Discussions
Are Tattoos Still "Cool"?
Posted by Rory • 6/20/09 • Subscribe to this Discussion [RSS] • Report This Topic
Topics: ink, tats, tattoos
I'm thinking that NOT having a tattoo these days is being more of a rebel than having one, two, or more.
I'm not a prude by any stretch, but I'm having difficulties of late with the fact that everyone and their kids have tats now. It's come to the point that, sorry ladies, that they're just not becoming at all.
Excessive piercings and excessive tats are not, again in my book, attractive. One nice tat, maybe hidden away on your shoulder blade is okay. And screw the statement that you're expressing yourself ... can you imagine what Kat Von D is going to look like at 70??!
What are your thoughts?
User Comments
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It doesn't matter if I/we think it's cool as long as the person likes it. And who cares what you look like when your 70? You're 70 years old.-
precisely!
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I understand it's a personal choice and the person might be making a statement. It's art, etc.
Enh. I believe/feel ... it's just my opinion ... that it's a waste. Beautiful women aren't so beautiful with so many tats that they'd blend into a wall mural.
It's just a question of is it "so last year"? -
Wah! she's not pretty anymore! I can't lust after her or appreciate her beauty because her personality is getting in the way!
blech -
What Siuil said. Just because you don't like them doesn't mean every one shares your opinion. I think girls with full sleeves, and lots of piercings can be very hot.
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I understand that! It is my opinion. I respect yours fully, but I'm thinking wayyy differently on this subject.
This dialogue is exactly what I was hoping to see on this discussion. Beauty IS in the eye of the beholder.
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They're good for identification.
I'm still a big fan of the licence plate too, damn thats hot. -
I don't know if they are cool, but they are certainly hip and groovy...they might even be bodacious...
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I dislike tatoos and piercings but every generation is out to establish a "unique identity" that distinguishes them from the last generation and any attempt to crtique their choices makes them defensive and nasty.
Suffice to say this is the taboo and piercing fad has been around since the 70's so one may assume it's pretty much on the way out.
I have girlfriends who went for tattoos and piercings. Most of their piercings have been allowed to grow in. Those who have breast and belly and butt tatoos now agree that they look terrible after their skin stretched during their pregnancies.
I'm glad I didn't toss my modeling contract off and do what they did.-
Got to disagree with you on the 'going out of style' thing...Most of my friends have body mods of some kind. I don't think it's a rebellion thing, more of a self-expression thing. I don't get why people are so down on mods...you don't want them don't get them, why moan about what other people do with their bodies?
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I'm not down on anything and I sure as hell ain't moaning. Another generation draws attention by distinguishing themselves for purposes of "self expression". Who cares, except them? I don't. ... BORING
When people of older generations provide open and honest feedback, they get defensive and nasty, and/or try to invent higher purposes for doing what they did in the first place.
Tatoos, piercing, weird hair, unusual clothes, make-up, jewelry etc. ie. are all a means of using the body as a billboard to proclaim "I'm unique, different. I'm not like my parents!"
Frankly, I don't give a damn and I'm guessing the OP doesn't either. We are both of an age when we know we can dangle this topic before members of your generation as bait and cause a blow back ... BORING -
right...
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LOL Timethief ... nothing worse than a saggy butt tattoo!
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It's been around longer than that, TT.
My father is well into senior citzenship, and he has plenty of tattoos from when he was a young little whippersnapper.
Which was what he was called back in those days.
And that's just in the north American continent with regards to the people who currently reside here. Tribal tattoos and facial peircings, markings, and sacrimonial tattoos have been around as long as man kind.
The first "tattoo machine" was a small shard of a tooth or bone with a piece of sinew attached to it. The sinew was dipped in the dye, and the tattoo was literally sewn onto the skin. -
Apparently the word 'tattoo' is onomatopoeic in origin...it's the sound that is made in traditional Maori tattooing: 'tat' is the first tap on the chisel-type device and the the 'too' is the dulled sound as it enters the skin and so doesn't resonate as much.
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I've heard that as well.
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Here are the types of tattoos I think should be put out to rest: tramp stamps, chinese characters that people have no idea what the hell they mean, names of partners, and tattoos where it's obvious from the start that the tattoo artist has the talent of a preschooler with color crayons.-
Fully agree. -
... lol ...
