Ariel Mermaid Costume, in the works! ~Thanx for advice!~

[vfem]

My daughter wants to be Ariel (little mermaid) for halloween. The only costumes I've seen are the princess dress versions. She HAS to have a tail. So I decided I would make it.

Well I was lucky to find a clearance window curtain in a shimmery green/blue on at walmart for $5, so I go PLENTY of fabric.

So I need suggested on how to create a mermaid tail, that she can walk in?

 

[justbugged]

What about treating the tail like a train on a wedding dress. I would think that you would want it styled and narrow like a fish tail.

 

[goldenluver]

you can make a narrow skirt that starts the fin at the knees so she can walk in the skirt.

 

[sewandgrow]

If I were doing it for my daughter I would make a semi straight skirt to about the knees in front & have the back doubled & flow down to a dragging mermaid tail behind her.

 

[redwing76]

you could do something like this...

cut your fabric to points like this one and attach and pretty sheer fabric or even tulle so it lays like a mermaid tail. When I make my costumes, I start by looking up "homemade (blank) costumes" and see if there's anything I can duplicate. Sometimes I even combine ideas from a couple different places.

And I agree with goldenluver...starting the tail at the knee might be helpful for eager trick-or-treaters. It will make it easier to run from house to house.

Here's a pic of one that leaves the knees free

 

[vfem]

redwing, I really love the second one. The first one is gorgeous, but doesn't seem practical for the actualy trick or treat marathon we end up with each year. I think I can do a skirt / dress type like the second one, but do the purple top of the second one, and maybe add elastic waist to show where the tail starts!

This is exactly what I needed guys... lots of ideas and inspiration to get motivated!

Last year I made here a spider queen custom, and sadly, the neighbor's kids talked her into wanting to be a princess and she didn't enjoy the spider custom

it was even covered in webs and it was glittery and purple... and I couldn't handle it if she changed her mind after I started this one!

 

[MrsDuck]

My only thought on having the tail behind her is that when *she* looks in the mirror it will be hard for her to see, and she might not "feel" like a mermaid? Maybe this is a non-issue...??

What about doing it the other way around? Make it look like the first picture from the front, but be open in the back so she can walk easily, starting above the knee? Does that make sense? I have a skort that is like this (that I never wear because it's only a skirt in the front, but whatever).

 

[justbugged]

I agree with you about the second picture. I think it would be the easiest for her to walk in. I think that it was what I was trying to describe. It would be really cool if you did it with the purple top.

I would have a chat with the munchkin about how much work it is to make this costume for her. Then you will have to tell her if this what she really wants is, to be a mermaid that she can't change her mind at the last minute this time, because it is a lot of work for you to make her costume. It is okay to tell her that it a special treat to have a costume made for her. It will help teach her a lesson about how to make decisions, and about not let others make choices for us.

I don't know if that really came out the way I wanted it to. I hope though that you can use some of it though.

 

[vfem]

I did so love the idea of the bottom one for walking and the purple top on the first, I am combining the 2. I have finished the bottom skirt portion (minus the tail fin I have to attach) and I am working on the purple top part. I will have her try them on for a picture before I'm done.

 

[vfem]

I've gotten the top and bottom attached. I'm adding a button to tighten the back, and I need to fish the elastic through the waist again, I twisted it the first time. But here's some pictures before I fix those things. Still need to add the fin to the tail, adding some scales, then some sparkly stuff even.... and then I wanna put the 'dingle hopper' into a hair piece I'm going to make as well. Its been fun!