I have 7 tattoos, the first one at age 52, and just went from there. Only 1 is usually visible, the rest are covered. They are:
They all mean something to me.
Got one, a rabbit on my left calf. It means something to me, though I’d be hard pressed to explain exactly what. I’m currently pondering another, which will also mean something to me and feature a lot more Secret of NIMH.
I’m all manner of opinionated about ink–for starters, your body has curves, and a tat should consider and exploit them. Just having something that amounts to a stamp is a bit crap. Not a big fan of words, though if that works for you, that’s fine–they can be done well or badly. Having your own name tattooed on the back of your neck (as a Prem League footballer does)–not so good. Trendy, generic tats are a definite no-no, and absent anything else, I’ll probably tend to think a tiny bit less of you if you have one.
All of this from a guy who finally got inked at 34.
I’m a woman, 39 years old, and have a tattoo of an Om on the inside of my left wrist. I have wanted this for a long time (years) and finally got one a couple of years back.
It was decidedly less of a big deal than I thought. I don’t expect to regret it. Just like my nosering and my cartilige piercings, every day when I look at them I am pleased as punch and happy I was brave enough to do it.
I wouldn’t mind another tattoo but I know my SO would really not like it. He wouldn’t stop me, but I respect him and love him too much - he has learned to tolerate the one I have and I am content with just one. 
I think they are hideous and all the reasons people give for getting tattoos sound silly to me. But I only tell you that because you asked.
I got one when I was 18 (18 years ago) and I still like it. I added some text to it about 10 years ago. I still like that too.
It’s visible when I wear shorts or capris. I’ve never ever thought of it to be in any way related to sexiness or attractiveness. It’s art, on my leg.
I’ve wanted to get a few more but to be honest I am too pudgy to have any nice places to put more. I wouldn’t want them on my back where I couldn’t see, and I can’t put them on my stomach or thigh. Been thinking about my feet maybe. We’ll see.
I’ve got 4:
Small Kanji that “supposedly” says “Death” on my left blade. Got this when I was 19 I think? I don’t see it so it doesn’t bother me any. Do I regret getting it? Nah, though if I could just erase it today I guess I would. I’m 38 now BTW.
Small Kanji that “supposedly” says “Life on my right blade. Got this when I was 23 or something? Can’t remember. Basically got it to balance out the death one. They may both say Asshole for all I know. Both small, maybe 2” square.
Very large, John Byrne era, Incredible Hulk on my right calf. Probably 8-9" x 5". Hulk has been a big part of my life since childhood (I used to pretend I was Bruce Banner when I was getting bullied, this wierdly made me feel like I was the one in control because I was keeping myself from Hulking on them.). I have a collection of Incredible Hulk figurines and toys numbering around 250-275 unique items on display in my TV room. Got this when I was 35. No regrets at all. Love it. I know I will never regret this one.
Black and white Koi half-sleeve on my right arm. This is in a traditional Japanese style, not the more organic stuff that alot of folks get. This one is tricky to explain. I just retired from the military this year and couldn’t have a half sleeve on active duty. My cousin opened up, what has turned into, a very successful shop out in Redlands CA and I decided I wanted him to draw me up something that he felt would look good and showcase his own talent. My only criteria are that I wanted it all B&W and it couldn’t go past 1/2" above my elbow. I’m not stupid, I am in middle management in an engineering/tech firm and know I need to keep it out of sight at times. Took 2 sessions (totaled ~9-10hrs). Just finished it at Thanksgiving. It came out great and looks just how I wanted it to. I say it’s tricky because no, I didn’t have a life long dream of having a Koi fish tattoo and no, the image itself doesn’t have deep meaning for me but the tattoo itself is meaningful to me because 1) It’s basically my retirement beard (I can’t grow facial hair to save my life) and 2) It was drawn and applied by my family. I love how it looks and it fits my arm perfectly. No, it’s not perfect and has some flaws but every tattoo does. I know I won’t regret it later, though this is probably the end of the line for me as far as tattoos go for a while (maybe forever). Sucker hurt like hell under the arm and near my pit and I won’t get one in a location that can’t be hidden when needed.
So there you go.
