Have Tattoos Become A Fashion Statement???

[Alex]

I have a tattoo. I recently got it after years of wanting one ever since I was a kid. I thought long and hard about what I wanted stuck on me forever and then got it. I like the artistic qualities of tattoos. I love the idea of artwork on skin for whatever reason (similar to all other forms of art) I dig it.

However I feel that nowadays tattoos have become more of a fashion statement moreso than anything. I read an article online a month or two ago about celebrity tattoos. For lack of a better term they were shit. Generic solitary designs that were really small. I watched a program talking about tattoos called My Tattoo Addiction. Showing people tattooing names on ass cheeks and profanity etc.

Now I know stuff like this has happened before and will continue to do so and certain tattoo designs have always been popular and are used by several people. But when it's happening with such regularity, are some people treating tattoos as a fashion accessory like a new pair of shoes??

 

[Richard Blonoff]

I think they have to an extent, but I also think another part of it is tattoos gaining mainstream acceptance and shedding the negative stigma they once had.

I have two myself. I got my first on my 20th birthday, and I got my second about 7 months later. I have a few other ideas, but I'm not in a huge hurry. I see so many people who turn 18 and run out and get a generic star tattoo or some pretty generic wall flash. When I was 18 I was big into pirates and everyone told me I should get a skull and bones tattoo. I'm glad I didn't, but I know a lot of people who do that, they just get tattoos on a whim because it is a cool thing to do.

 

[The Dragon Saga]

Yup, they are. And chances are most will one day regret it.

Everyday my Facebook timeline has some new girl (all looser than Randy Orton's shoulders mind you) posting pictures of their latest ink. Some get, "Believe" on their wrist, others get "one day your dream will come true," and other "inspirational" crap that really means nothing to them. They just decided as an attempt to be cool they'd get tattoo's without meaning, not that there is anything wrong with getting an inspirational quote tattooed on your body if that's your thing, but when I read one of the girls replies as to why she got some quote tattooed on the side of her torso, her reply was, "I saw it in a magazine."

 

[George Steele's Barber]

Pretty much. Growing up tattoos were more about status or accomplishment. Tough guys had tattoos like bikers and sailors. Today it seems pretty commonplace. Some tattoos still have meaning but it seems like most are in order to show off a design.

It's not for me. My body should be hidden away for no one to see, not even myself. Then again most people are hideous enough to the point they should be covered up as well. I also see how bad so many look after a few years. If you get a tattoo I think you should try to keep it updated with fresh color every now and again. Not to mention the way the body sags after a while. Plus a mom bending over to pick up their toddler and having their spring break tramp stamp jump out is kind of embarassing.

So yes, tattoos really are just a fashion statement. You can barely tell apart anymore the badasses from heiresses.

Of and any woman that puts a tattoo on their breast should be fined and court ordered to have the tattoos removed. So mark up natures feeding ground.

 

[Dave]

Well it all depends on who's using them and why.

In terms of being universally fashionable, I don't think so. You still have people who resent those who have them and would initially judge that person for choosing to mark themselves with a message or image for the rest of their lives.

That said, I definitely think that the younger generations subscribe to the idea of them becoming fashion statements, the idea of their body being a canvas is quite appealing to a lot of people and having looked at some of the most art that people have had etched into themselves, and it's not hard to see why.

Personally, I have two tattoos and I didn't get them to be fashionable, I got them simply because I enjoy tattooing and they mean something to me. Whether I am alone in that, I doubt it.

 

[Serious Mozzarella]

I don't think so. People are still pretty understanding that tattoos are a permanent addition to your body, and because of that most people tend to be more careful about what they're doing. Most people who get tattoos get ones that are pretty personal to them.

I'm of course not referring to those pop culture idiots who get tattoos of whatever fad is happening at the moment. You know, the fucks that got Chuck Norris jokes tattooes on their chest, or Gangam Style tattooed on their arm, or something equally ******ed.

