# Now that lower-back tattoos are commonly called "tramp stamps", why do young women still get them? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 12, 2010, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-lower-back-tattoos-are-commonly-called-tramp-stamps-why-do-young-women-still-get-them/528770 "2010-02-12T20:16:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2010, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-lower-back-tattoos-are-commonly-called-tramp-stamps-why-do-young-women-still-get-them/528770/21 "2010-02-13T01:35:33Z")
As a comedian, he was a great composer. ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2010, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-lower-back-tattoos-are-commonly-called-tramp-stamps-why-do-young-women-still-get-them/528770/22 "2010-02-13T02:55:55Z")
I think tramp stamps are cool, depending of course on the quality of the artwork. It’s a part of the body that just lends itself to some inky enhancement. Seriously I dig a well done TS. ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2010, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-lower-back-tattoos-are-commonly-called-tramp-stamps-why-do-young-women-still-get-them/528770/23 "2010-02-13T03:13:13Z")
I never thought anything about them one way or another, until my dad divorced, started dating again…and felt it worth sharing with me that a lady he’d taken home that he was getting along ‘very well’ with, suddenly lost her appeal when he saw her tramp stamp. And he used the term. And he saw it 'cause they were getting busy; he mentioned ‘not wanting to see that from behind, ugggh’ I love you dad, but ffs…This was probably most jarring simply because he’s a grumpy disciplined Germanic type, normally. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Serenata67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/serenata67/32/10646_2.png) [@Serenata67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serenata67)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2010, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-lower-back-tattoos-are-commonly-called-tramp-stamps-why-do-young-women-still-get-them/528770/24 "2010-02-13T03:25:20Z")
I had a tattoo on my lower back, but waaayyy off to the side and a bit higher than the typical tramp stamp location. I got it about, oh, 6 months before the term “tramp stamp” became a common term. It’s a flower and I put it there to balance out the tattoo I had on the opposite shoulder. The guy I dated about a year after I got it kept calling it my tramp stamp and insisted on doing it from behind because he liked being with an inked slut. (All four of my tattoos are on my back.) Yeah, he was good for a rough, dirty bang, but not much else. My husband could care less about my tattoos. He doesn’t think they’re super hot, but he isn’t turned off by them. He actually watched me get my last one. ---
**Author:** ![Todderbob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@Todderbob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Todderbob)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2010, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-lower-back-tattoos-are-commonly-called-tramp-stamps-why-do-young-women-still-get-them/528770/25 "2010-02-13T03:28:26Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Advice I offer to my son: if you think a woman has never, ever awoken of a morning and cried out in despair “God, I am _such_ a slut!”, run away. Or if she has more than two cats. I rather like this advice. > [@Gruntled](#): > > Except that…I don’t like them. So don’t get one. > [@Pullet](#): > > My friend has one that is a crossword puzzle. That’s _way_ to cool to be true. I’m a fan of tasteful tattoos, and not so tasteful ones, frankly. I guess it’s for that reason that I like tramp stamps… not all of them, but some. If a woman has back dimples, it’s a crime for them to be covered in ink. If she has the _right_ back dimples, it’s a crime for her to have ink back there at all. However, as long as she either has no back dimples, or doesn’t have the specific type of back dimples, stamp away. ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2010, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-lower-back-tattoos-are-commonly-called-tramp-stamps-why-do-young-women-still-get-them/528770/26 "2010-02-13T05:09:04Z")
> [@Gruntled](#): > > Except that…I don’t like them. Then one is led to presume both that you don’t have one, and that the vast majority of tramp stamps are applied with no regard to your personal preferences. You know why that’s a popular spot? I’ll make it real simple for you. It’s easy to hide if you want to, and that particular spot isn’t prone to stretch marks. The end. ---
**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2010, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-lower-back-tattoos-are-commonly-called-tramp-stamps-why-do-young-women-still-get-them/528770/27 "2010-02-13T05:29:46Z")
> [@Cat\_Fight](#): > > Possible reasons: No proven scientific connection between placement of tattoo and sexual activities, … That may well be, but I think the one I saw on a young lady on the escalator the other day indicatoed otherwise. It said, “Thank You For Coming”. ---
