Using Fabric in Pro Gigs

[AniaR]

Ok look. No offense to my peers who feel otherwise (this isn't directed at you, just bubbled up cuz of a few comments I've seen) but don't knock people building up their mer career in fabric. Yes, I know the influx has saturated the industry and anyone and everyone calls themselves a "pro". But the same thing happens with realistic tails too. And yes, I know we are all trying to stand out and competition etc.

But what I'd like people to consider is this: if you can't sell yourself in any tail, regardless of if it's your colors, the maker, real or fabric... Then you're relying too much on the tail and not enough on your skills.

After my first silicone tail got sent away for repairs and I had to turn away work (in my early days) because I didn't have a tail... I learned to be flexible really fast. Yes orange is my look but my clients have seen me in all colors and fabric and don't bat an eye because I sell it. I work it . I'm convincing. If I get pregnant I will 100% be getting a finfolk or mertailor fabric and working that.

We get so obsessed with a made up character looking "real". Let that sink in!

I know mers who use fabric who are way more successful and honestly better mers than people with 5k tails.

I'd rather hire a girl who shows up with a finfun but knows her stuff, than one who has a stunningly real silicone and still gets called fake by the kids cuz she doesn't know how to sell it.

Just food for thought. Not dissing my silicone sisters. I'd just like people to think from another perspective.

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[Echidna]

As I've said in many other threads about this topic:
the tail is only a prop. You're either a mermaid in any kind of tail (or no tail at all), or you aren't one.

Totally agree about the skills thing.
Give me a fabric-tailed mer who can sing, tell mysterious stories, and looks natural underwater- you can keep the one who has the bestest silicone tail ever, but is only good at sitting on a pool edge posing for pictures.

Thankfully, the silicone-vs-fabric debate doesn't come up as much in Europe so far, as silicone tails are still a small minority (pro models and such), while most active mers here like to use fabric, but it could become a problem once more people invest in a silicone tail I suppose.

I love the look of many, but I doubt I could do my more acrobatic stuff in them, especially not out of water.
so for acrobatics/mer yoga/waterballet, fabric > silicone.