First tail!! Help me pls!!😁🙈

[Marissah Liadan]

Hi!
I'm 13 and have been interested in mermaid tails for SOO long lol but recently I kinda looked more into it and found places like mertailor and merbella and mermaid creations and I just can't decide where to get my first tail. I also have to save up the money myself and want it to be fairly realistic cuz my mum is a photographer and may do some dry shoots from time to time, I also want it to be functional enough to get a feel of swimming with a nice tail, is it hard to swim in mermaid tails? I read that mertailor has bad quality and doesn't offer custom colours is that true too? Also, if I were to do a party or something like that, what would you do with your hair to keep it not terribly ugly when it's wet? (Mine is a little higher than mid back length)
Sorry for all the questions I just don't want to get the wrong tail 🙈

[Mermaid Jaffa]

Everyone here says to get a fabric tail as a first tail. I think its a good idea, as I've read that those other tails are very heavy, and you need to be a strong swimmer to be able to handle swimming in them.

And as you are only 13, your body is still growing, it won't be an entire waste of money if you outgrow a silicone tail. They are very expensive you know!

Fabric tails can be replaced easily and cheaply, and if you or your Mum can sew, you can buy any swimwear fabric of your choice and make it truly unique.

[BayouMermaid]

I <3 my fabric tail, and I think it looks great in photos. If nothing else, get a monofin before doing any tail swimming.

[Marissah Liadan]

I thought of the fabric tails I just wasn't sure if you could maybe wear a mono fin with them? I don't want it to look to sloppy even tho I'll probably out grow it soon lol

[Marissah Liadan]

That might be a good idea, but isn't it more expensive if I wanted to get a tail after I bought a monofin, just cuz I'd have already spent a lot on that?

[Mermaid Aalayah]

I suggest you get a fabric tail to start out with, most fabric tails do have a Monofin inside of them and if you can't make one then there are plenty of places to get a fabric tail(: it wouldn't be good if you got a silicone tail and soon out grew it or decided you don't like swimming as a mermaid because it is a lot of money!

[BayouMermaid]

Most of them have a monofin inside of them. Here's my tail for reference:
19635

In this picture, I am holding the edge of the monofin that is inside the fabric tail.

If you are looking at costs, mine cost about $80 to make. ($50 for monofin, $30 for fabric, borrowed a sewing machine)

[Marissah Liadan]

It's nicer than what I've seen online! Did u make it or buy it?

[Marissah Liadan]

Just had a thought, what about a latex or neoprene tail, aren't they a little cheaper?

[BayouMermaid]

Made it. I mainly used Mermaid Sasha's tutorial as a guide. You can watch is here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtwnOQg_KH8

[Marissah Liadan]

Sorry I missed the last part, just saw it now lol, how would you get the monofin inside the tail when you make it tho?

[Marissah Liadan]

Thx <3

[Kishiko]

Yes spandex is definitely the way to go! Especially because your still really new to everything. I'm your same age and I just completed my first fabric spandex tail! It doesn't have the scale pattern or anything, but it's metallic and very pretty and I'm proud of it!

[Marissah Liadan]

That's so cool xD I think I would want a kinda nuetral orange ish colour but idk lol

[Meshy]

I'm going to throw in my suggestion for Fin Fun Mermaid (http://www.finfunmermaid.com/shop-mermaid-tails/adult-and-kids-mermaid-tails.html). I have both the Ariel Green and the Caribbean Sunset (orange). They're gorgeous, have lasted through LOTS of pool swimming and their monofin is very comfortable and well made. In fact, I just went swimming with a few other mer-folk and while they all had their neoprene &/or silicone tails, I was the only one with a fabric tail and they were very impressed with it.

I am, however, having a silicone tail that will be made this summer, but I will always love my Fin Fun tails and the price is fantastic for the quality. If I could, I'd get another monofin and a bunch more colors so my friends and family could try it.