 

[MrAnderson123]

Yes, in my eyes.
I've got three. And they actually mean something to me. They have deep meanings and each time I look at them, it just reminds me of the reason I got it.

But then you get the idiots.
Face tattoos. I mean, really? What is the point? You won't get anywhere looking like you let your kid go to town on your face with a Sharpie.
Hand Tattoos. Again, ruins your job prospects in life.
I have mine where I can hide them if I have a meeting or job interview.
Some take the piss though.
So yeah, it's become a fashion statement. Will it go away? Highly unlikely.
But that's thw world we live in nowadays.

 

[CH David]

Ehhhhhh kinda sorta. A lot of people see a certain tattoo on a celebrity or an athlete and they want to get that same thing. It's why barbed wire tattoos and shit written in other languages that you don't know what it says are on a lot of people. In those cases, it is, and those people are idiot sheep.

My brother used to have a few weird or "stupid" tattoos when he was younger, a near his neck on his back, a wizard on his arm. But then he started getting more custom work done. I don't know exactly what they mean to him, but they look good and have taken quite some time. Not one stop to the shop, multiple visits.

When I eventually get one, once I figure out exactly what I want, I'll know the meaning behind it and why I wanted it. It won't be because someone I saw had it. It would have to be custom.

 

[Slash-LN]

As Rainbow Yaz said they are just more acceptable so more people are getting them. I have two right now. One on each forearm. One means a lot to me and one kind of means something to me. I won't regret it later though.
I waited until I was 26 to get my first one and it was one I knew for sure I wanted. It was a year before I got the second one.
I can cover them with long sleeves if I need to.
When I was in high school we had a student teacher in one of my classes and when she would bend over you could see her tramp stamp. I guess people at the time would look down upon that but now I think people would be more accepting of it.
I get questions about mine sometimes like what do they mean and did they hurt and stuff. It doesn't bother me. The only people I've heard negative remarks from are my parents.

 

[HellBoundPower]

It really depends on the people getting them, the tattoos they get, and why they get them. There are definitely some people that get them as a fashion statement. People that usually get tribal bands or Chinese Hanzi or Japanese Kanji on their arms while going to the gym, wearing the latest Affliction t-shirts, and riding their Yamaha crotch rockets to all their parties to drink "brewskis" are DEFINITELY trying to portray an image. Or women getting tramp stamps that say "Daddy's Girl" are trying to look like dirty ****es. But there are still people out there that see a deeper value in tattoos and see it as an art form.

I myself have one tattoo, and am planning on more. I've taken my time with the planning though, because if there's going to be something permanently on my body, I want to make sure that it's personal, meaningful, and that I'll never regret getting it. Tattoos are a personal choice, and can be beautiful. They can also be stupid. Depends on the person, the tattoo, and the meaning behind it.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

Absolutely. I think tattoos have been a fashion statement for a very long time. I think it started in the mid to late 90s, which was when it seemed damn near everybody was getting some sort of tribal tattoo or barbed wire around their arms or necks. Off the top of my head, I can remember half a dozen guys that I went to school with that all got the exact same Bill Goldberg tattoo on their shoulders.

If anything, tats have become even more of a fashion statement. There are tattoo reality & reality competition shows on television now for God's sake.

 

[Lowdown]

Yes and no. It first depends on the individual. Like some of you I have two tats myself, one of which is a concept of my surname. But it's a huge culture among celebrities and athletes. Look at guys like LeBron; hey had tats before he even graduated high school. A lot of young cats look at him as a trend setter, and thus some, especially kids, want to emulate that. Some see black men with tats as thugs, or maybe see white men as musicians. I'm not gonna dive into that type of thinking, cause I don't know myself. I want more, sure. But it's been almost five years since I got one, and I've been thinking of a design ever since. For me it has to be something the represents me, or something close to me.

