Whether a person calls tattoos 'ink,' 'body art,' or something less polite, it's clear that they are all over the place today. In the past they were stereotypically common on prison inmates and people who belonged to motorcycle gangs, but now they're seen on doctors, lawyers, and soccer moms, as well.
From small, delicate, and well-hidden flowers to arms covered by tattoo 'sleeves,' tattoos are becoming fashionable. Like any fashion statement, though, it's a trend that will change. When it does, what will happen to the countless people with ink on their bodies?
Reasons for Getting a Tattoo
Whether the changing fashion trends will be a problem for tattooed people when tattoos are not as popular largely depends on why the person got the tattoo in the first place. If someone got inked because 'everyone was doing it,' there's a much bigger chance of regret. If it symbolizes something very important and the person got it for that reason, whether it's 'fashionable' probably won't matter much.
If being popular is one of the reasons that a person is considering a tattoo, it's important that he or she rethink that. Everyone may be doing it, and showing it off to others, but when it stops being popular they'll stop showing it off and they might even spend time trying to hide it. The person who was thoughtful and didn't rush out and get a tattoo because everyone else was won't have that worry.
Tattoos Are Changing Fashion Perceptions
No matter how long tattoos remain popular as fashion accessories, though, one thing is certain - they have changed the way people look at body modification. Because so many people are getting them, and because many tattooed people today don't fit the traditional stereotypes, more people are reserving judgment regarding the intelligence and class of tattooed people.
That's an important step in the right direction, but whether it will last past the fashion statement that tattoos are currently making is not clear. Some believe that tattoos are only a passing fad and they will become 'low class' in the eyes of many people once again, possibly in the very near future. Other people believe that they are now here to stay, and they will remain acceptable, regardless of whether they remain fashionable.
Because people get tattoos for so many different reasons, fashion isn't always the main issue. They can get tattoos to signify something very important in their life, the death of a loved one or a pet, or a milestone such as a birthday. Sometimes they get them because they always wanted to and finally felt comfortable enough to do so. For people who have their own agenda and their own, specific reasons for electing to put permanent artwork on their bodies, whether it's fashionable will probably never be an issue.
Resources:
 |
