Tattoos.

[Mike1939]

How about the tattoos of the Golden era? Who had them? Soldiers, sailors, working class Joes on the docks around the world. Then the more extreme of the tattoo world of the time might have performed with a circus or carnival...See the tattooed man eat fire and swallow swords...That would have been a crowd pleaser in the 1930's. Any more ideas on who had tattoos in the GOLDEN ERA?

 

[warbird]

How about the tattoos of the Golden era? Who had them? Soldiers, sailors, working class Joes on the docks around the world. Then the more extreme of the tattoo world of the time might have performed with a circus or carnival...See the tattooed man eat fire and swallow swords...That would have been a crowd pleaser in the 1930's. Any more ideas on who had tattos in the GOLDEN ERA.

Natives on south pacific islands.

 

[RedPop4]

That's okeh, I'm used to being laughed at.

Me too, happens all the time to my "virgin skin" Oh, don't forget pasty, either, I got a lot of that going, too.

 

[BegintheBeguine]

And what with being red-headed and all. "There's that girl with orange hair!"

 

[Mike1939]

Don't be surprised when 20, 30, 40 years down the line, when all these "freaks" start running the country. Then we'll have this same thread over again, but this time have a laugh at those inkless virgin skins.

YIKES!

 

[Johnnysan]

Threads like this one are always polarizing and remind me of an old adage:

"Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig."

Despite the fervent attempts to covert the opposition, has anyone here wavered from their original position? Live and let live.

 

[TheKitschGoth]

Don't be surprised when 20, 30, 40 years down the line, when all these "freaks" start running the country. Then we'll have this same thread over again, but this time have a laugh at those inkless virgin skins.

You're not really helping much are you. If people want tattoos then great, if people don't want tattoos, also great. Whose business is anyone elses skin anyway?

Putting down someone elses choice just because they don't like yours is a bit well... hypocritical really.

 

[Fleur De Guerre]

The book The 1940s Look says that some "daring young things" got tattoos during the interwar years, but that it was, as we all know/suspect, a predominently male, working class thing. Prostitutes and fairground artistes were almost the only ladies who had tattoos, but it was not unheard of for members of the women's auxilliary services to have them too. This is in the UK, at least.

 

[Mike1939]

You're not really helping much are you. If people want tattoos then great, if people don't want tattoos, also great. Whose business is anyone elses skin anyway?

Putting down someone elses choice just because they don't like yours is a bit well... hypocritical really.

:eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

 

[RedPop4]

And what with being red-headed and all. "There's that girl with orange hair!"

You and me both.

 

[Undertow]

I don't really agree with a tattoo being a permanent expression of a temporary feeling. For many people it is a reminder of things they never want to forget, such as dead relatives, or in the case of 9/11 dead workmates. The permanency definitely isn't for anyone, and I wouldn't mock anyone for not getting a tattoo, whatever the reason. Though, generalizing it like that is like generalizing everyone with a tattoo and putting them all in a neat little box...when in reality no such box exist. It's a bit like saying that all police is corrupt, all people living in Utah are rednecks or all Japanese have large teeth. Nothing good ever came from generalizing.

I sure change from day to day too, but there are also things to me that stay the same. Not to mention, just because you get tattooed doesn't mean that tattoo has to stay the same forever either, you can tattoo over it or if push comes to shove you can remove it (though with limited to great results depending on method, age of tattoo, type of ink used and so forth).

Right, because a tattoo of a naked woman with devil horns and flames, surrounded by various Chinese characters that spell out love, peace, war, hate, etc ad nauseam, fairly represent some esoteric memory of a dead relative/friend/etc. Or maybe that person just thought it was cool, or whatever.

Like I said earlier, the majority of my friends have tattoos, and some of them have quite a few, and each time they get one, I get to hear why they’re getting it, what it means to them, rationale after rationale. Hey, whatever, if cutting your nose off reminds you of something important, by all means hack away. No complaints here. Not one. If removing all those pesky fingers from your hand is cool and everyone else you know does it, be my guest, I don’t mind one bit.

But I have a certain stubborn notion that these kids out getting tattoos GENERALLY don’t have the necessary forethought required to make an intelligent, permanent decision. No, that doesn’t apply to everyone, just the people with whom I’ve had experience. And it is my experience that they are manifesting a temporary feeling through a permanent expression.

Mind you, these are the same kids who thought dropping a ton of acid each weekend wouldn’t ACTUALLY affect them over a long period of time.

AAANNNNDDD…they’re all burnouts. But does it make any difference to me? Nope, I just choose not to partake. Same goes for tattoos.

