One of the questions people ask me the most is “do you have any tattoos?” or “where are your tattoos?” For some reason, it is assumed that I have at least one tattoo—but in reality, I have none, zero, zilch. This surprises some people, but I never really had a desire to get a tattoo, not even as a younger lass. Tattoos ain’t ever really been my thing, I suppose.
I don’t have any tattoos because they just never did anything for me. Simply put, I could never see myself rocking my children’s names on my bicep or getting a tiger or heart or Chinese symbol on my back or thigh. I have a huge fear of commitment when it comes to my body—plus I like to flip the script a lot. I am the type of chick who goes from long to short hair, curly to straight, hippie chick to classic modern. I love versatility and the ability to recreate my look at will—with a tattoo, it’s always there. There is no symbol, picture, or name that I want to see each and EVERY day on my body.
Plus the thought of having something like Ride or Die Chick on my breasts when I am 60 is so unappealing.
It seems to me that getting a tattoo is almost a right of passage—when you graduate from high school, you get a tattoo. Before you get married, you get a tattoo. When you have a child, you get a tattoo. When you get a divorce, you get a tattoo. Turn 21, 30, 40, etc. you get a tattoo. See the pattern?
I don’t judge anyone who has tattoos—most of my friends have at least one. For them, it’s kinda sexy and avante garde. On me, though? I think I would look like a fool.
My 17 year old son has been itching to get a tattoo for the longest, but I will not sign the consent form for him to get one. Despite the fact that we live in a free society, people do judge you for what you have on your body—I have discouraged him from getting any tattoos that can’t be covered up by normal clothing so he will be able to go out into corporate America and get a job (if that is what he wants to do when he is older). If he gets a tattoo, it will be after he turns 18 and is able to pay for it himself.
Gosh, am I am writing this, I feel like I am being a conservative prude. And I am far from being BOTH of those! But tattoos, they are there forever (unless you get them removed, which is a painful process I hear).
I also don’t have any piercings other than my ears. Again, that is also not my bag.
I think I am quite a sexy chick without a tattoo (although you may beg to differ). Don’t judge me for not having tattoo, and I won’t judge you for having one. 🙂
What’s your take, Cubes and Dudes? Let the Great Tattoo Debate begin!
I have a few tattoos well maybe a lot depending on how you look @ it. I love them all & they all mean something to me, none are what you would call common & each represents something thar I love dearly. Wether it’s the map coordinates to the location my kids were born or the pegusus I have in flight or the vine of flowers I have that’s back length. They all represent B! & to your point they are all able to be covered for work purposes if need be to tattoo or not to tattoo is a personal choice that can & should be made during or after college :-)!!!
I agree with you. Women should focus more on having nice skin and upkeeping their appearance. Seems like almost everyone is tatted up now…I like that I different because I dont have any 🙂 .
When I was in 7th grade my brother’s girlfriend got a little star tattoo and I thought she was sooo cool. Luckily, I realized that I could draw a star on my arm with a pen (and enjoy it just as much) and wash it off when I was done. I’m so indecisive that I know I would hate whatever I chose for a tattoo after 2 weeks. Or even 2 days.
I agree about not having tattoos on my body. I don’t have any either. I have thought about it before, but after I found out I was diabetic I chose not to get one for fear that a dirty needle would be used on me or it would somehow have an effect on my diabetes and me being able to control it properly. I have friend’s with them and at my current job we can’t have any visible tattoos on the body (e.g. arm, neck, face, etc.) that cannot be covered up with clothing.
I would say if anyone is considering getting a tattoo, to think about his or her current company’s dress code policy and any future companies he or she may wish to work for and just make sure the tattoos are able to be covered with the proper attire.
I have one and most people don’t even know I have it. It is on my upper back and even at the wise age of 18 – I knew that I needed to get something that was hidden and not available to everyone. Thanks goodness because I’m so corporate america that it is not even funny.
