Thread: Mermaid costume...literally!

Ok, so this doesn't really have anything to do with belly dance (unless you can belly dance underwater!!) but I'm going to be making some Mermaid Costumes. I'll be making two fairly simple ones, one for me and one for my best friend (it's her birthday present!) and then one really elaborate one for myself for events.

I want to use holographic, shiny material. What are some stores you suggest?

Also, for the elaborate tail, I want to add lots of long pretty waves of material on the fin, what are some materials that would be safe to use concerning the water?

Also do you know of somewhere that I can get a pattern for dance pants? Like the ones that have the big flare at the bottom? I'll be making matching pants for the elaborate costume so I can change out and walk around and mingle with patrons when I need to.

Any other tips are greatly appreciated!

Are you on FB? If so, look up Medusirena Marina... She's a belly dancer, polynesian dancer and mermaid entertainer. I don't know her personally, but I'm sure she can probably give you some good tips for costuming.

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Check out her pics. I really like her underwater mermaid ones!

awesome, thanks girl! i'll add her. Once I got some costumes and practice a bit more now that I'm all growed up :P (used to do it when i was a wee one) I'll start doing mermaid entertaining.

just added her. thanks again!

Spandex World Inc. spandex fabric, lycra stretch fabric

this is the kind of fabric I would want to use. It doesn't specify that it's safe for swimming, but this is what it looks like Marina is wearing in her mermaid pics. Do you think it's safe?

Raya Renee has a lovely costume "mermaid inspired" I like the top very much.



Thanx for the FB link, xodinahox, those pics are awesomme! ..g.:

Qamar

Originally Posted by eden_eyes

Spandex World Inc. spandex fabric, lycra stretch fabric

this is the kind of fabric I would want to use. It doesn't specify that it's safe for swimming, but this is what it looks like Marina is wearing in her mermaid pics. Do you think it's safe?

I would say yes!

Joanne fabrics might have the hologram spandex (mine used to, but they haven't gotten the hologram back in).

Anyway, if you decide to shop at Joanne fabrics, sign up for their mailer because they sometimes send 40% to 50% off coupons on regular priced items, and sometimes you can find the coupons in the back of Joanne fabrics magazine. It's worth buying for the coupons, but check to make sure there are some in it (in the back of the magazine).

I'm not sure what you meant by 'safe' fabric.
The shiny two toned organza (I think that's what it's called), might be a good choice.
It's almost like a sheer tissue lame', it's stiff, and has colors in it. I have some that's yellow, with green.

(Anyone know what it's called? Or, what I'm talking about?)

Here's a pants pattern:
Adira Dance and Costume: B.D. Pattern #3007 Pants with Flared Insets and One Shoulder Top

I'd love to see pictures of your finished costume!
:-)

Thanks everyone, and yes I've seen Ranya's cossie and I love it!

Thanks for the pants pattern, that's exactly the kind I was wanting!

And as for the "safe" fabric description, I just want fabric that would able to be worn in various water conditions (chlorine pool, ocean, springs, etc) without hurting the fabric, that's all!

also, how do you think sequins would fair? not at all? should i just not even bother using them? lol

The sequins will most likely lose their color.
I'd still try it though.
:-)

this is essentially what the elaborate one will look like

those are pearls. I decided against sequins, and just go with drapey pearls. after all, the fabric will be super shiny anyway!

Awesome...

Kk, so here are the color schemes:

Sophie: purple primary, turquoise and pink secondary

Me: red primary, gold and orange secondary

she has no idea what i'm doing i just asked her what colors she likes best with purple lol so excited to get started!! I'll take her to a pool at one of our friends' houses first for her to practice and then we'll go to either the beach or the natural springs to play in! don't expect pics of the both of us for a long time, her birthday isn't for a while ;)

Originally Posted by eden_eyes

And as for the "safe" fabric description, I just want fabric that would able to be worn in various water conditions (chlorine pool, ocean, springs, etc) without hurting the fabric, that's all!

If you are worried about fabric, make sure you choose knits specifically for swimwear.

Originally Posted by eden_eyes

those are pearls. I decided against sequins, and just go with drapey pearls. after all, the fabric will be super shiny anyway!

Before you invest a lot of time in pearls, make sure you try them in different water conditions. I suspect you will have better luck with glass beads with a pearlized finish than plastic pearls with a painted luster, but test first. If you throw a few beads in a pillowcase, tie it shut, and run it through a cycle of the washing machine with a little bleach in the water that should siphon off the ones that won't be able to take a lot of abuse from the ones that will pretty quickly.

Perhaps it would be helpful to contact a theatrical supply house? If you look at the photos in the Weeki Wachee gallery Mermaids of Weeki Wachee Springs, you can see that some of the costumes do have paillette embellishments on the bra, but even in a freshwater environment, it must be hard on the sequins, since most costumes don't have them. You might also try searching on information about making your own synchronized swimming costumes, since they are definitely made to withstand chlorine.

That's going to be gorgeous!

I know I can't wait to get started on it! Need money to spare first though lol.

Hey Eden,

I actually already made a mermaid costume for a film that I directed; it was also purple, and used in the ocean. We had to make it in a single afternoon, so it wasn't as fancy as what you're looking for, but I might be able to help?

Brea,

Do you have a pic you can put up for us?? Also, I have a rather large bust and I was thinking about putting some interfacing or something in the bra to keep it stiff and keep me contained! Does regular interfacing work well in the water? Or should I use something else? I have some stiff bra cups that I think I will add to the swimtop to help with stability, any other ideas?

We only made the tail, we actually used a bellydance top for the bra (surprise). Only the tail was used in the water. I'll see if I have a picture somewhere...

I've made a mermaid tail too, with a flipper inside so I could actually swim. It's called a monofin. You can kind of fold it in half, so I had the fabric of the fins and the part of the "tail" that covers your legs have an opening at the back of the ankles, so I could slide the mono fin in and out (you get sand in the costume sometimes, that way its easier to clean, and that way you coulud use that one monofin in more than one type of tail if you wanted a variety).

Haha it looks like what I did is exactly what Marina does.....drill a hole in some shells and put elastic in them to keep them on, and it looks like she has a mono fin in there too.