I love mermaids, and was a synchronized swimmer for 6 years. I cannot bear the thought of completely leaving the water, and I am getting into cosplay... It just seems to fit.
I have read a TON of fantasy/mythology, and I know that there are several other fantastic creatures with the upper-bodies of huumans and the lower bodies of something else. On land there are satyrs and centaurs, for example. There are even more possibilities in the water! Ursula from the little mermaid was half octopus, and the selkies (seal women) of northern Europe.
I really like the idea of being a selkie. Because seals are mammals, it would explain a lot of the joint bulges in the knees and stuff in a seal tail. Furthermore, (because I am self concious of my stomach), selkies transform by putting thier seal skins on and off. I came up with a one piece that is inspired by a leopard seal.
The two differences that would distiguish it from a mermaid are that a) Seals do not have scales, so I could skip the whole texturing process other tail-makers go through. And b) seals actually have two separate flipper feet. I am not sure whether a lateral monofin would be appropriate, or two modified swim flippers. Also, if the fin was two separate flippers, how would I keep my legs together? If they are not kept together, they would easily come apart and strain (or rip) the fabric.
Unrelated to selkies are just some other ideas I came up with that are not strictly fish...
Eel-maid (I think an electric eel would be really cool)
and
Squid-maid (where the two long tentacles would be the persons legs, possibly with diamond-shapped flippers. The other tentacles could be attached around the waist)
Please respond with any thoughts, suggestions, questions, anything! Im just putting these ideas out there to see if they can float!
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