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I fully agree with you there! LOL. And some of those tattoos where you're wondering "what the hell were they thinking!?!?"
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Yikes...that's just awful!
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It's like "Evil Dead" version of her.
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I'd just sellotape the photo to my arm permanently. Those teeth are horrific. Poor guy.
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Oh my god... ROFLMAOCOPTER
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Hahaha, theres not many sight that crack me up with the first picture.
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I think tattoos are cool. i want to have some someday. but there are some complications. -
My daughter's 19. She thinks they're beautiful. She has a huge one of a wild woman on her back, and is about to get another right beneath her collarbone. Whether they're cool or passe is irrelevant. People should do what they feel like. -
I was thinking, if I get a fancy multi-color tattoo - it would be that better image of this one (can't find the one online handy)
myweb.tiscali.co.uk/thekeep/html/sm/recaps/sm_recap_smua/fifth_element_boat...-
Where would you put this tattoo?
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I would place it in the green "Socially Acceptable Rebellious Tattoo Zone" of course
www.cracked.com/funny-298-tattoos/
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I have one tattoo. I got it in 1973, years before tattoos on women were considered acceptable. It is discreetly placed (only my husband sees it).
It's a biker "property of" tattoo, a remnant of my checkered past, and he likes it. -
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timethief wrote:
Tatoos, piercing, weird hair, unusual clothes, make-up, jewelry etc. ie. are all a means of using the body as a billboard to proclaim "I'm unique, different. I'm not like my parents!"
Frankly, I don't give a damn and I'm guessing the OP doesn't either. We are both of an age when we know we can dangle this topic before members of your generation as bait and cause a blow back ... BORING
I have to strongly disagree with what you've said here. Of course you are entitled to your opinion as we all are but I don't agree with your comments above.
I do not believe that people get them just to be "walking billboards" as you put it. There are many people out there that appreciate art in many forms and tattoo's are considered as such by those who have them, in most cases. My b/f has 18 tattoo's in total and he has never gotten a single one of them to "show them off".
Each and every one of them represents a very significant moment in his life. I can guarantee you he does not have them to gain attention or make a statement of any kind .. They are there for him and him only. He is also a 43 year old professional.
I also found your statement about "generations" to be null and void where this topic is concerned.. What does age have anything to do with body art? It's all about personal choice and self expression. It would be nice if people would realize that not everyone gets inked just for "shock value".
Some of us do this for commerative reasons, some cultures do it to show rank and tell of family lines (take the Maori tribes of New Zealand or the Samoans for example), and yes some do it "because it's cool"
But to lump all tattoo lovers into one box is quite close minded imho...-
My husband often purposely covers his tattoos to avoid comments or attention from them. They are for him, and the "for him" part includes the experience and the pain of actually getting it. In fact to him, that was the most important part of the process.
Tattoos are so highly personal, I dare say it's unfair to judge anyone who has one unless you know them personally.
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they are not out of fashion, but the craze is ebbing out. -
Tats and piercings are so nineties.-
Really? My friends were into them in the seventies and only two hard core narcissists have continued to add to them since then.
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Wait...so now anyone who gets tattoos is a narcissist? How do you figure that?
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My friends were into them in the seventies and only two hard core narcissists have continued to add to them since then.
Why is it that you choose to make up words I did not say and attribute them to me?
What are you defending that you would go to that extent?
How come you figure that you have a right to state an opinion but I don't? -
on another thread you suggested that narcissism and tattoos were related, or that we were narcissists?
www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/what-are-some-great-blogs#comment_999225
You are being really passive aggressive all of a sudden...what's your problem? -
Problem!? What problem?!
Can't you tell that from the outset of this post I've been taking the piss out of you? I even telegraphed that to you in my first, oops! second comment here.
Frankly, I don't give a damn and I'm guessing the OP doesn't either. We are both of an age when we know we can dangle this topic before members of your generation as bait and cause a blow back ... BORING
I really don't care who voluntarily scars their body.
I'm just having fun baiting people because I'm bored. -
Ladies, please ... oh, if only we had a mud pit, these things would be easily and more entertainingly solved.
