Beginner Merperson - Tumblr Posts

Trying to Get Into Mermaiding

Hello, merpeople of tumblr! I want to get into mermaiding, and I have some questions.

A little bit of background first:

I was recently diagnosed with PCOS, and one of its most common symptom combos is easy weight gain + difficulty with weight loss. I want to mitigate this by forming a regular exercise routine, and I think mermaiding would be a fun way to build up strength and stamina.

I'm an experienced swimmer (I've been lifeguarding for 6 years), and I have done occasional mermaiding since I was ~12. I already have a monofin (Fin Fun) and a couple of tail skins (one Fin Fun, one Sun Tail), too. However, I am still very much a beginner mer, especially compared to folks like the ones in the Merpeople documentary.

So here are my questions:

How do I get over some of my preexisting anxiety (worrying about it being "childish," "girly," etc.) about wearing my tail in public?

When my tail skins wear down, where are the best places to find a new one? I'm on a "college student who's too busy to work during the semester" kind of budget, and given the state of student loans in the US, it may be that way for a while.

Is silicone worth it? I know I won't be able to even consider it until I have my first professional job, but will it be good enough to justify once I get to that point?

What are some good out-of-water exercises I can do to keep up my strength during the off-season (or when I simply can't get in the water)?

What are some good, mermaid-ish tops I can wear while I'm swimming in my tail? I know there are tons of gorgeous bikini tops, but that's waaaaay out of my comfort zone. I'm more of a "unisex T-shirt" kind of person.

How can I give myself a more merperson-like vibe when I'm not in the water? There are two major roadblocks in the way of the easiest methods: I like to keep my hair short and accessory-free, and for sensory reasons, I can't wear makeup.

I've seen some amazing mermaid posts here (and on the internet in general), and I hope I can get on your level someday. But for now, I'll just take whatever advice you're willing to offer!