Thinking about a tattoo, but is it what good girls did in the 1940's?

[dollydaydream]

I have a crush on all of them

Except the buff guy lol

 

[The Dame]

Yeah I've got a huge crush on Kat Von D. I think she's absolutely gorgeous.

 

[cookie]

think about it a lot before you get one, i have 3 of them, the first 2 i got i got in places that are easy to show off, and cover up, the top of my foot, and between my shoulders. the last one i got i had done on the side of my neck, not easily covered, the guy that done it, messed up, the in did stay, and it looks awful. can't afford to get it removed, so i will just have to get it covered up.

You are right neck tatoos always kinda look wrong place....

 

[dollydaydream]

I have 2 hearts behind my ear and it's my favourite one, doesn't look out of place at all.

Awful pic I know. All my tattoos have been thought about very much indeed. I like this one because it was a present from my best friend, plus I love the position & the tattoo itself.

I do agree that you shouldn't just jump in and get a tattoo because everyone else has them or some such...

 

[dani]

You are right neck tatoos always kinda look wrong place....

yeah the tatto was suppossed to be "vampire bites" so on the side of my neck is the right place for it, he just done it wrong, so it looked like hebrew, or sanskrit, also he either watered down the ink, or did not tattoo it deep enough, so a lot of the ink came out, so now everyone says it looks like a hicky. thankfully my hair is long enough now to cover it, untill i get it redone, or covered up.

 

[DollyGirl]

Here are my tats:
http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm242/DollyGirl66/IMG_0771.jpg
http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm242/DollyGirl66/IMG_0770_edited.jpg

I love them. The snake is an ancient symbol of wisdom, sexuality, and fertility. This symbol is important to me because I am a philosopher. I make these tattoos work for me- they project what is meaningful to me. Since I consider them part of my skin, I do not perceive them as interfering with what I wear.

 

[shepkatt]

Most of my tattoos are on my back.. I have three (the first ones) that are on my feet/ankles.. My plan is to pretty much fill in my back.. Once that is done I will think about other areas.. I have a good friend who tells me that it is 'kinda cool' that all of my tattoos are on my back.. no one knows they are there unless I am wearing a halter top/dress, etc... and then they are so very there.

My 16 year old daughter wants to get tattoo'd. I have told her that she needs to wait until she is 18 and then my advice to her would be to think long and hard about what it is she wants to put on her body.. no band names... no boyfriend names... nothing that is a passing fad.. It has to mean something to her.. something she won't be ashamed or embarrased of later in life. And she needs to put it somewhere that it can be hidden for job, etc..

Do lots of thinking about getting tattoo'd.. Yes.. you can remove them if you don't like them.. but your skin will never look the same and it is expensive and painful. I have never regretted any of mine and I hope to keep adding to what I have until my back is completely filled with art.

 

[TheSwingingBee]

I have 3 tattoos, the first I got 4 years ago this month. I love all of mine, but every tattoo that I have has some meaning to me and I thought about each one for at least 6 months. That was kind of always my requirement of myself. Here they are, they are pretty easy to cover up if need be, but being pierced (nose and a monroe on the face and size 2 plugs, a second set of holes, a hoop in the cartilage and an industrial in my ears) I don't get a lot of weird looks except when I'm back home in Oklahoma, but even then I get more questions about them than anything. I don't feel any of it detracts from my period dress (late 30's - 50's). Here's my tats:
first tat, inside of left ankle:


second tat, behind my right ear:


thrid, and most recent at a year old, around my right ankle:



That's just my 2 cents as a tattooed girl working a normal office job.

 

[bettier]

My arms are pretty covered, but not full sleeves since I have a lot of gaps. I am going to be honest, I did not sit down and think really hard about everything I have on me. I did what I thought was pretty, and so I look the way I do now. I know, if ever, I will pay a lot for some laser removal. I don't think I'll get there though. I know my grandchildren will find my arms interesting when the day comes. I can't see myself without all this color.

 

[Darhling]

I knew before I got both of mine that I would want to remove them at some point - but I do want to change the first one I got done, I didn't know much about tattoo places and I was easily impressed, this means I am not satisfied with it, but have thoughts about how to get it altered. When you have gotten past the first step, deciding on getting one, really do your research about artists, rely on recommendations and so on.

Off topic, I have a huge girl crush on Kat von D ..

 

[Miss Dottie]

I
thrid, and most recent at a year old, around my right ankle:



That's just my 2 cents as a tattooed girl working a normal office job.

Swinging Bee, I love this tattoo! So clever!

 

[Inky]

To Tattoo or Not Tattoo

Here's my .02,

I think the promo pics for LA Ink say it all - you can dress vintage/have a vintage vibe and still be heavily tattooed. I've seen girls like this all over LA and San Diego and they look divine!!

But then again, I might be biased

 

[dollydaydream]

I don't think it matters how you dress & if you have tattoos or not. I, more often than not these days, dress a bit 50s, and have a few visible tattoos. It's not actually the 50s after all

Unless you get something done on your face they can be covered, and it's only petty, small minded people that have a problem with tattoos anyway...