Not all tattoos are significant. And most decisions made at the ripe old age of 18-25 probably shouldn’t be permanent. So please don’t commit the same sin you accuse your humble narrator of committing, i.e. generalization.

 

[RIOT]

Putting down someone elses choice just because they don't like yours is a bit well... hypocritical really.

I applaud this as well :eusa_clap

Two sides of the coin..

 

[Fatdutchman]

My paternal grandfather had (I think) a skull and crossbones and his navy serial number tattooed on his arm.

 

[Dr Doran]

Don't be surprised when 20, 30, 40 years down the line, when all these "freaks" start running the country. Then we'll have this same thread over again, but this time have a laugh at those inkless virgin skins.

heh heh

 

[TheKitschGoth]

Right, because a tattoo of a naked woman with devil horns and flames, surrounded by various Chinese characters that spell out love, peace, war, hate, etc ad nauseam, fairly represent some esoteric memory of a dead relative/friend/etc. Or maybe that person just thought it was cool, or whatever.

Maybe it does, I have one friend who has tattoos of skulls on her arms, and if you didn't know her you'd naturally assume they are meaningless and a bit silly, but to her they mean something, maybe not a person, but a feeling or memory.

Although, you are very right that not all tattoos have deeper meanings. The same friend used to walk into tattoo parlours and choose a tattoo design there and then, just because she liked the sensation of being inked. I have a feeling those will be the ones she's regrets later.

My next tattoo, a pair of stiletto heels. Could you derive a deeper meaning from that image alone? Probably not, but it's going to be the tattoo with the most significance. I've been planning it for about 2-3 years now.

 

[Dr Doran]

Hey, whatever, if cutting your nose off reminds you of something important, by all means hack away. No complaints here. Not one. If removing all those pesky fingers from your hand is cool and everyone else you know does it, be my guest, I don’t mind one bit.

But I have a certain stubborn notion that these kids out getting tattoos GENERALLY don’t have the necessary forethought required to make an intelligent, permanent decision. No, that doesn’t apply to everyone, just the people with whom I’ve had experience. And it is my experience that they are manifesting a temporary feeling through a permanent expression.

Mind you, these are the same kids who thought dropping a ton of acid each weekend wouldn’t ACTUALLY affect them over a long period of time.Not all tattoos are significant. And most decisions made at the ripe old age of 18-25 probably shouldn’t be permanent. So please don’t commit the same sin you accuse your humble narrator of committing, i.e. generalization.

Good points, good points. As for the amputations, I recommend Katharine Dunn's Geek Love. A cult of sorts starts around a limbless boy. The followers get their limbs cut off to be like him ... YIKES.

 

[Dr Doran]

My next tattoo, a pair of stiletto heels. Could you derive a deeper meaning from that image alone? Probably not, but it's going to be the tattoo with the most significance. I've been planning it for about 2-3 years now.

Sounds phenom. Please post pics when you get it done.

I don't know about you guys, but I'm enjoying this thread. The controversies!

 

[TheKitschGoth]

Sounds phenom. Please post pics when you get it done.

I don't know about you guys, but I'm enjoying this thread. The controversies!

I will do, though it may be a while yet. I'm making myself wait for this one.

 

[Barry]

I don't really agree with a tattoo being a permanent expression of a temporary feeling. For many people it is a reminder of things they never want to forget, such as dead relatives, or in the case of 9/11 dead workmates. The permanency definitely isn't for anyone, and I wouldn't mock anyone for not getting a tattoo, whatever the reason.

A different perspective...

I carry that kind of permanency in my heart and mind. It's with me every day. I don't need the scars or "tattoos" (yes, I've got a tattoo, applied with india ink and a syringe, by a radiation oncologist) to remind me of something I'll never forget. I can cover up the scars quite easily. Quite frankly, though, if I could have them removed, I would. Perhaps at some point I saw them as a badge of honor, but definitely not anymore. The real testament to my experience is how I choose to embrace each day when I wake up in the morning.

 

[Pink Dahlia]

I kind of find myself surprised that so many people posting on a message board devoted to classic style ARE into tattoos, nose rings, etc.

You do realize you typed that on your computer. And I'm guessing your cell phone and TV weren't too far away.

I was over 21 when I got my first tattoo. As someone with experience. I ALWAYS discourage kids (teenagers) to: put your tattoo design on ice until you're older. Because something you like now as a kid may be something you loathe as an adult. A very good friend of mine (heavily tattooed) has good advice. He says sit on a tattoo for 2 years. If you still want it get it. I've had designs I've been sitting on longer than that due to financial woes. [huh]