A 22-year-old student, Corrine Hinton, has invested over $3,000 in mermaid costumes and mastering swimming with a fish-like fin to fulfill her dream of becoming a real-life mermaid. This aspiration was sparked in her childhood after being inspired by Disney princess Ariel.
Having spent a substantial amount to resemble a mermaid, she now appears remarkably realistic, leveraging her passion by working as a mermaid actor for children’s birthday celebrations.
Corrine’s fascination with mermaids originated from her encounter with the red-haired mermaid princess at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, when she was seven years old.
Corrine, residing in Easton, Pennsylvania and studying Environmental Studies, recalled, ‘I met Ariel when I was younger, and that ignited my passion. As soon as we met and I saw her in real life, I knew what I wanted to do.’
‘It felt like I was meeting a celebrity, and from then on, I wanted to emulate her. To date, I’ve spent about $3,000 on costumes. My most expensive tail cost $1,000 on its own.
‘I suppose it is a double life that I lead, and I am proud of it.’
‘There’s a place called Dutch Springs nearby where lots of us meet up to swim, take photos and live for a while as a mermaid.’
Corrine added, ‘I just love the mystery of mermaids. Are you a fish or are you a person? I like feeling mysterious and got obsessed very quickly.
‘I started taking it much more seriously when I was 18 and I bought a silicone tail that cost $800. I also started making my own tops because it breaks the bank a little to keep paying for tails all the time.’
‘It all started when I was just practicing in a community pool, and I got asked to perform at a party by a parent.
‘I ended up getting quite a few requests, and now I just get people reaching out to me on Instagram. When I go along, we play water-based games, and sometimes I’ll just swim in the pool while a party goes on. It all depends on what the parents want, but wherever I can, I try to educate kids about the environment and its importance.’
See video of Corinne showcasing her skills below.