It's been awhile since we've talked about this, but, what are your thoughts/feelings on tattoos?

I like them. I can appreciate one or hundreds. I have seen tattoos that I’m not crazy about, personally, but I believe strongly in a person’s right to decorate their own body however they see fit.
My husband has two sleeves of tattoos, as well as several on his legs. I have two small tattoos. It would be a little silly of me if I didn’t like them.

I have been going back and forth for a few years as to whether I want to get one or not. Decided that I don’t.

I love tattoos. Some tats that I’ve seen do not look very well done, but if the owner likes them, then so be it. Personally, I do not want tattoos on my face or arms, but I have 8 now that are scattered on my back, sides, stomach and butt.

Not wanting arm or face tats is just a personal preference, and for some reason, I think it’s less attractive when women are visibly covered in tats, than men who do the same thing. You know, like sleeves or tats on the face and neck… I’m probably being borderline sexist with that, but like I said, it’s just a personal preference.

I like them, but still think it’s best to only get tats of things that really have meaning to you.
Ex: No butterflies, video game characters, stars, celebrities, etc.

I like them when they’re well done. (I don’t usually like sleeve tattoos, but I saw a woman recently with beautiful, colorful, integrated sleeves – I was smitten).

I don’t like big tats on anyone.

I have a brand new one on my shoulder, in honor of my Dad and I love it! It goes well with my other three… But new ink…ahhh…there’s nothing like it!

I like good tattoos. I have two (I’m going to get my first one covered up), and I can’t wait to get more when I have the money.
People have been tattooing their skin for many years and throughout many different cultures. It’s nothing new, and I hate that it’s so stigmatized in the US.

@JilltheTooth Yes, getting new ink is always so exciting! I am still in love with my ribcage tattoos of my daughters’ names, and it’s been three months.

I get a bit tired of them, but specifically in one group of people who have them these days:
Football (that is soccer) players.
The recent years it apparently is cool to have their whole arms painted with them.
It must be contagious….
Quiz:

I have 2 small tattoos.
One of a tiny cat on my hip, which is, obviously, only seen by those that see me naked.
It was also a drunken night on the town in San Diego about 30 something years ago that landed me that one at age 21 haha.
I also have a really pretty half anklet of a Morning Glory vine with 2 purple blooms I had done at about 43 and I get a lot of compliments on that one.

I think small tattoos are more attractive on women, but, I am also of another generation. Deciding to get my tattoos was a really big deal, as in my generation tats were mostly associated with bikers and biker chicks of which I am not and never have been.

I don’t care for the huge ones a lot of the younger crowd are getting, but, each to their own.

Generally they are for people with a serious inferiority complex.

Oh, @Billy_Strauss , what a silly thing to say.

@Coloma my mom is 56 and she has calla lilies that go almost the length of her spine.

@Billy_Strauss

And those that make sweeping generalizations are arrogant & ignorant. Touche!

I don’t have any tats and I’ve never had a relationship with someone with tats. This is not intentional. It just happened that way. I think tats are sexy. To me they convey the image of a bad girl—which is to say, an exciting girl. They have att-ee-tood! They don’t rub off. But they also don’t pass on to the next generation.

I’m never going to get any, myself. I don’t have that aesthetic of being willing to alter my body on purpose. Accidental changes are fine. I can’t stop them, anyway. But I won’t fix the damage and I won’t decorate my body with anything that will make me noticeable. I don’t want to be noticed, except when I do. I.e., I want to do it on my terms.

Tattoos have their places, but not on my body.

I still have a problem of not relating tattoos to convicts.

Like, Love on one hand and Hate on the other.

People, who work in restaurants, should not serve food with exposed tattoos and a cig. hanging out of their mouth.

Love ‘em, have ‘em.

I have no desire to get one myself, but I am utterly indifferent as to others’ decision in this matter.

I feel the same as you, @Jude; the human body is beautiful as is.

@Billy_Strauss Oh me oh my, you make me smile, you’re such a prime filleted sil bil!
I like tattoos (not all) and I have some myself. I just got another this week as it happens. I believe they’re a mode of artistic expression.

Do some of you think tattoos are obtained to make a body more beautiful?

