I posted a picture of my daughter Maria in a mermaid costume in the bath and there was quite a reaction…
I’m no social media influencer but a couple of photos of her sploshing about got a tonne of comments, likes etc. Sure there were a lot of mums who said their daughters (no mention of sons yet) would love such an outfit, but there were a lot of adults that wanted one too!
Christmas wish list
Maria put ‘mermaid tail’ on her Christmas list. I rolled my eyes; her dad said not to get it. However, on her succinct list (edited a couple of times) it remained a constant. I searched for one and discovered that it was indeed quite a thing. There were loads of versions. They generally came as a five piece set including bikini top, bikini bottoms, head band, mermaid tail and fin. I confess, despite not being a girly girl, I could see the appeal.
The girls all like dressing up and role play. I knew the mermaid costume would add an extra dimension as it could be used as a complete costume in and out of the water and also function as a ‘normal’ swimming cossie.
Maria was absolutely delighted with it and her sisters are equally obsessed with it. It has become a feature of every bath time.
Is mermaid the new unicorn?
Mermaids have an enduring appeal, but it certainly seems to have intensified in the last few years. I think they’re starting to displace unicorns.
John William Waterhouse’s 1900 painting
Mermaids have inspired awe for a very long time. They’ve been depicted by many artists; Hans Christian Andersen’s famous fairy tale The Little Mermaid was written back in 1836, the Disney film version was released back in 1989 (1989?!?), and let’s not forget Splash. Alongside the book, the films and the toys, there’s the TV programme Mako Mermaids, which my younger two love. There are also the mermaid blankets, a whole raft of mermaid beauty products and services including adult ‘mermaid facials’ (?), mermaid slime, you name it…
Mako Mermaids
The bird/woman combo of sirens and harpies certainly don’t get such a good press. So what is the appeal of mermaids? Well, my poll of three revealed that they are: pretty, kind of sexy, sassy, very interesting to look at, they care for each other and care for all the living things in the ocean. There you have it.
If you your child wants to channel their inner mermaid, here’s where you can get the outfit (child and adult sizes): Amazon.