**Author:** ![Todderbob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@Todderbob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Todderbob)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2010, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-lower-back-tattoos-are-commonly-called-tramp-stamps-why-do-young-women-still-get-them/528770/28 "2010-02-13T05:36:54Z")
> [@kittenblue](#): > > That may well be, but I think the one I saw on a young lady on the escalator the other day indicatoed otherwise. It said, “Thank You For Coming”. You didn’t happen to get her number, did you? ---
**Author:** ![dhkendall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a9adbd/32.png) [@dhkendall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dhkendall)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2010, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-lower-back-tattoos-are-commonly-called-tramp-stamps-why-do-young-women-still-get-them/528770/29 "2010-02-13T05:55:04Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > Because the times when they are visible are likely to be the times you want to project a well, trampy image? It’s not like women typically show up for business meetings wearing a bikini. Well, actually, [they do here, apparently.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=551515) ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2010, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-lower-back-tattoos-are-commonly-called-tramp-stamps-why-do-young-women-still-get-them/528770/30 "2010-02-13T06:02:16Z")
> [@Gruntled](#): > > It’s kinda like using a pocket-protecter. Sure, go ahead and use one. But you WILL give off a strong geeky image if you do. Same with tramp stamps, IMHO. Waitaminute. Chicks with “tramp stamps” are _geeks_?!? Why didn’t somebody TELL me this? _OK, gotta brush up on my Star Trek references, warm up the old Monty Python quotes…_ ---
**Author:** ![Pullet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Pullet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pullet)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2010, 9:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-lower-back-tattoos-are-commonly-called-tramp-stamps-why-do-young-women-still-get-them/528770/31 "2010-02-13T09:00:39Z")
> [@Todderbob](#): > > [Quote=Pullet] > > My friend has one that is a crossword puzzle. That’s way to cool to be true. [/QUOTE] I admit, I haven’t seen it. And she refuses to tell me which words are in the puzzle. Tease. ---
**Author:** ![beo.thuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7ab992/32.png) [@beo.thuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beo.thuck)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2010, 9:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-lower-back-tattoos-are-commonly-called-tramp-stamps-why-do-young-women-still-get-them/528770/32 "2010-02-13T09:23:02Z")
never mind, lol. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2010, 9:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-lower-back-tattoos-are-commonly-called-tramp-stamps-why-do-young-women-still-get-them/528770/33 "2010-02-13T09:43:37Z")
> [@DianaG](#): > > Then one is led to presume both that you don’t have one, and that the vast majority of tramp stamps are applied with no regard to your personal preferences. > > You know why that’s a popular spot? I’ll make it real simple for you. It’s easy to hide if you want to, and that particular spot isn’t prone to stretch marks. The end. Responding in a condescending manner doesn’t help the cause. ---
**Author:** ![scareyfaerie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scareyfaerie/32/3135_2.png) [@scareyfaerie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scareyfaerie)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2010, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-lower-back-tattoos-are-commonly-called-tramp-stamps-why-do-young-women-still-get-them/528770/34 "2010-02-13T09:50:05Z")
Spinal surgery can leave some ugly scars. Tattoos can cover them up. Just sayin’. ---
**Author:** ![Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8c91f0/32.png) [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bam_Boo_Gut)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2010, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-lower-back-tattoos-are-commonly-called-tramp-stamps-why-do-young-women-still-get-them/528770/35 "2010-02-13T12:56:10Z")
> [@Todderbob](#): > > I rather like this advice. > So don’t get one. > That’s _way_ to cool to be true. > I’m a fan of tasteful tattoos, and not so tasteful ones, frankly. I guess it’s for that reason that I like tramp stamps… not all of them, but some. If a woman has back dimples, it’s a crime for them to be covered in ink. If she has the _right_ back dimples, it’s a crime for her to have ink back there at all. However, as long as she either has no back dimples, or doesn’t have the specific type of back dimples, stamp away. I have a particular fondness for that little area of the body, so I’ve never really understood why people want to scribble all over it - now I understand. Covering up the lack of dimples. A friend of mine who loves tramp stamps says he carries a magic marker just in case they don’t have any. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2010, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-lower-back-tattoos-are-commonly-called-tramp-stamps-why-do-young-women-still-get-them/528770/36 "2010-02-13T13:08:05Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Advice I offer to my son: if you think a woman has never, ever awoken of a morning and cried out in despair “God, I am _such_ a slut!”, run away. I don’t get it. Is it bad that she’s never done anything “fun” or that she’s never regretted “slutty” behavior? ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2010, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-lower-back-tattoos-are-commonly-called-tramp-stamps-why-do-young-women-still-get-them/528770/37 "2010-02-13T13:51:34Z")
> [@Todderbob](#): > > I’m a fan of tasteful tattoos, and not so tasteful ones, frankly. I guess it’s for that reason that I like tramp stamps… not all of them, but some. If a woman has back dimples, it’s a crime for them to be covered in ink. If she has the _right_ back dimples, it’s a crime for her to have ink back there at all. However, as long as she either has no back dimples, or doesn’t have the specific type of back dimples, stamp away. Oh, I don’t know, I think a tramp stamp framing the dimples just-so would look real good… ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2010, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-lower-back-tattoos-are-commonly-called-tramp-stamps-why-do-young-women-still-get-them/528770/38 "2010-02-13T13:59:11Z")
> [@DianaG](#): > > Then one is led to presume both that you don’t have one, and that the vast majority of tramp stamps are applied with no regard to your personal preferences. > > You know why that’s a popular spot? I’ll make it real simple for you. It’s easy to hide if you want to, and that particular spot isn’t prone to stretch marks. The end. Hmm. I don’t buy this. I know a lot of girls with those tattoos, and I assure you, stretch marks are not on their radar. A lot of girls get it there for attention, yes, the girls-gone-wild kind of attention, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. They are young and hot and having fun and making their own decisions. If they get older and regret it, so the hell what. There are worst things to regret. I have a tattoo on my boob. I hear people saying things like, “you will regret that when you are 80 because it will look silly” and I’m like, no dummy, I won’t. When I am 80, I hopefully will be kicked back with a smile playing on my wrinkled lips every time I think about my youth and the way that I rode the wheels off this ride of life! Who the hell cares about a wrinkled tattoo at 80? I laugh at anyone that is dumb enough to tell an 80 year old woman that she looks ‘silly’ now because of anything at all. ETA: I was standing in a nightclub one night, behind two girls, age 21 or so. They both had lower back tattoos. One said “Baby Phat” and one said “Apple Bottoms”. Trouble is, those are both fashion labels, and they had them done in the style of the logos. Both of those lables have already mostly fallen out of fashion on the urban landscape, so these poor girls really chose some bad tattoos. Still, they were showing them off, so they must still be happy with them. ---
**Author:** ![Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Springtime_for_Spacers)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2010, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-lower-back-tattoos-are-commonly-called-tramp-stamps-why-do-young-women-still-get-them/528770/39 "2010-02-13T14:01:12Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > I don’t get it. Is it bad that she’s never done anything “fun” or that she’s never regretted “slutty” behavior? I took it both ways (yes I know what I just said). Either she’s never done anything the least bit trampy or she has and has had nary a regretful thought. ---
**Author:** ![Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8c91f0/32.png) [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bam_Boo_Gut)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2010, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-lower-back-tattoos-are-commonly-called-tramp-stamps-why-do-young-women-still-get-them/528770/40 "2010-02-13T14:05:05Z")
Yeah, \*\*Nzinga, Seated \*\*I like to see tattoos on old codgers - it still says: I didn’t give a fuck what people thought about it then, and I don’t give a fuck about it now. I always think - well, he/she was a bit of a lad in their day. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-lower-back-tattoos-are-commonly-called-tramp-stamps-why-do-young-women-still-get-them/528770.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-lower-back-tattoos-are-commonly-called-tramp-stamps-why-do-young-women-still-get-them/528770.md?page=3)