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??????
Ok, glad you're having a good time...but frankly, you're coming off as a dick. -
Friday13
Please don't leap to the conclusion that I'm angry because I'm not. I'm just teasing Suil, whom I happen to like very much.
@SiuilARuin
Please lighten up and also ditch the name calling. You can defend piercing and tatooing all you want, it won't change my mind. And I'm not going to change yours so let it go. Okay? -
I'm not leaping to conclusions. It's just another feature suggestion for BC
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I'm sorry...please do continue to be rude and tease me for your own amusement.
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@Friday
Hmmm ... a virtual mud wrestling pit - what an intriguing idea for a feature.
@SiuilARuin
Your wish is my command ?! Or shall I say, "by your command?"
I'm off to eat dinner. Catch you later. -
This could be a really good discussion about sociological differences and behaviors, and how people align themselves and/or express themselves. Plus the benefit of learning about little known, and widely misunderstood art forms and sociological/culteral practices.
Why not discuss it? -
@Anok
Really? Then go for it and I'll catch up with you all after I eat because I'm famished and the cabbage rolls are ready.
P.S. It seems where I live this piercing & tatooing has pretty much died out but I take it that it's going strong elsewhere. I wonder why that is? -
I agree with discussing it as long as people can keep their cool and not attack others (or pretend to). It's a friggin' online forum, for FSM's sake.
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oh man - and just when I had something good to say too
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hey, don't look at me! I was trying to have a discussion...TimeThief was the one who decided to try and rile me by acting...well...like that...for some reason...
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Will do Enjoy those rolls!
To answer your question, I don't know, because I don't know enough about where you live. I can say that certain time periods and certain places have attached stigmas to tattooing, and so city ordinances were passed to ban the practice within city limits. In other places there may have been a problem with proper tattooing and sterilized equipment, thus rendering it unsafe or unsavory for health reasons. (it happens!).
In other cases it could be the changing sociological climate of an area based on age, gender, religion, economics and so forth. (or even a combination of all of the above).
*shrug*!
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Did the Tatoos and piercings fashion come naturally?
"Since Global High Tech Feudalism is the political-economic model of the future, implantable ID chips will be inevitably marketed to young people as being "cool" -- like the fad for body piercing and tattoos."
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEzv0pupetI -
Everyone is entitled to express themselves as they see fit. We live in America.
I don't like tattoos or body piercings, but I am 46. Few people in my age group get tats or piercings.
My only real big problem with them is if someone who has a lot of piercings is serving me food. Then I am sometimes grossed out. -
my tattoos are lovely. i have 5. and if i make it to 70 i imagine i will have body problems other than whether the tattoos I have look ridiculous! i didn't get them to be cool - they aren't even really visible depending on what I wear. they all have very personal significance, so they weren't really anything to do with rebelling etc. i think that is a very presumptive/cliche view. they are just like many other things in life - much more accessible and acceptable today than they might have been before. but they have always been around. and always will be i guess! -
Okay, I'm going to stir things up a bit again.
I appreciate everyone's comments. Everyone's. Because at the end of the day, it's your opinion and I respect that. I also respect a person's right to tattoo every square inch of their body - if that's how they want to express themselves. Case in point:
Not my ... my ... image of beauty.
So, is getting a tattoo really an expression of oneself or are you just getting tattoos because that's the "norm" these days?
Let the bashing of Rory begin!! -
Oh dear lord. My eyes! My eyes! -
I think she's beautiful, actually.
Then again, I find beauty in things that modern society tends not to. The bigbusty blondes in heels and proper fashion (whatever happens to be in fashion) isn't beautiful to me at all.
That women endured years of pain for those tattoos, probably enjoying and learning from every minute of her experiences - and her tattoos no doubt reflect her personally, but for people with so many, each one is usually indicitave of a personal achievement or milestone in their life.
Every square inch of ink has meaning, and they are literally wearing their hearts an dtheir history on their sleeves.
Why wouldn't that be considered beautiful? Oh, right, because she's old, wrinkly, and must be trying to prove something to her parents or peers, and not conforming with all of the other blue hairs who shave off their eyebrows and then draw them back in, getting botox, and dying their skin at tanning salons. -
I find it really hard to look at, mainly because I know what kind of pain she must have endured to achieve it.