FWIW I don’t think the “tattoo fad” is going to go away. I think the reason they are more popular now is that they are generally much more accepted, which is causing more folks to go ahead and get them, which is leading to even wider acceptance. Honestly I think this is what’s really driven alot of the extreme tattoos in really permanent/visible locations (face, neck, hands). The folks that used to get tattoos to stand out aren’t standing out anymore so they are pushing the limits. Those are the ones that I think have the highest chance of becoming late-life regrets. Not because of the fad aspect, but because having an eyeball tattooed on your adams apple or a turtle tattooed on your cheek prevents you from really getting away from your past if you want to. I’ll always be able to put a shirt on.
Either way there you go.
I think tattoos are kind of like rap music, which was also a fad, but
I don’t have any and I never wanted any. I get woozy when I have a blood sample drawn - no way I’ll survive repeated pokings with an ink-filled needle. Plus I can’t think of anything I’d want on my skin permanently. I don’t even have pierced ears.
My youngest sis, on the other hand, has 24 (I think) of a seemingly illogical variety. They all mean something to her, but if you don’t know her, you’d be hard pressed to connect a manatee to a giant emerald to the Partridge Family logo. One thing for sure, we’d never have a problem identifying her dismembered body, so there’s that.
5 years ago, at the age of 56, I got my first tattoo – the classic heart + ribbon (beautifully rendered), as a memoriam to my late wife. It’s on my bicep, and normally covered by clothing. I did it for me, but I’m happy for others to see it.
My new wife has mentioned that she’d like to have the other bicep. Not sure how I feel about that.
Now that tattoos have lost their social stigma, I don’t see that coming back. I think we’re well into cultural change territory.
I got my first (and only) tattoo a little over a month ago at age 51. It’s Tux the linux penguin. My daughter loves penguins and I’m fond of linux so it was a win/win. Since it’s on the back of my shoulder, I mostly forget that it’s even there.
I always laugh when people say “Do you know what that’s going to look like when you’re 80?” Hey! Do you know what I am going to look like when I am 80? A cool lady that’s for sure!
Interesting. :dubious: I have one – lower thigh: a feather a few inches above my knee – and while I’d also be hard-pressed to explain exactly why it’s so meaningful, I know that it IS meaningful. Also, placed exactly where I wanted, and stylized just how I wanted.
All this from a gal who finally got inked at 34.
A woman getting a tattoo is like someone walking into a museum and taking a crayon to a Monet. It offends every sense of aesthetic I have, and then some.
A man getting a tattoo is like someone tagging a garbage can. No big loss 
It bothers me almost as much to be compared to a work of art! I am not bought and sold, and neither am I to be displayed, nor put on a pedestal. I am a woman, with all of the flaws that entails.
I say this not to be snippy but just to point out that we were never Monets to start with! A little additional art on us may reduce our value in others’ eyes, but not in our own.
You’re reading waaaaaaay too much into that.
I have three, as of today (that will change). A Dragonfly on my lower-neck/upper shoulders. It has my daughter’s name in one of the wings. A baby-blue ombré heart (right inner wrist) and a blackbird (right inner wrist). Those last two are new as of two days ago.
Your post reminded me of someone I know: she has a butterfly on her left inner wrist. She got it to cover scars from a suicide attempt when she was much younger.
That comment did read as pretty literally objectifying.
Nobody enjoys being likened to an inanimate object, especially when that comparison is based on some broad group that the person has no real say in belonging to.
has anyone gotten mirror image tats on their posterior (anything on the opposite side of your face) so that it looks right to you?
I have one right now. A star on my back. I had wanted to do more around it but had limited funds at the time and my wife and I had our first child not too long after. It wasn’t super meaningful, which people often think that will mean it ends up being a regret, but more it reminds me of that time in my life and there were a lot of good things about it.
I’ll get more. I have things I want (mostly related to my children), but never dropped the money on it. When my oldest was in the NICU, they taped his arm to keep the IV in place. White onsie, white board, white tape, and he was swinging that arm like a bear (being the largest kid in the NICU) - he reminded me of a polar bear. I always said I’d get a polar bear at some point.
When my second child was born, he had severe medical issues. In the first few weeks, when he was still on a vent, my sister in law designed shirts that said “Liam the Lion - Fighting for the chance to roar” and sold them to help with some of the medical costs. He is a lion. Always will be. I figure there will be a lion on my skin in the future.
My daughter is only a year old, and she doesn’t exactly have something that I’ve said “This is what I would get for her” but I have a few different ideas that I’ve considered.
I think they can be extremely attractive, but I also think they can look terrible. I don’t care for face/neck tattoos. Well done and with a story, I like them. I can’t explain exactly why, but there is definitely an attraction factor.