[Marissah Liadan]

I looked at fin fun but I found the colours really bright and I'm looking for something more neutral i think:) it's neat that their such great quality tho. Congrats on your silicone tail! Where is it from??

[Meshy]

I've also made a couple of tails to go with the Fin Fun tail myself. Joann's Fabric stores has an ok selection of dance wear, and at least at my store they do have some neutral colors. I'd suggest getting a tail of theirs and their monofin and making your own if you're ambitious enough!

My silicone tail is coming from Merman Jesse of Mermaid Creations (http://www.mermaid-creations.com/). He had a Facebook deal that was too good to pass up. Problem is now I'm 15th in line and a very impatient person! ;)

[Marissah Liadan]

Lol yeah stupid lineups xD and I think I might make a tail...but idk yet

[Mermaid Jaffa]

These are not too brightly colored. I have the purple tail without the monofin.

http://mermaid.magictail.de/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=72&lang=en

[Mermaid Adriel]

There are so many beautiful fabric tails, why don't you try one of them as first?
You can buy one or better make a tail, it's simple and cheap! :)

[Nicky-Katz]

Dear Marissah!

I'm fairly new to being a mercreature myself and what I've done was first get myself a monofin to learn the movement and elegance of a dolphin kick. I've had my fin for about three month now and now (with weekly training up to three times a week) I feel I could go further and try a fabric tail on. Anything you wear in water changes how you swim. For example, cotton would get heavy and flowy stuff will cling to your body. And even a simple fabric tail will change things. It might not be a big deal, but I'd prefer to be decent with my fin before putting something else on my legs - it is much harder to get out of the tail, especially silicone one, if you get in trouble... Anyway, what I'm trying to say is: start small. You can still save up for a tail of your dreams, but can already learn how to swim and all the Merfolk underwater tricks.

You also said you're thirteen, so another thing about getting a silicone tail is - you're still growing and it could and certainly will happen, that your tail won't fit you anymore in a year. Fabric tails are cheap and allow new fitting if your size changes.

I hope I wasn't too harsh on you, Marissah. It is my advice to you, but it is up to you to decide to follow it or not :D
Anyway, I wish you all the best and have fun in water :D

[Marissah Liadan]

[QUOTE=ireneho;118989]These are not too brightly colored. I have the purple tail without the monofin

-
I love these I didn't realize that they could have nice pain jobs like that lol

[Arella]

http://www.merfolktails.com/merfolk.html

These have lots of add on options if you're looking for something more like that.

[Alcyone]

I'll defenetly suggest to start small and then, as you grow, make your tail grow with you..It's also cheaper than latex and silicon, and as a first step is really good!

[Trade Winds]

I'd start with a cheap fabric tail, or make your own. You will grow out of it, and definitely wouldn't want to spend the money on an expensive tail that you will outgrow.

[Mermaid Wesley]

Here's my fabric tail
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/04/02/esage5y8.jpg
I made it myself too, And I was originally going to paint it, but decided that it's fine how it is. It will serve as a practice tail once it make my silicone one. And it swims pretty well. I would start with a monofin, test it out, then get either fabric or neoprene (neoprene is hard to sew and more expensive). If you still want to invest in a silicone tail after using the fabric one for a while then go for it. And you can bend monofins to put them in the tail as long as they're flexible (not fiberglass)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Echinacea]

*wry grin* There is also the fact that fabric tails are much easier to just pack up and take somewhere! I had no problems fitting my backpack with two tops, two tailskins, and my monofin into the overhead luggage compartment on the flights to and from Merfest in January! :) Like they said, you are still growing, and most silicone tails are pretty expensive if you are going to outgrow it in a year! Start with a fabric tail, and you can customize it if you want to, to make it more uniquely 'yours'. I got the FinFun Monofin Pro, because it was fairly inexpensive ($50-ish) and also easy to put on and take off. I have one leg that is slightly twisted, and I was worried that the built-in foot pockets on some of the other monofins might be uncomfortable because my feet and knees are not straight. I've had no problems with it! :)