I didn't always want tattoos. I grew up with a sister who had many tattoos and to this day is still adding to her collection, but I wasn't very interested in getting any when I was growing up. Well, that started changing after I graduated high school. I began playing with the idea of getting a tattoo. But something small and inconspicuous, of course. For my 20th birthday I got my very first tattoo, a small butterfly behind my left ear. Simple and concealable. This first tattoo started opening me up to the idea of getting more. Now, I am not one of those people who can just go get inked on a whim. I have to think about where on my body I'm going to get it and what I'm going to get for quite awhile before actually going through with it. I need to envision it on myself for enough time that I am positive that's what I want. My sister is the COMPLETE opposite. It's a spur of the moment thing for her, once she's decided what she wants she goes for it. More power to you sister! A lot of people are like that when it comes to getting ink. I, however, am not.
Flash forward a year and I was ready to start thinking about my next tattoo. Hey, I have a sister who likes tattoos, how cool would it be to get one with her? We decided it would be pretty cool! So we started hunting around on Pinterest and Google for ideas. We settled on an idea pretty quickly and my sister wanted to go get it right away! No. No. No. I needed to think about this. Envision. Debate. Embrace. We had picked out a phrase that each of us would get a part of: "Together forever never apart, maybe in distance but never in heart." So of course we had to figure out who was getting which part. I REALLY wanted the first half and was super nervous that we wouldn't agree and fight over it... HUZZAH! She wanted the second half! Success :) We got our sister tattoos on our rib cages, because we're cute like that.
That was almost a year ago. I've been wanting to get my 3rd tattoo for a while, even decided where and what I wanted. A small and concealable tattoo on the side of my foot. Can you see the trend of my tattoo ideas yet? Well lately the idea for my next tattoo has been changing. I have always been a fan of big and colorful tattoos, the way colors play out and contour on the body is fascinating to me. However, I've always been a little too chicken to commit to something that big and ostentatious FOREVER. Plus it's been drilled into my brain that tattoos are a gigantic no-no in the business world.
This is somewhat true.
It is a common notion of older generations that having any type of visible tattoo will cost you job opportunities. In their young days of looking for jobs this notion was more true than it is today. I'm not saying that it doesn't still happen. Corporate businesses still have visible tattoo policies in place and some are extremely strict including Geico, Starbucks, and Victoria's Secret. Despite the companies that still have strict policies in place, the job market is become more lax on visible tattoos. Employers are learning that judging a potential candidate for a position because of tattoos may cost them a fantastic asset to their company. Even with companies becoming more open to the idea of visible tattoo's it's still pretty risky to get one if you are still job hunting (like I am).
Another reason I've been hesitant about big, colorful tattoos is because I've always had the opinion that I shouldn't have one that will show in a wedding dress. I was afraid a big tattoo would look tacky and distasteful. GUYS. Do you realize how ridiculous that is? I'm starting to. Tattooed brides can be absolutely stunning!
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My opinion is now changing, if you are getting a tattoo to be part of who you are and to show your passions and individuality on your skin then why shouldn't you have it(them) show on your wedding day? Someone is always going to disagree with your choices. But these are YOUR choices and no one else's.
Even with the fact that the world is becoming more accustomed to visible tattoos in the work place and that tattooed brides are gorgeous. I still hesitate on getting the tattoo I want. What can I say, I'm a worrier. I want to get a large, colorful 1/4 sleeve tattoo on my upper arm. It's an extremely big step to go from small and concealable tattoos to visibly tattooed and I'm still in the decided stages of this tattoo. Some days I'm convinced I'll do it and love it, other days I worry that I'll regret it. For what it's worth the love it days outweigh the regret it days so far. I was planning on getting it as a gift to myself after I graduate this December, good thing I have a lot of time to decide.
What are your opinions on being visibly tattooed?
I would love to get a tattoo on my wrist. I know what I'd like to get, too. I've thought about it for a long time. However, it would be in a location that would be hard to cover if I ever go back to the corporate world (which I hope to do next year). James Avery is another company that frowns on tattoos, just FYI. But then again, they used to frown on purple nail polish and I think have realized that is not a measure of someone's worth.
ReplyDeleteI have mixed feelings about the wedding dress and full-color tattoo. I think it distracts from the simplicity of the dress and from the bride in some ways. However, I certainly can see that it also is an expression of who the bride is. Such a personal choice, isn't it?