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I bet she has some awesome stories.
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I'm sure it was painful - but that's what makes it so impressive.
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I'm with Anok, I think she looks beautiful. Really stunning!
I especially love the stuff on her scalp...feeling even more excited about getting my scalp done...but not for a few years, I think. -
Hey look, its Michael Scofields mum
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Pass the eye bleach quick! I think she looks ugly as opposed to looking attractive. BTW beauty is in the eye of the beholder and I have a right to express my opinion.
I have heard every line of BS ever spun about tatoos and their special significance to those North Americans, who have them for special, and oh so very personal reasons since 1970, and I think it's all a crock - so bite me! -
What's the beef, TT? This topic seems to have made you rather aggressive...
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So TT are you suggesting that tribal tattoos are a crock? despite the cultural significance?
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Tattoos have been around since the dawn of man, TT.
Although some people get them to follow a trend, it is clear that this woman is not one of them, and gets them for a signifigant reason.
Those who get a tattoo to be trendy typically regret them shortly there after. Those who continue to get them are obviously not following a fad, and are doing so for personal reasons.
While I certainly respect the opinion that something (any style or lifestyle choice) may not be sexually attractive to another, nor would they present themselves in the same way - I think it's actually extremely harsh to label it as "ugly", "boring", or any other derogatory phrase that induces wide sweeping generalizations about personal grooming habits and presentation.
The artwork is beautiful (would you not appreciate it if it were on a canvass instead of a body?), the dedication to it is admirable. Why not agree that it is personally not your style, but respect that others do in fact think it is beautiful, meaningful, and spiritual? -
this I like... I like it because she's not being halfassed about it. -
@Sam
So TT are you suggesting that tribal tattoos are a crock? despite the cultural significance?
No. I usually say what I mean and mean what I say. I referred above to North Americans. They are not Polynesians and they are Tahitians, etc. In fact, they are all Caucasians, who are not members of any tribes wherein tatoos and piercing have cultural significance. Perhaps one could say that by becoming tatooed and pierced youth (circa 1970 - 2000) they created their own "tribe" and "cultural" subgroup of sorts within Canadian society.
@Anok
Tattoos have been around since the dawn of man, TT.
Ummm ... and did you think I didn't know that?
The question is: Are Tattoos Still "Cool"?
My answer is "no". I have never thought they were cool. Between the 1970's and 1990's where I live they were a mark of belonging to the counterculture just as spiky blue, red or green hair was and now they have become passe'. -
In my opinion, you can't judge a tattoo just by what It looks like, not until you know the reasoning behind getting it done. What may look like scribble to you, may have some meaning to them. If I have a tattoo of my daughters handprint - to you it would be just a handprint but to me it would have a much deeper meaning.
If I were to get a tattoo of a skull and crossbone, to you it may mean that I'm a biker gang wannabe but to me it may mean that I really like the art or really like the work in which the artist creates - perhaps the artist themself has more significance than the tattoo itself. -
She puts me in mind of the Borg Queen.
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The fact that North Americans are Caucasion, and may not - to the best of your knowledge - belong to a tribe doesn't negate the symbolic meaning of tattoos. (Many seemingly "white" people are actually still in fact native AMericicans who still belong to tribes, not that that matters)
One doesn't need to be from Papua New Gunnea in order to enjoy a tattoo. Nor do they need to have gotten one prior to 1970. (My father, a pasty white man, got his prior to 1970, does that make his signifigant?).
The point of the matter is that tattoos have along and rich history that people are preserving, regardless of what trend whores are doing.
Why is that bad? -
Even white peoples have a tradition of staining the skin...though it was rarely permanent (probably because they didn't know how to do it), Germanic, Celtic, British and Irish societies stained the skin. If I pay tribute to my heritage with a tattoo is that a crock? Or am I only allowed to do it with woad?
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I think tat in order to further this debate, we should ask the OP what s/he means by "attracted" to a person with tattoos.
