller than the front to acomidate for booty XD
My neoprene tail shows what I'm talking about best
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160726/ec181abebc95faa5ce630a1637c1ac9a.jpg


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The looks great


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[Mermaid Mia]

Thank you :3


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[Mermaid Mia]

I have some pictures in my tails but not many highlight the waist area. The blue tail rides lower than the others. I can post them if you want. The spandex/lyrica fabric ones are much more forgiving than the neoprene.


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[Iamonlyme@me.com]

Yes please do :)


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[Mermaid Mia]

My Turquoise tail:
(Neoprene and puffy paint)
This one rides lower than the others. This is partially on purpose and partially because neoprene does not stretch as much.
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160726/1008e6ffb67402d14bbd9078b07dbff0.jpg
My Sapphire tail:
(Lyrica spandex swim fabric)
This one actually comes up to my bellybutton
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160726/741cbcceda9cd39fbbf7dc079e60cc31.jpg
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160726/a1b70c1a19cf60f097313f15a4bba847.jpg
My Onyx tail:
(Spandex and lace)
This one also comes up to my bellybutton on land but is heavier in the water so slides down a bit.
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160726/8abf011247b47b7e13bd249320482ba7.jpg
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160726/8cae074591e1da64fcb6b79621fc1c50.png


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[Iamonlyme@me.com]

Holy wow!!!!! That neoprene/paint tail is gorgeous!!!! So is the top! Can I ask if you sealed it and if so with what?


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[Mermaid Mia]

Holy wow!!!!! That neoprene/paint tail is gorgeous!!!! So is the top! Can I ask if you sealed it and if so with what?


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I did make it all myself :3 there os nothing on it but the paint. It lost a bit of its shine the first time in the water and had some small cracks at the joints but otherwise is not damaged. I have a thread / tutorial for it here:

https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?url=http%3A%2F%2Fmernetwork%2Ecom%2Finde x%2Fshowthread%2Ephp%3Ft%3D13106&share_tid=13106&share_fid=53279&share_type=t


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[Dancing Fish]

I carry all my weight in my potbelly, and considered making a one-piece...then decided I didn't care, so I have the standard up-to-the-belly-button waistline. Notice the strategic placement of child on my profile pic, LOL.

I tell you what, nobody has ever given me any grief for being a mermaid while I was swimming with my daughter. It's an awesome bonding experience, and no kid has ever said, "Y'know, you're chubby for a mermaid!" :) I almost wish they would, because I have a bunch of playful replies for them!

[TheSaltySiren]

I am a curvier mermaid and my silicone tail will be made to just sit above me bellybutton. That way it will help prevent it from sliding down and gives me more coverage so I feel more comfortable.

And just like humans come in all races, sizes and shapes..Why wouldn't mermaids?

BTW those tails are so pretty :)

[Iamonlyme@me.com]

Thanks for the input is there any mers on here with a one piece or high waist tail


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[Dancing Fish]

Pearlie Mae's signature purple tail has a tank top attached to it. And my kid's mermaid outfit is one piece, too (handy, since she's always losing swimsuit pieces). there's probably others, but Pearlie's comes to mind first! :)

[Iamonlyme@me.com]

Thanks I will check out Pearlie Maes


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[Dancing Fish]

Try surfing the "show us your tail" thread...I'll bet there's one or two there.

[Iamonlyme@me.com]

I love Pearlie Mae's tail but man I bet that is a pain to put on and when nature calls lol


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[Dancing Fish]

Big oversize T shirts are your friend there... ;)

[Iamonlyme@me.com]

I have no problem showing my belly I wear a bikini normally. I just want to know which is most comfortable for swimming that is not going to dig or roll :) I love me belly and all my war scars from 4 kids lol


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[AniaR]

My new book has an entire section for plus sized mers based on surveys and interviews I conducted in the community. You might find it helpful! The new book also is a workbook for starting a mermaid adventure. I have a thread on it here and the latest posts usually have discount codes ;) http://mernetwork.com/index/showthread.php?13475-The-Fishy-Business-Handbook-for-Mermaids Just something to consider, I was really excited by all the info various plus sized mers shared!

IMO I feel people should always go after their dreams and not let body image stop them, but also In my own experience, that can be pretty tricky. The thing is, mermaiding is just so GOOD for you in so many ways. Tight tails can for sure be tricky. I put on about 30lbs between November-February due to dealing with a major stress incident. It HURT to wear my tails. They dug in a lot. I've lost the weight now thanks to a personal trainer and a hell of a lot of hard work. But I actually split my tail waist line twice. 3000$ silicone tail splitting it? no fun!

A lot of people according to my surveys did lose a good amount of weight while mermaiding. So it might be worth considering a tail you can adjust before investing in a silicone one or anything like that. HOWEVER a few mers I surveyed just jumped right to silicone and didn't care haha. They don't regret it either.

Good luck on your journey. I hope you're able to find something that meets your needs and comfort level.

[Iamonlyme@me.com]

My new book has an entire section for plus sized mers based on surveys and interviews I conducted in the community. You might find it helpful! The new book also is a workbook for starting a mermaid adventure. I have a thread on it here and the latest posts usually have discount codes ;) http://mernetwork.com/index/showthread.php?13475-The-Fishy-Business-Handbook-for-Mermaids Just something to consider, I was really excited by all the info various plus sized mers shared!

IMO I feel people should always go after their dreams and not let body image stop them, but also In my own experience, that can be pretty tricky. The thing is, mermaiding is just so GOOD for you in so many ways. Tight tails can for sure be tricky. I put on about 30lbs between November-February due to dealing with a major stress incident. It HURT to wear my tails. They dug in a lot. I've lost the weight now thanks to a personal trainer and a hell of a lot of hard work. But I actually split my tail waist line twice. 3000$ silicone tail splitting it? no fun!

A lot of people according to my surveys did lose a good amount of weight while mermaiding. So it might be worth considering a tail you can adjust before investing in a silicone one or anything like that. HOWEVER a few mers I surveyed just jumped right to silicone and didn't care haha. They don't regret it either.

Good luck on your journey. I hope you're able to find something that meets your needs and comfort level.

I will check out your book and the link thank you :) I am making our tails they are a spandex silicone hybrid here is the link to the build thread :)
Spandex Silicone Hybrid #2

https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?url=http%3A%2F%2Fmernetwork%2Ecom%2Finde x%2Fshowthread%2Ephp%3Ft%3D13676&share_tid=13676&share_fid=53279&share_type=t
Any input would be amazing after I finally feel comfortable and my daughter is done growing we plan on making full silicone tails but that is a couple years in the future :)


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