@Simone_De_Beauvoir

Maybe, for some. In my case it was more about artistic expression and choosing something that had symbolism for me. Morning Glories are my favorite flower and they are also symbolic of ones unfoldings. ;-)

@Simone_De_Beauvoir Good point. No, I suppose that isn’t usually the main goal. There’s just something about my natural body that I don’t want to disrupt. I don’t find tattoos ugly, that’s not what I’m trying to say. It’s hard to explain what I mean.

I am always surprised by the people who are concerned with the permanence of tattoos. After all is said and done, with modern technology and all, scars are more permanent, and in general less attractive. I’ve had a boat load of medical issues, and frankly, the tattoos are much prettier, and involved a bunch more choice than my scars. And they, each and every one, mean something important to me. Although, I must say, in the interest of full disclosure, that the boob frog just means I lost a bet in 1977.

@Mariah You and I both know there are plenty of things that disrupt our ‘natural body’. Take my kids for example, they’ve permanently changed my body, added marks and scars and stretched out skin.

@Simone_De_Beauvoir Sure, of course. Just because I’ve unwillfully had changes to my body doesn’t mean I have to add any more on purpose if I don’t want to, though.

I just like my body best the way it came. I already said I don’t care what other people choose to do with theirs. It’s just a personal preference.

” I already said I don’t care what other people choose to do with theirs. It’s just a personal preference.”

Yup.

Get one, don’t get one, just celebrate whatever choice you make.

@Billy_Strauss “Generally they are for people with a serious inferiority complex.”

No. Generally those who hate tattoos have a superiority complex. People who think tattoos are disgusting are arrogant, foolish prats. Your generalization is ridiculous, and you have no idea what you’re talking about.

@Mariah Oh, I know all that ‘to each their own, yada yada yada’ – I’m with you. I’m not being defensive here, I know my tattoos are perfect, for me and your body is as good as it is, too. I’m just saying nothing about our bodies remains the same, willingly or unwillingly. Every 7 years, all cells have changed and if you brains haven’t, that’s too bad.

Not a fan. I’d advocate to buy a sexy piece of clothes, or hats or jewelry you can change or swap out as the feeling permits. Tats are permanent and like wearing the same socks 24/7 for the rest of your life.

@Simone_De_Beauvoir Ah, okay. Nah, it’s not like my viewpoint is “never change anything ever!” (take as evidence my hair, which is not trailing on the floor behind me :P ). While I know intellectually that my skin is not the same skin I was born with, something in me just doesn’t want to change it up more than I need to.

Incidentally, considering that we do get new skin all the time, I wonder how exactly tattoos “stay on”?

@Mariah They go deeper than the epidermal layer.

@Cruiser ; See this.

I’ve always admired tattoos. When I’m older I want to get 2 tattoos. One that says “take no prisoners” going up my right forearm and one with a person’s name on my left forearm.

Just a word, @bluejay , remember that tattoos are still severely judged by some. I recommend getting them in places you can comfortably cover, in any season. This is not just the advice of an old fart, I have 4 tattoos and a bastard child, I know how the wind blows, employers may well judge, always leaving yourself an option is a reasonable plan.

It’s still bugging me that I haven’t had mine done yet.

Damn this poor-ness. And of course, all the time waiting means I’ve had plenty of time to plan more and more of them.

At some point, I will have a Next Gen-era combadge on my chest, a Vulcan IDIC somewhere, probably on my right wrist, and (hopefully) the Shards of Narsil in actual size on my back.

They can be interesting to see, as long as they are on others. I personally don’t see the need or want yet. I wonder how some of these young people will like their ink later in life. Because some I’ve seen are just gawd awful and seem almost fitting on a young hide but in their golden years, not so much. When people who are already in their later years and then decide to do it I have to think they have maybe thought about it for some time, which is typical of older folk. I haven’t noticed any of that tribal stuff on seniors yet. When your old as shit, there is no need to give two of them what others think of you. I say go for it,and participate in the dirtiest sex imaginable…the clock ticks louder.