I am rarely sexually attracted to a person on looks a lone. So if s/he means sexual attraction, then I'm pretty sure my answer would be no, same as it would for 99.9% of the population out there. But would I be attracted to them personally, on a platonic level? Perhaps. No garuantees, same as anyone else.
I think the question really should be - why do we care what others do with their bodies?
And does anyone else realize that tattoos, while certainly a flash in the pan fad for those who follow fashion - have been a well respected artform for thousands of years? Often denoting family, age, marital status, religious status, religion, and spiritual developments of people and tribes since men and women started modifying their bodies.
People shy away and poke fun at what they do not understand, and automatically label it as rebellion and conformity to non conformity, when in fact for most people who have extensive tattooing or body modifications, it's an entire spiritual, psychological process that has great meaning, and often show cases incredible art work.
It shouldn't be disrespected by being blown off as an ugly fad. They're not bell bottoms for goodness sake -
To each their own. A simple enough idea. Why is it so hard to follow?
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Because if we allow others to do as they see fit without social permission and social rejection, we lose the ability to validate our own choices by way of social conformity and/or social hierarchy?
(I'm just guessing here).
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Were they ever? (Cool, that is.)
Although I was thinking about getting my first one on my 75th birthday.-
Yes, they were. In fact in some cultures getting a tattoo is a right of passage and is symbolic of entering into adulthood. Facial tattoos in some cultures carry a heavy social respect, and are coveted, but can only be done if the person has earned the prized right.
Other tattoos are symbolic of family lineage, tradition, religion, or social authority, achievements, and spiritual milestones.
In popular culture (think US etc) - tattoos are symbolic of milestones in one's life, are done in rememberence of loved ones, have spiritual signifigance, or to celebrate acheivements.
Some people do simply have them for art's sake - and enjoy being a living canvas.
However, if you think about it, tattoos are permanent, so they can never be a "trend". because trends are transient. they come and go, but tattoos do not. So while the popularity may change in certain societies, a tattoo should never be done to be "cool" because then it will be regretted. -
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Tattoos suck.
Branding and scarring is the in thing these days.-
I know someone who got branded ahead of the curve 6 years ago. At that point i realized anyone still getting tattoos were a bit passe. I did like his "ferdinand the bull" tatt.... one of the few tatts i've liked. But since then, i've realized "ferdinand the bull" tatts are a dime a dozen. Still would consider it my favorite.
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Well fashion keep on changing so i think having 1-2 tattoes is good but the size and shape keep on changing and its valid about every fashion stuff -
Cool is out; passe is in. Spread the word around.
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Once again, I'm jaded as far as hipster fads go. I'm the only person I know in my closest circles who doesn't have a tatt. I wish I could see them as original, creative thought, but I rarely do anymore. Sure they are a sign of creative non-attachment to the flesh, which i think is awesome, but from conversations with most people getting their tatts it is about copying other "cool" ppl they know. It's a bit too much reminiscent of marketing schemes and Jr. High. Maybe I'll get a tatt once i remove myself from the crowd of people who all have tatts.
The skin is the largest organ in the body... i guess I'd much rather get temporarily inked/hennaed as a means of practicing non-attachment to symbols/beauty/life... but that is just me. -
timethief wrote:
I have heard every line of BS ever spun about tatoos and their special significance to those North Americans, who have them for special, and oh so very personal reasons since 1970, and I think it's all a crock - so bite me!
Not attacking you timethief, but do you truly feel that there is no chance whatsoever, that someone might have tattoo's because they do represent something significant, special or personal?
As I said before, you do have a right to your opinion and that's ok. I just don't understand why your so bothered by this ... It's not being forced on you nor are you forced to consort with those who have tattoo's. You seem to be very close minded about this ... and completely unwilling to just say " do what you want there just not for me".
I'm not trying to change your mind in any way but I want to share something with you. Last year, my partner and I lost our son, he was very very young ... Part of our mourning process was getting his name, birthday & angel date tattooed on ourselves ..
To us, it was a way to carry him with us (not that we could ever forget) But I must admit to you... if someone saw said tattoo and really "knocked" it, I would feel quite insulted as it represents something so special to me ...
You have every right not to like them hun, I just don't understand why you react so negatively to those who have them.
Bettie
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