Tattoos on older women

Tattoos did go through a ‘trendy’ phase a while ago, but the overall opinion ( amongst people I know anyway ) is that they’re still ‘common’ - especially on women. Men can pull them off better.
I remember reading this in a book on Etiquette years ago and it always stuck with me:

Tattoos

Your attitude regarding these things should be that while you respect people’s right to be disfigured by so called ‘body art’, it is also your right to point out that an arm that resembles a public laboratory wall is not a good look.

Almost every young person with a tattoo will become an old, then very old person with tattoos.

The big problem now, is that while in the past, money was tighter, tattoos were limited in number and size - even on sailors. Now people can afford over time to have most of their body tattooed - and that really isn't a good look,

I wouldn't comment to anyone who had them it's none of my business what anyone else does to their body. If being asked for an overall opinion about tattoos, I have to be honest and say I don't like them and I would never consider having one.

Bea65

I personally don’t like them but specifically on brides ..they detach from beautiful bridal dresses IMO

As I said, it’s fine not to like them, not to want one and even be upset that those close to you have chosen to have them.

It’s not fine to be insulting (you weren’t though, imo)

I personally don’t like them but specifically on brides ..they detach from beautiful bridal dresses IMO

TerriBull

Threads about tattoos come up often and obviously divide opinions, which we're all entitled to. One of my sons has about 4, he knows I don't like them, but its his body and he has to live with them. I understand the first one in memory of a much loved half brother who died, although as his dad pointed out I don't need a marking on my body to remember my son, I think about him every day. He would ask me why I didn't like them. My views are this, I think limbs, especially on younger people look lovely without covering them in permanent inkings and they're so ubiquitous now they hardly mark, pardon the pun, of a desire to be individual, in fact if anything, they've become cliched I also tried to explain how growing up in different times, tattoos were extreme, something maybe bikers did and viewed as extremely rough and common, I know things have moved on from that attitude, but only occasionally have I liked or seen the signifcance, one was on an advert for a beast cancer survivor where the woman had a climbing plant on that area, that I did understand and it was for her eyes. How most of us all change throughout our lives opinions on so many things and of course how we externally present ourselves. Imagine being fixed in time say as we were in the '80s big hair, big shoulders. Looks are so often of their day and most people move on, but you can't with permanence.

I remember getting a really rude pm a while back from a poster who told me my views were judgemental about them, which made me laugh because I think she'd proved just how judgemental she was in actually sending a vitriolic pm to someone she doesn't know on a subjective matter which asked for our personal opinions known to divide. It's so much about personal taste more than anything else we're all allowed to have those!

It’s fine not to like tattoos and to decide that they’re not for you, but to be rude about them and the people who have them is judgemental.

Gran22boys

Still hideous and common.

In your opinion!

You may be jesting, but really who do you think you are calling things like this “Common and hideous”, is your inference that people who have them are also hideous and common?

I daresay people here might use make-up, wear clothes, dye their hair hair and decorate their homes in things I might consider both “common and hideous”, would I be so “rude, hideous and common” to tell them so? I doubt it as I have better manners!

Threads about tattoos come up often and obviously divide opinions, which we're all entitled to. One of my sons has about 4, he knows I don't like them, but its his body and he has to live with them. I understand the first one in memory of a much loved half brother who died, although as his dad pointed out I don't need a marking on my body to remember my son, I think about him every day. He would ask me why I didn't like them. My views are this, I think limbs, especially on younger people look lovely without covering them in permanent inkings and they're so ubiquitous now they hardly mark, pardon the pun, of a desire to be individual, in fact if anything, they've become cliched I also tried to explain how growing up in different times, tattoos were extreme, something maybe bikers did and viewed as extremely rough and common, I know things have moved on from that attitude, but only occasionally have I liked or seen the signifcance, one was on an advert for a beast cancer survivor where the woman had a climbing plant on that area, that I did understand and it was for her eyes. How most of us all change throughout our lives opinions on so many things and of course how we externally present ourselves. Imagine being fixed in time say as we were in the '80s big hair, big shoulders. Looks are so often of their day and most people move on, but you can't with permanence.

I remember getting a really rude pm a while back from a poster who told me my views were judgemental about them, which made me laugh because I think she'd proved just how judgemental she was in actually sending a vitriolic pm to someone she doesn't know on a subjective matter which asked for our personal opinions known to divide. It's so much about personal taste more than anything else we're all allowed to have those!

Goodness, the judgement here is rampant!

Common, loathsome, horrible!

😱😱😱

I was brought up to believe that tattoos only belonged on sailors.
Very discreet ones for women are ok and it is up the individual whether or not they want them.
I always wonder what happens if you want them removed and for older women as our skin becomes more wrinkled, how they will then look. My daughter went to a wedding recently where the bride had a sleeve of black tattoos covering her left arm. I thought it looked awful.

