Tail and Bodysuit?

[Merkova]

Has anyone thought about doing a tail and body suit as one piece? I got the idea from this character (http://www.team-ldlc.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/lol.render.koi-nami1.png). (I'm going to use my own design but thats the idea, the body and tail in one piece)

I had an idea to make a body suit including a tail to make the whole body scaled instead of individually painting the body after putting on the tail.

The problem I'm having with this idea is how to put it on, as well as what to make it out of. Especially since I want to make a Silicone tail. Which makes me wonder how flexible the Silicone is (esp if I use Dragonskin or something similar [yet cheaper xD]) because if it's flexible enough I could make the bodysuit out of it and put it on like a wetsuit.



Thoughts and Opinions?

[Gem Stone]

I had a tail that came up and had straps, but that was it

[MerMarla]

Has anyone thought about doing a tail and body suit as one piece? .... The problem I'm having with this idea is how to put it on...

Thoughts and Opinions?

Hi Merkova! I really like the character you want to emulate! Quite unique!

Way long ago back in the 1970's, I made a one piece uni-suit 'n tail. It was made out of a heavy weight elastic (no longer made), which was similar to the fabric that was used to make our professional tails. Since I made it as a uni-suit (or some ppl call them cat-suits) with my two-fin fluke (monofins weren't available back then :( ), the choice I made was to install a side zipper from ankle to underarm, actually ending just under the armpit, so it didn't interfere with the sleeve seam. Getting into it was quite a challenge, because of the stiffness of the elastic fabric, even with the zipper going so far up it was similar to putting on a SCUBA wetsuit. Mine was long sleeve with a mock turtleneck (there was a small zipper in the back neck seam, to let my head get thru easily). I still have my pattern somewhere ( I don't throw my sewing patterns away, who knows when I might need them again, LOL! I have my mom's collection and mine, hundreds of patterns and some I designed, too!). Making what is called a "Farmer John" kind of uni-suit (my SCUBA suit is made this way) is simple to get in because the scooped neckline, and being sleeveless is easy to hold open to get into. You have to think about the bulkiness of using neoprene or silicone. If you've never put on a two piece SCUBA wetsuit, a custom suit takes about 20 minutes to get into (if your not sweating when you start to put it on, you will be when your done!). And at least with the wetsuit pants or farmer john, you can still walk!

Getting out of my Mermaid Uni-suit, was another challenge. Think about having someone to help you for sure, it's a lot of bulk to work with, and haul around. Mine was quite heavy, for fabric. If you are going to swim in it, please understand that you won't get out of it as fast as you could a separate tail and top.

I would LOVE to see what design you come up with, and your thoughts on design, zippers, etc., and donning it. Maybe you have some ideas I haven't thought about! It's been almost 40 years since I thought about it. I abandoned the unisuit idea, and went back to a matching suit and tail, as separates, because of the danger involved in getting it off FAST in an emergency.

Please share your ideas, I would love to see what you come up with!

Hugz and bubble hearts,
Mermaid Marla

[Merkova]

My design (pics of sketch will be up soon <3) has a plastic zipper going from the neck down to the base of the back or to the knees depending on material and ease of slipping in and out. Designed to slip on like a wetsuit. Longsleeved and built with a hood for fins to be attached.

I do plan on out of water photoshooting as well as swimming shoots so I considered making a 2 piece version as well to see how that would work. Though I will deff try both in the water to see how both would work out. Hoping to be done before August, if not then, than next February

Sketches to be up today or tomorrow~

[MerAnthony]

I know that there are some aquariums that have mermaid performers an thier tail an top is one piece with long sleeve. I am not 100 % sure but I think thier tail an top is made out of latex or a mixture of Spandex an latex or just spandex. But for what you want to do would be interesting to see.

[AniaR]

Mine sorta does that, it comes up to my boobs haha. so it looks like one piece when I'm wearing my scale top :)

[MerAnthony]

Mine sorta does that, it comes up to my boobs haha. so it looks like one piece when I'm wearing my scale top :)
LOL Raina.