@woodcutter

I’m pretty sure my skin’s gonna look like old people skin whether or not it’s colourful old people skin. ^_^

@JilltheTooth I did see that. Scars are almost never a choice in the matter and are what they are…scars. Tats are choices to permanently alter the body. I just don’t buy into bodily alterations when the natural human body to me is such a beautiful thing…scars and all. No ink needed.

@Simone_De_Beauvoir Yeah, but don’t all our cells get replaced every so many years?

@Mariah Not at the same time. The epidermal layer stays on top of the dermis. The ink stays safely trapped in between

Aha. Thanks for assuaging my ignorance. xD

I see “No going at each other. It’s personal preference and whatever floats your boat. :)” really meant very little here.

At any rate it is quite obvious if you are not tribal tatting yourself for some primitive tribal custom, than defacing one’s body with tats indicates a serious unhappiness with your body. Mine is beautiful and needs no adornments whatever.

Tattoos are pretty cool. I plan to get one of an owl on my wrist some day, although I heard having a tattoo done on there hurts like hell. Still.

They can be sexy, inspiring, awesome, lame looking or laughable. There’s whole cultures about them too, throughout history all the way to our modern societies. I think it’s all pretty alright.

I love them and, if my boyfriend felt differently (he hates them) I would have a few (I want one on my arm, one on my back and one on my side just below my boob – funnily enough all the ones I want are all ocean related, a mermaid, a lighthouse and a pirate ship) but my love for him is stronger than my need for a tattoo.

@Billy_Strauss : To you, it’s “defacing”. To me it’s enhancement, empowerment, tribute, homage. Perception is everything. The good news is, I probably won’t come to your house in the night, knock you out, and tattoo weird stuff on your person against your will. Probably.

@JilltheTooth I truly admire your advice, but I could care less if people will judge me based on my tattoos. It would only be one of dozens of things people judge me and everyone else on on a daily basis. :)

@bluejay : I agree with you in principle, but unfortunately, it may (rather unfairly) be the difference between getting and keeping a job or not. That may not seem like something worth compromising your standards for now, but someday it will. I love tats, I support having tats, but I’m also a realist. It may suck, but it’s definitely so.

Hi, Chocolate!

@Billy_Strauss Ummm, hate to break it to ya kid, but I didn’t get tats because I’m unhappy with my body. There’s no “quite obvious” about it. My body is just fine, thank you very much, even if it is a “mom body”, but it’s my body and I’m proud of it. I got every tattoo I have for different reasons. Two of my tattoos were done to enhance my delight in my “mom body” by having both my daughters’ names tattooed going down my sides. And btw, I got my first tat when I was 18 and had a model perfect, gorgeous body. I got the tat because I wanted a tat.

And it is easily possible to say that you don’t like tattoos without insulting others who do. That’s what the OP was striving for. But if you’re gonna dish it out, be prepared to eat it. I don’t take kindly to arrogant, narrow minded, absurd generalizations that insult my person and others like me.

I’m curious, @Billy_Strauss, do you have some sort of expertise on which you are basing your general assumptions? Twice now you’ve made sweeping statements about us tatted ones with no background to your allegations. If you are just speaking from personal feelings, and you have never cut your hair, or shaved, or cut your finger or toe nails, please let us know, it will give us well, me, anyway, I can’t speak for the others some frame of reference for your comments.

@woodcutter : I just saw your post (how’d I miss that???). I know lots of folks that have ink that’s old, and blued and not very reminiscent of what it once was, but they remember what it was and that’s really what counts. My frog will be 35 next year and has been through pregnancy, lactation, weight gain and loss, and it’s still one of my faves as it brings back a wealth of memories surrounding that whole time of my life. Like @Seek_Kolinahr said, old skin looks like old skin. Better old than dead.

@JilltheTooth Well, ya, old skin is old, and regret of tatoo choice is unto each person to have, or not.

I like small, subtle tattoos with personal or symbolic meaning behind them. But I doubt I would ever get one. That’s a pretty permanent commitment, one that I can’t see myself thinking. Although I might be happy with it at the time, I would probably regret it later in life after my tastes and interests changed. When I was 50, I’d probably look at it and go, “Now why did I get that tattoo of the Hogwarts crest on my upper back when I was in my 20’s?”