Plevey08

Cossy, your sherry port schooner, is a lovely memory for you of your parents 😊

Thank you, it’s just above short sleeve level, so rarely seen by other people, except family.

Every time I see it, I smile and think of my parents, especially my dearest mother, who would have hated the tattoo (she hated tattoos) but loved the sentiment and the fact I had it done.

We are complex women in our family haha!

My Dad had a tattoo ‘Edith’ on his arm. I never knew who Edith was as my Mum’s name was Dorothy!

I dislike them intensely. My DD has some. One on her leg and two on her back, fortunately usually hidden. She had them done in her twenties strongly influenced I’m sure by her half brother and his wife who are covered in the horrible things. I have never once mentioned them but I’m sure she knows my disapproval from my silence. She’s now in her forties and in a very senior and responsible job and I’m sure she regrets them as she always keeps them hidden.

Not for me, but each to their own . Why are some people so judgemental - ?

My DD worked for a trade association overseeing the safety of paints and inks.
Tattoo ink was the only ink unregulated and was potentially carcinogenic.
My GD, not my DD's child, got a tattoo when she went to university, I was very upset and sent her mother a copy of the findings from research ar Durham university.
I think tattoos make you look common whatever sex or age you are.

A couple of my grandchildren have them but at least they are discreet and not splurged all over their legs or arms. One of them has her 3 children’s names so I asked her if she thought she might forget them. That went down like a lead balloon! Seriously, she couldn’t really say why so I guess she is just proud of them.
A lot of young women round here have them plastered all up their legs. Fine if you are a Māori or part of tradition.

Don't like tattoos on anyone but it's a personal choice so be it. Our friends turned up at the pub sporting tattoos and piercings we thought it was bizarre being in their late 60s. It's up to them I don't know why they did it but it's their bodies but I'm glad it's not mine.

I personally don't have tattoos. I never had the desire. My wife has a few dotted here and there. They still look good on her.

But these full sleeves, legs, chest, neck and everywhere else... Each to their own. Not my business. But I think they kind of look cool on a younger body.

I know a guy who had full sleeves. Had them lasered off after he became a dad as he felt people regarded him as looking like a thug.

Bit of a thorny subject, tattoos. But they don't cause harm to others so I don't really care what people do.

It is hard when our children go for tattoos as we nursed and cared for that perfect little body! It is difficult to see it violated.

Our daughter had a small tattoo on her back whilst at university, I was very upset.
Her perfect body permanently marked.

I asked her how much it was and the next month her allowance (she didn’t have a student loan) was minus that amount.

She was soon on the phone ranting, my husband said we pay for you to smoke and drink etc, we will not pay for you to have tattoos.

She gets it now.

The only tattoos that alarm me are those that cover an individual's face - completely.

Especially if said individual has had their eyeballs 'inked' plus nostrils enlarged or tongue 'carved' into a point. And metal studs and rings hanging of various parts of the face.

I shouldn't judge - I do though, but quietly to myself. Because I cannot understand why someone would completely alter their facial appearance to such an extent.

I think it's mostly quite young people who do this, could be wrong of course.

Anyway, that particular look spooks me.

There was a young woman I read about - every inch of her face was covered in tattoos - she was mentioning that she found it difficult to gain employment. Unfortunately, the tattoos were not even artistic - looked like some children had raided the marker-pen drawer and gone to town on her whilst she was asleep.

Judgmental or not, I could not help wondering - why? I felt sorry for her - she seemed puzzled and troubled.

I think all bodies are beautiful and to spoil the perfectness of a body with a tattoo is almost criminal.

I can't say I specially like them. For a start the blue that is used on most is a colour I do not like.

Also I struggle with the idea of doing something permanent, especially when young, as we all change so much over the years and our tastes in what looks good changes - what we loved at 18 we might hate at 38 and then you are stuck with it.

My DD has a tattoo that was supposed to be temporary but 30 years later there it still is!

And tattoos are not on a rigid canvas but on skin that sags and wrinkles as time passes and what started life as a heart might finish up as a concertina!

One of my GC is studying to become a tattoo artist and some of their creations are very clever. Needless to say they have quite a few of their own - the first few were impressive but for my money the tone has been drifting downwards - but hey, they are happy. ...

More creative and often deep thinkers
Huh!
“Body art” is no indication of creativity or deep thinking.
This is a totally spurious connection.

I hate seeing tattoos but accept that on other people they are nobody’s business but their own.
However nothing will ever convince me that they add to a persons beauty, in particular a young woman in an evening or a wedding dress. Only my opinion, but just ugly.

Still hideous and common.