People tend to look at me more because I dress a bit weird than because I have tattoos lol

 

[ShesSoVaVaVoom]

to be honest, you shouldn't give a rats bottom whether it's "period" or not, men and women have been getting tattooed and pierced for centuries.

I think of it this way, if you want it, and it seems tasteful, and you can picture yourself as an elderly woman with it (even if it's no longer a blooming flower, but a withered old house plant), then it doesn't matter.

besides, it's much cheaper to own fine art on ones body than it is to own a real picasso!

 

[hotrodmama0201]

First off.....Inky, you look absolutely fantastic! You have a great authentic vintage look and the tattoos, in my eyes, go along perfectly....

I have two tattoos on both of my apper arms, a chest piece and one on my back. I am getting something done on my forearm very soon and don't plan on stopping there. I decided a long time ago that I want to be sleeved, have a chest piece, and cover my legs pretty good too.

If you want a tattoo, get it. That's just my opinion. The only time I would ever discourage someone would be if they wanted a tattoo on their neck or face, and are in a position job-wise where it would hurt them.

Funny, cause I have had some asshole photographers tell me "I'll never go anywhere" cause of my tattoos, or that my tattoos are "Going to limit what I can do" Umm, yeah, I am not trying to be a fashion model or be in Playboy. I don't want to do anything else than the rockabilly/modern pinup thing, so Thank You, but I know what I'm doing. I had a photographer not want to shoot me one time cause I had tattoos, he said that it "wasn't pinup"....so I emailed him a picture of Sabina Kelley Some people just need to be informed, I guess.

 

[Inky]

First off.....Inky, you look absolutely fantastic! You have a great authentic vintage look and the tattoos, in my eyes, go along perfectly....

Thank you HotRodMama - I love your look too - I envy your youth If I had it to do over again I'd change a few things, but not too many

I'm glad you are doing what you see is right for you and those photographers can go find their ordinary plastic "barbie doll" pinups elsewhere.

I heard a great story the other day, this older lady was remarking on my look and how much she liked it and asked about the tattoos. I joked around that some day we'd all laugh at ourselves in the nursing homes. She said she'd worked in a nursing home and went on to share a story about a patient she'd had who had been a flapper in her hey-day.

The elderly lady had a small fleur-de-lis tattooed "down there" and couldn't fess up to the story behind it because she could no longer speak, but would wink and laugh as she remembered. If only that tattoo could talk!!!

So I bet not all "vintage" ladies were all that prim and proper *wink wink*

 

[hotrodmama0201]

^ Haha, that's awesome!^

Yeah, I learned my lesson about choosing photographers. Now that I am a little bit established, I know who and what to look for. When I was a newbie I would shoot with anyone who was legit and convenient....I just wanted pictures so bad. Now, I will not shoot with anyone who doesn't "get it" so to speak, they have to have an appreciation if not just and understanding about Rockabilly, vintage living, etc. and especially be o.k. with tattoos.
The last unsatisfactory experience I had was with a guy from L.A., and even though the pics turned out great, he did nothing but criticize every little thing about me the whole shoot, right down to my fingernails. We both agreed that we wouldn't be doing a shoot together again, that we simply just had "different visions" He was also the one that told me my tattoos would "limit what I could do and hold me back" oh and don't forget about the breast implants and weight I needed to lose (I'm 5'7" and 125 lbs):rage:

 

[ShesSoVaVaVoom]

He was also the one that told me my tattoos would "limit what I could do and hold me back" oh and don't forget about the breast implants and weight I needed to lose (I'm 5'7" and 125 lbs):rage:

back hand to that guy! what a jerk, it sounds like you are confident enough to not let something like that turn you into something you aren't. very comendable! what weight would someone like that expect you to lose? jeez, lose too much and your gonna be all skin and bone and nothing left to photograph!

 

[SuperKawaiiMama]

I have a large tattoo on my back which is not particularly vintage in subject, but is very me. I rather love the fact that we can dress up so nicely in our vintage threads with our polished, lady-like looks, and have something like this going on underneath. I actually wrote a post on my blog about it the other day covering the whys and wherefor's. Also, there is an excellent post by Gala Darling about things to know, think about and do before you get a tattoo. I'd recommend reading that one before taking the plunge.

 

[Tatum]

Inky, you are my HERO! I want sleeves, darnit! The hubby says he'll divorce me if I do...

I think you all make great points here. It really is a big decision to make, and tattoos aren't for everyone. I have a few myself, none that I regret, most that I can't imagine being without; some not so visible and then two you can't really miss (unless I opt for a collared shirt and a wide bracelet) but I get more attention from my hair.

I have had my oldest for twelve years, and the newest is three years old (the second newest is eight), and the best advice I can give -- pretend you have it already. Have a friend draw on you with a Sharpie and walk around for a few days. I made my little sis go through that, and she still thanks me. (She got the tattoo anyway, and just got her second!)

Oh, and SwingingBee, that needle and thread is just darling! My mom would adore it!