They are fun decorations. I swore I’d get another but nothing has moved me enough to get one. I have one – I’m good…
I have EIGHT or NINE! I’ve lost count. Lol! I have them all in places that can be covered. I work in a very relaxed atmosphere so I can reveal them at any time but choose not to. I got them all strategically placed where I figured I wouldn’t develop wrinkles or saggy skin. *fingers crossed* Lol!
My thought process is that my body art is in some way shape or form special to me. All my tattoos have a meaning and serve a purpose in my life. I have one that means “Loyalty” I cherish my friends & family and I am loyal to them all and I love loyal people in my life. I have another that represents strength etc. At the end of the day (This is a bit morbid) I’ve asked that when I die, I get cremated. It’s not like I’ll be walking around with them forever! I THINK I’m done getting tattoos now. My last one was a cherry blossom that I got on my foot and up my ankle, that was in February. It reminds me of my mom and grand mom.
I totally agree with you about your son, I would not give my kids the green light on anything like that even though I have them. My soon to be sixteen year old is asking for a belly button piercing… Ummm, NO MAM! Maybe I look hypocritical to my kids but, I think they are beautiful just the way they are and need not mess up their skin with a tattoo or piercing. When they hit eighteen if they still have the fever & the finances they can have at it! I think I’ve said enough… GREAT POST!!!
I just got #leglean tatted on me yesterday! 😀 … no? #kidding
I have 2 tatts, one on my ankle and one on my neck (yep my neck). The neck one is so tiny people rarely notice it, especially when I have hair (it was more obvious when I was practically bald back in the day). I love them both, never regretted either of them, but don’t foresee me getting another.
A) I am a huge wienie!!!
B) While I have a ton of friends w/ tatts, I am not a fan! If you ever change your life or lifestyle they may no longer fit. That inherently makes me nervous!
I don’t blame you for not signing the consent form for your son. He can get it when he turns 18 and that way if he regrets it when he’s 40 he can’t blame you! 🙂
I am just not a fan of tattoos for myself. I don’t think I could ever decide on what/where and I think I’d regret it.
I got a tattoo when I was 18 or 19. It is of a sun on my right ankle. I thought about it carefully before getting and made sure it was what I wanted in the spot I wanted. I had actually about getting this tattoo for about 2 years before getting it.
I have never regretted the decision to get it. I think this was helped by the fact that it is in a place on my body that is only visible when I am wearing shorts and even then I don’t notice it much. If I had to look directly at it every day I suspect that I might feel differently.
At this point, I don’t have a desire to get a second one. There is no other art that I have come across that I could live with for the rest of my life.
Yes I think tattoos and the like are to mark some change in your life like a right of passage for some people. I do no have one as well. I remember at 18 a college freshman and everyone had one but me. I thought that was it but now fast forward to 29 and a person to me recently got her clitoris pierced so now I am convinced its like a “crisis” time when one is trying to find themselves…
I don’t have any either, and I have kind of the same thoughs on them as you do. When I was in college I thought of getting one, but I’m glad I did because whatever I was thinking of getting back then is something I would have no interest in having on my body right now. And at the time I didn’t know how important sun protection is to prevent fading, so again I’m happy I didn’t do it. I have getting a tattoo at age 50 on my bucket list, so maybe I’ll do it then. Recently I’ve been having traumatic things happen and I was thinking of getting a tattoo in regards to that, but going to wait a few months and see how I feel then. I’m afraid once I get one I won’t be able to stop.
I got my first one when I was 17 and have been addicted ever since. Although I’d love more, I only have 11. They vary in places on my body (ankles, hips, lower back, pelvic area, wrists, forearm, behind my ears/neck, back of neck). I also have several piercings, including my eyebrow. It’s a very dainty, feminine bar through my eyebrow.
I’ve always worked in a corporate, professional setting. I do see where certain people may ‘judge’ you based on such things, but regardless of the ink or piercings I may have, my personality is my personality. Whether those things were there or not, I would still be judged for not being the cookie cutter tall, blonde haired, blue eyed ‘Children of the Corn’ my company seems to hire. I am still judged because I am not a relative of an executive and I do not come from a wealthy family. I am still judged because my beliefs are not nearly as rigid as the majority of corporate people.