I really wanted to get a tattoo for my 30th birthday. Mike, however, was totally against it. Now, usually I don't ask for his permission. If I want to do something, especially if it doesn't really have ramifications for anyone else, I do it. But he had such a strong negative reaction to the mere thought of me getting a tattoo, that I respected his wishes and remained ink free.
I've kind of come up with some tattoo rules based on my own opinions of body art:
1. Size matters: Tattoos smaller than a dollar bill are pretty ok with me. But in general I think showing more ink than skin is a turn off.
2. Location, location, location: This kind of goes along with #1. I never, never, never think tattoos on the face are attractive. As a general rule of thumb -- and if I ever get a tattoo -- putting them where they can easily covered up seems like the best idea. My cousin Maggie has a really beautiful floral tattoo on her arm, but it goes all the way down her arm and I can't help but thinking, "What's that gonna look like with a wedding dress some day?"
This is a pretty cool spot (though the thought of having a spider crawling around my body gives me the heebie jeebies. Also, this falls under rule # 4.)
3. Color me beautiful: Part of what makes Maggie's tattoo so pretty is that is gorgeously colored. Monochrome tattoos are just ugly.
Check out the colors in this one:
4. Avoid ugly art: Call me square, but I hate ugly art. Skulls, daggers, barbed wire, drips of blood. Ugly art.
5. Think about your future: Sure that tattoo looks cool now, but when she's 65 and a bit wrinkled, how will she feel about her butterfly wings then?
Similarly, that Winnie the Pooh tattoo might seem sweet when your kids are still babies, but how about when they are 35?
6. Try a sweatshirt or a hat: I love the Indianapolis Colts as much as the next gal. But I don't feel the need to permanently display that on my skin.
Having said all that, I still think I might like to get a tattoo. Maybe for my 40th birthday? Maybe my little jumping frog guy? Smaller than a dollar, of course, in full color, and somewhere I can keep it covered unless I choose to show it. Now I just have to convince Mike.
13 comments:
You have always been honest in your posts - whether I agree with you or not doesn't matter you'll do what you want.
FOR THE RECORD - when you ask me if you should get a tattoo, I always give you my opinion which is (and always will be) "NO."
But it is your body and you can do what you want, whether you respect my opinion on this matter or not.
If you get a tattoo it will be part of you FOREVER. I love you so I guess I will have to learn to love a tattoo too :(
My husband is anti-tattoo. I don't feel passionately enough about getting one that it matters to me. A time might come when it will feel "right" to get one. I guess my bottom line is that I just don't care. Someone else having no tattoos, 1 tattoo, or 500 tattoos really has no impact on me.
Hello! I just thought I would add something to your tattoo rules...And I know this one from personal experience....I have one tattoo, I got it a month after my husband went to jail. Its a dolphin with his name. I filed for divorce the first week of June...Now I have to pay to have his name covered.
So the point being this story is never get a spouse/boyfriend/girlfriends name tattooed on your body....
Does that make any sense???
Sara
@Sara -- A most excellent rule. Sorry you figured it out the hard way.
Psshaw! Tattoo your face off Amy!! I say boo to your rules. If I get a tattoo, it will be a Christopher Walken mask over my face! I am just waiting to save up the money first.
All joking aside, I agree with your rules because they are your rules. The choice of a tattoo is a serious one, way more serious than getting anything pierced at least that can grow back or taken out. Body art and modification is a beautiful field to me. I always said that if I didn't have Jake I would have been tattooed and pierced all over. I would have been one of those bums with a sign "Will Knit For Ink".
Anyway, I think your frog would be an excellent choice. Tasteful, and meaningful. DO IT! (Sorry Mike!)
I totally agree with your rules !! And one of your commenter's about the name thing - no names!!
I got my first tattoo a week after Greg died, my stepdaughter and I went together and she got one as well. Mine's a celtic cross and a saying on the back of my neck, and it has some of G's ashes in it.
I will be 40 next month and I have a few ideas about one, I really want one on my inner wrist, but it will be a "white ink" one if I do.
Amy - great rules. I fought with my son for a while about his getting a tattoo -- when he turned 19 he did it without my knowledge - I didn't know until he returned from his overseas trip. I had seen his drawings but hoped it wasn't true. I was shocked at the size - across his back a beautiful eagle. As I uncovered his back and looked at it in dismay he reminded me he was the same person before I saw the tattoo - sigh. Kids with good thought processes what do you do?? He now has a half sleeve - which I hate seeing but its there and I still love him. Actually what I loath the most is the cost.
Rant over and PS I think your darling little frog in a discreet place would be cute - sorry Mike.
Amy ~ I would do it, if it I wasn't such a wimp. But, I'm afraid of pain. I am a doodler, and if I did it, it would be one of my doodles, a vine with five flowers and the boys initials in the vine. I haven't decided where I would put it. I'd like it around my ankle. But, like you said I would want to be able to cover it (and not have to wear pants and socks all the time).
My hubby is anti-tattoo as well for me although he thinks it's perfectly fine if he has one (which he doesn't as of yet). He knows that one day I will have one though. Not sure what yet as I'm really picky about what I want to be stuck with the rest of my life. It will probably be something cute and small that I can hide since I work in an office and need to be professional.
My sis-in-law has a heart on her foot that is just right above a high heel and it's really cute
okay, a comment from your conservative LDS friend here--get a pack of markers until this phase passes.
I've always said if I were to get a tattoo, it would be on the back of my hand and would read:
"If found, please return to Kent 719-555-1212."
Other than that, I see no reason to color on my body.
So go get some washable markers and experiment first. One of my daughters friends does the henna thing...its on for awhile then dissappears.
Hubby and I have been having the same conversations. We're both over 30, yet I still have the nudge to get one, with meaning. It doesn't help that the field of work I am in has me surrounded by people who have tats, so it's constantly in my face (literally). Now I just need to nail down the design and location of where I want it.
I really want one too... but I'm a HUGE wimp... if I DO get one it will have something with my kids initials (and I was smart, they all have the same initials haha) and it will be small... somewhere that can be covered... if I can get up the nerve. My hubby could care less... wait that didn't sound right. Not that he doesn't CARE, he just would be ok with it if I got one, that sounds better! LOL But... I'm chicken. (Did I say that already?!) Be sure to let us know what you decide!
Tattoos don't hurt. They are a form of personal expression. If you are this much of a wimp or want something so insignificant or need someone's permission- then you should not get a tattoo. It's not that big of a deal. And if youre so concerned with getting old then you've got bigger problems than just what your tattoo might look like on your future skin.
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