Forums » RP Discussion » Should my Mermaid have a bra?

I'm trying to decide if my half mermaid character should have a sea shell or some other water themed bra or if she should just not have one. If I go with no bra and get art of her done, I will have her long hair tactfully cover her breasts. Honestly I'm not leaning in either direction which is why I need some help making up my mind.

Is it just a question of art? Does she come from a mer-culture that has moral or fashion views on the subject (or both)? I'm not sure this is a question that can be answered in a vacuum!

I am of the firm belief that fantasy characters need not hold up modern definitions of modesty. Fantasy creatures (and even humans living in a fantasy cultures) may not have the same taboos about bare breasts. If you want her to go bare (and feel it is IC to do so) I'd say go for it. If you want shells or clothing, those are fine too!

If you have art of her with exposed breasts, I'd personally mark the profile for 'sexuality' so there are no surprises when people are checking it out.

I don't have any art and if I get any I would have her hair cover up her breasts so you can't see anything. I don't know, maybe I'll just go with both?

It's more of a fashion thing then a morality thing.

It's really up to you. While it's seen as fashionable, without one gives a kind of naive innocence that a lot of fantasy creatures have that is much different than our culture. But in one sense, they're semi-humanoid, so the breasts/nipples may be sensitive. So it may make sense to 'protect them'.

But be creative! It doesn't have to be a bra! It could be a seaweed wrap, or beads, whatever you'd like!
But if you like the sea-shell bra, that's fine too!

Having a Merman myself, I asked the same question about whether he should be wearing clothes when walking on dry soil. If it helps, you can ask yourself a simple question:

Does your mermaid spend a lot of time with people who live on dry soil, or does she spend the majority of her time in the water?

If she traverses the land often, she might have adapted the fashion sense of the people she encounters and decide to start covering herself up as well, perhaps partly to stop having people stare at her. But if she stays in the water for the most times, clothing is pretty useless, to be honest. Ever went swimming with all your clothes on? It sticks to your skin is and is generally very unpleasant.

Well, that's my vision on it. Hopefully it is helpful!

I love mermaids!

Lor's people go without clothes - underwater, it makes little to no sense for them to cover themselves. Clothes inhibit the ability to swim fast, especially cloth which drags down. I like to think their physiology allows them to deal with temperature changes well, or it's magic that keeps them comfortable.

She is still in the beginning phases of understanding human modesty. It makes for interesting plot development! She will always favor being nude because that's what her culture finds the most natural, but that doesn't stop her and other mer from wearing jewelry to be fashionable and pretty.

I think the only reason they might have a top of some sort would be maybe mermaids that were particularly chesty want something to hold the girls in just so they aren't in the way. It could even just be a thing like 'boobies are sensitive, protect them a bit' But it's totally up to you, if you don't like the idea of having nude art for a character you can always come up with a reason why their culture wears clothes. On the other hand, if you feel it's more fitting for her to be topless, then go for it.

There is a great new dollmaker from Azalea's that is SUPER customizable (for male, female, and androgynous!)! It has a ton of different tops and jewelry.

You can find it right here: Mermaid Scene Maker

Make sure you show us if you use it!

Wow, that is one impressive doll maker!

Yeah! They have some really good ones

It's not perfect, but it's pretty good.

Big differences is her eye color isn't quite right, her hair is only butt length, her face should have a somewhat melancholy expression, her skin should be a bit paler, her scales would be more shimmery like a white pearl and finally her tail fins be be longer, like that of a betta fish.

Extending the tail scales up to create modesty is also an option.

I just felt the need to say that this option, while functional from a design point, does suggests atheistic "mammaries" or perhaps glands for some other purpose; if there were scales covering previous placement of mammalian nipples it would suggest breasts without function and therefore no reason to even be there. Are they fish with pseudo mammalian traits, actually mammals like dolphins, or something else entirely? Are they likely to get cold or do they regulate that themselves? I feel like underwater, breasts wouldn't get quite so much "in the way" as they can be in a bipedal society (laying, running, and walking would all be mostly nonexistent concerns) - such might lead to a more lax view without any practical purpose to cover up.

I agree with Lorelei to consider practicality and function, these play very big parts into conceptions of modesty in a society! In trying to figure out what is most appropriate, be sure to consider how her mere culture might differ from that of a standard human or if perhaps human elements were introduced to develop an idea of clothing for aesthetic or practical purpose. It really depends on both her perceptions, so look to where those perceptions came from and how they formed!