 

[Loveless]

I think that they're so commonplace that they've actually become an anti-fashion. There are so many bad or clichéd tattoos around right now that seeing one that is actually good, artful or meaningful is rare.

 

[Dilligaf]

I have 3, my kids names on each of my forearms.

"Darren" on my right forearm & "Wayne" on my left forearm, as a lasting tribute to how much i love them both.

Also, many of you know the Undertaker emblem 20-0 on my left arm.

For many years i wanted to have my kids names done, but my wife wouldnt let me have them done as she said i didnt need to desicrate my body to prove how much i love my kids.

But i decided to have them all done after long discussions with her, and have never regretted it at all.

If you want to get tattoos done, think long & hard before you get them done, but do it for yourself & not because some celeb has got one you like, it might look good on them, but will it be the same for you?

Tattoos should always mean something to you, if you wanna get one done, thats your choice, dont let people run you down because you have one & they dont like it.

 

[Cena's Little Helper]

I have 3, my kids names on each of my forearms.

"Darren" on my right forearm & "Wayne" on my left forearm, as a lasting tribute to how much i love them both.

Also, many of you know the Undertaker emblem 20-0 on my left arm.

For many years i wanted to have my kids names done, but my wife wouldnt let me have them done as she said i didnt need to desicrate my body to prove how much i love my kids.

But i decided to have them all done after long discussions with her, and have never regretted it at all.

If you want to get tattoos done, think long & hard before you get them done, but do it for yourself & not because some celeb has got one you like, it might look good on them, but will it be the same for you?

Tattoos should always mean something to you, if you wanna get one done, thats your choice, dont let people run you down because you have one & they dont like it.

Why didn't you just wait until the Undertaker's career was over until you added the record? Are you going to get it changed every year he wins (or loses) at Wrestlemania?

 

[Dilligaf]

Why didn't you just wait until the Undertaker's career was over until you added the record? Are you going to get it changed every year he wins (or loses) at Wrestlemania?

i had it done to celebrate the fact he went 20-0 & to the fact i was there in miami to witness it first hand.

and no, i wont be changing it to reflect future wins/losses in the future.

 

[Agent Of S.H.I.E.L.D.]

People are by and large very stupid and easily led by the nose. They are a herd of depressingly stupid sheep. If Joe Blow gets a tattoo of some shitty tribal design, someone else will see it and have to do the same thing. There will always be those kinds of folks with anything like piercings, ink, clothes, and etc.

The kids that work at Hot Topic are the greatest. I don't think you can work there unless you have enough dyed hair and piercings to qualify as "DESPERATELY NEEDING ATTENTION FROM ANYONE PLEEEEASE"

 

[fenderjapan]

I think there are lots of cliche'd tattoos...like the japanese symbols for some word that is meaningful, etc. etc. Thats not to say that if someone has something meaningful they want to represent on a tattoo they shouldnt get one... I'm just not a fan of the overdone/cliche tattoo stuff.

I have a half sleeve on one arm and a large tattoo on the other. I don't take my tattoos too seriously. They are meaningful but they are also just tattoos of things that I like.

 

[Slice]

Personally I think it's like Justin Bieber: just because I think he sounds like garbage, doesn't mean the million or so people that love him are wrong. Same way I think that yeah, some people treat tattoos like... I dunno, piercings? Or some other type of accessory, and other people treat it as art on the canvas of the human body. Nobody's wrong, per se.

I've got a pretty big backpiece and a smaller piece on my chest, both done as reminders to myself, and kind of telling a story, each of them. Almost nobody I know even knows I have tattoos, as I rarely take off my shirt (I live on an island, yet I'm rarely at the beach -_-)

But yeah, I think tattoos definitely should start with YOU; you're the only one they matter to in the end (and beginning).

And on a side note, that Taker emblem looks pretty sweeeet bro

 

[Vault08]

I want to get some ink one day, not a ton, but some, and definitely nothing just for the hell of it