[Echidna]

Have a look at the Otterbay Mermaid Wetsuits.

They look quite good and are suitable for freediving and extended swimming.
Not sure whether they could be combined with a more realistic looking tail?

[MerMarla]

Have a look at the Otterbay Mermaid Wetsuits.

I did go look, it was interesting. Their site hasn't been upgraded in 7 years, I wonder if they are still in business? It looks really nice! Amazing how far technology, and materials, fabrics, plastics, etc. has come since the 70's! A zip up the back is really nice for hiding behind a dorsal fringe, etc. & it's probably the best place to put the zip, rather than up the side, like I did. Altho much harder to put on and zip by yourself. LOL! Thanks for the link! Their pix were interesting! I agree, the fluke could've been made to look better!

[AptaMer]

I did go look, it was interesting. Their site hasn't been upgraded in 7 years, I wonder if they are still in business?

Yes, Otter Bay is still in business, and they still make the mermaid suit.

People who've tried it have posted great reviews. There's a really interesting one here http://prezi.com/oibx0u1zdpid/wetsuits/

Mermaid Linden has one too. I can't resist posting this video of her diving in it


http://youtu.be/ijiMo0hFphA http://youtu.be/ijiMo0hFphA


It looks really nice! Amazing how far technology, and materials, fabrics, plastics, etc. has come since the 70's! A zip up the back is really nice for hiding behind a dorsal fringe, etc. & it's probably the best place to put the zip, rather than up the side, like I did. Altho much harder to put on and zip by yourself.

Well, since you should never dive or mermaid alone, it's easiest for you and your buddy to zip each other's suits up. If you really want to do it by yourself, though, you can attach a lanyard to the pull tab of your zipper, to do it up like in this video


http://youtu.be/BBj4Ofr9n48 http://youtu.be/BBj4Ofr9n48

If you don't want to dive with the lanyard attached, you can have a little clip that you can undo when you've pulled up your zipper, then when you come back in you reattach the lanyard to pull down your zipper.


the fluke could've been made to look better!

The fluke looks different because they make it by attaching two regular flippers together with a frame that lets you separate them to pack for traveling, makes it easy to put in a suitcase. I guess you're trading appearance for function in this case. Cricket, the lady who runs the business, has said she will custom make the tail to fit over your own monofin if you wish.

[Echidna]

A suit would in any case be a good idea for ocean swimming, provided it is thick enough to ward off jellystings (?).

I would feel so much safer with a suit on. And probably warmer too! I freeze really fast.

[AptaMer]

A suit would in any case be a good idea for ocean swimming, provided it is thick enough to ward off jellystings (?).


Yes, any neoprene fabric, even the 1 mm thick kind, will completely prevent stings (I've had hydrozoans try to sting me through neoprene, and they've never succeeded)

Fabric is a different matter. I've had those spandex anti-sting suits on, but so far haven't been attacked by jellies or anemones while wearing one, so I haven't experienced how protective they are. Lots of people wear the ones that come from Australia and seem to be OK in them.

What doesn't work is pantyhose. You read in article about sting protection that people started wearing pantyhose in Australia for protection before invention of the proper "stinger suit," but I'm aware of 2 people who got stung right through pantyhose when others who were wearing suits didn't get stung. One woman had pulled a pantyhose leg over her head because her suit didn't have a hood, and got stung in the face. It doesn't protect your legs either.

[MerAnthony]

I would love to have one. But at the moment I can not aford it. I am tring to save up to move out of state.

[Echidna]

Yes, any neoprene fabric, even the 1 mm thick kind, will completely prevent stings (I've had hydrozoans try to sting me through neoprene, and they've never succeeded)

What doesn't work is pantyhose. It doesn't protect your legs either.

Small wonder, pantyhose is so thin and delicate!
Not so sure about fabric either.
Mosquitoes and such can bite you through thick fabric; I've been stung even through a jeans!
(bloodsuckers all around the world love me :( beeline for me around droves of people)

Now we just need the wetsuit that goes well with a tail :)