Fin caps around the waist, a la Ariel?

[Aquarianne]

I've been lurking around sites with lots of DIY tails, costumes and art for mermaids, and there seems to be some kind of extreme dislike for the waist-fin style, like Ariel and her little ruffle of fin around her waist. I've seen people actually say that it's wrong and you should never do it, and "real" mermaids just have scales that blend into the waist.

What's up with that? I was thinking of doing it in a way that doesn't create too much drag, simply because I like the way it looks. What's everyone else's opinion?

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[XMermaidMarinaX]

Honestly, it's your tail, if you want to do something and shy away from the norm of scale to waist thing, do it. Don't do something just because everyone else is. If you can make it in a way that doesn't create drag and looks good, then great. I mean there's no uniform style for mermaids, so anyone saying 'A real mermaid doesn't look like that' How would you know? You don't, exactly. Just like people, they could all be different too, so.. yeah. I say go ahead and try it.

[Aquarianne]

Thanks!

I just wonder why a lot of people seem to dislike them. Is it because it's "too Disney" and they don't want their mers to remind people of Ariel? :O

[Mermaid Galene]

I actually think Ariel's hip fins are very pretty. And as Marina says, if there are real mermaids, nobody knows their exact morphology. Like fish, there could be thousands of kinds of mermaid bodies. I personally really like using diaphanous fabrics in my costumes. Who's to say that a mermaid wouldn't have fins growing around her hips or her bodice? Or for that matter, who's to say a mermaid wouldn't get some sweet sailor boy or pirate to bring her some lovely fabric that she incorporates into her look?

It's fantasy. Anything goes.

[Aziara]

I personally like hip fins better than a blended waist, but that's just me. I guess most people don't do it because they have trouble with drag pulling the tail edge down. If you can figure out a way that'll have little to no drag, go for it!

[AniaR]

Raven and Mike both made tails with those!

https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/v/t1.0-9/p417x417/1013689_546559412066810_558691734_n.jpg?oh=7a52326 dc5db0c95a4a2baff958293d1&oe=54508BBE&__gda__=1414917701_5bf42da46e75c1770a5ecedc3f6b128 2

https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xfa1/v/t1.0-9/423236_467205389982923_1863530051_n.jpg?oh=564efa9 f4818790b81da1e317984b4cc&oe=5453A467&__gda__=1413089518_e8a6c14445f322d8441f70bf0191dcb c

Personally I find Mike's a bit much.

I think it would be really cool if someone took the material Raven uses at the bottom of this top, and used that for the waist.

https://scontent-a-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xap1/t31.0-8/894431_598892873500130_1331164069_o.jpg

[Mermaid Galene]

Wow, I love Raven's version! And that top. Gorgeous! I agree, the hip caps on Mike's are a little too thick for my taste - like umbrellas or elephant's ears. The tails themselves are pretty.

[Mermaid Melanie]

Love this idea, isn't Mizuko doing an Ariel style tail at the moment too ? I agree though Mikes are a bit in the bulky side for me, something flowy and subtle and smallish would work well I think ! X


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[SeaMansa]

I think the hip fins are great! Personally, I like the ones on Mikes a lot better (well I like both, but I like the thickness of it). If I had all the money in the world and could afford a grey custom made tail, I would definitely include them. For what it's worth, I always assumed those fins to be their gills. My child logic figured that above the water, the merpeople could breathe air but while their tail, or waist, was still submerged they could breathe in the water as well. Thats similar to how I write my merpeople in my stories somewhat.

[Miyu]

I personally love the hip fins! I think it helps to bring a little more fantasy to the whole look! And ooh yeah the bottom of that Merbellas top would be perfect for the hip fins!

For my first fabric tail, I made hip fins... well sort of, it was a mix between the "Ariel" style, and the PotC style, and this:
24726

I think my version turned out pretty well, but I haven't gotten to swim in it yet to test the drag. I don't have the hip fins all the way around the front, but they go up both sides of my legs and around my waist. I plan on making my next tail (red stretch velvet) also with diaphanous hip fins.

[Meronica]

I'd like to add that hip fins can be great when used to cinch the tail at your waist and prevent gaps from weight loss or an ill-fitting tail.

I know Mernation has starting making silicone gap wraps that look like hip fins. c:

[Miyu]

Oooh, those Mernation gap wraps are awesome! Pretty darn clever, too :3

[MermaidBrandie]

I'm planning on making a ruffle top like Ariel for my next fabric tail. Hides the skin to fabric seam much better and looks cute. My bf prefers the look, so that's part of my reason for it too. On my eventually silicone tail I'll have it blend but for the fabric one....eh.


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