# Shop assistants with tattoos
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shop-assistants-with-tattoos/349772
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [March 24, 2006, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shop-assistants-with-tattoos/349772 "2006-03-24T19:53:27Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@blueslipper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blueslipper)
#### Post date: [March 24, 2006, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shop-assistants-with-tattoos/349772/1 "2006-03-24T19:53:27Z")
And eyebrow piercings and mohawks ! The other day i went shopping in the central shopping dictrict of Melbourne Australia. I was served by a shop assistant with face and stomach piercings and two tattoos showing. A guy in a camera shop had one of those horrible eyebrow rings. A guy working in a mobile phone shop had a mohawk.
Is this just a Melbourne thing or do the management not care what shop assistants look like around the world?
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### Author:  [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)
#### Post date: [March 24, 2006, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shop-assistants-with-tattoos/349772/2 "2006-03-24T19:56:24Z")
Does their apperance in any way make them less likely to perform their duties?
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### Author:  [@blueslipper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blueslipper)
#### Post date: [March 24, 2006, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shop-assistants-with-tattoos/349772/3 "2006-03-24T20:04:23Z")
> [@adam yax](#):
>
> Does their apperance in any way make them less likely to perform their duties?
I personally find those eyebrow rings repulsive. I could not look at the guy. So I went to another shop to buy the camera I wanted. There must be more than just me who found another shop to go to. I am not conservative in general , but I find tattoos and piercings disgusting.
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### Author:  [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)
#### Post date: [March 24, 2006, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shop-assistants-with-tattoos/349772/4 "2006-03-24T20:05:08Z")
Where are you from, **blueslipper**? And how often do you get out? Eyebrow piercings aren’t exactly a wild and badass thing at this point. I see them on bank tellers. And as for the cell phone guy with the Mohawk, have you watched a cell phone commercial lately? They’re not for yuppies anymore. They’re devices for playing games, watching videos, and listening to music, which, just incidentally, you can also use to make phone calls. Mohawk guy is their target demographic.
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### Author:  [@blueslipper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blueslipper)
#### Post date: [March 24, 2006, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shop-assistants-with-tattoos/349772/5 "2006-03-24T20:18:20Z")
> [@DianaG](#):
>
> Where are you from, **blueslipper**? And how often do you get out? Eyebrow piercings aren’t exactly a wild and badass thing at this point. I see them on bank tellers. And as for the cell phone guy with the Mohawk, have you watched a cell phone commercial lately? They’re not for yuppies anymore. They’re devices for playing games, watching videos, and listening to music, which, just incidentally, you can also use to make phone calls. Mohawk guy is their target demographic.
As you may have realised I live in Melbourne, so I cannot watch American ads.
It may be just me. I realise that tattoos and piercings are very common these days. I just had not realised they were okay for shop assistants.
My next question- is there anything that is frowned upon for front line retail staff? Can they wear anthing they like, have any kind of tattoo or piercing or body mutilation?
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### Author:  [@Logan\_5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Logan_5)
#### Post date: [March 24, 2006, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shop-assistants-with-tattoos/349772/6 "2006-03-24T21:38:33Z")
Frowned upon by whom? There are no shop cabals that dictate to shop owners what their employees should look like. It really is up to the management/owners of any given shop as to the appearance of their employees. Now that could indeed mean that the managment might want to court a more conservative clientel and therefore would not want their employees’ appearance to be too different. But the opposite holds true as well.
I doubt that the Armani or Channel shops and the like want anyone who doesn’t fit into their image.
Likewise the skateboard shop probably doesn’t want an employee in a buttondown babyblue oxford.
But say it’s a pharmacy, if the employee is polite, hard-working, efficient and has good hygiene, why should tattoos or piercings make a difference?
I understand it’s not your cup of tea and that’s fine, just trying to understand why it’s such a problem for so many. Btw, I am the VP for a service company w/500 employees and deal with “suits”, bankers, gov’t reps day in day out and I have several tattoos and a few piercings and my hair is red & purple. I still get the odd look occasionally, but most people realize I am good businessman, dependable and honest and don’t judge me on my bod mods.
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### Author:  [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)
#### Post date: [March 24, 2006, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shop-assistants-with-tattoos/349772/7 "2006-03-24T22:19:09Z")
> [@Logan 5](#):
>
> But say it’s a pharmacy, if the employee is polite, hard-working, efficient and has good hygiene, why should tattoos or piercings make a difference?
I never understood why people (not the OP, I mean in general) demand an explanation for allowing people with tattoos or whatever works in customer service. Seems to me like the burden should be on them to explain why they shouldn’t.
FWIW, I’m more likely to patronize a place where the workers are tattooed, because it shows me that the business appreciates what’s actually important about customer interaction, and at the same time, they make the comfort of their working stiffs a priority.
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### Author:  [@Omegaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omegaman)
#### Post date: [March 24, 2006, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shop-assistants-with-tattoos/349772/8 "2006-03-24T22:34:45Z")
It’s not just you blueslipper – When I go somewhere to spend my money (that I spend 11 hours a day licking boots for ) I prefer not to look at someone who craves attention by bolting 3 pounds of metal onto thier face . It’s a free country – they have the right to look the way they want, I have the right to spend my dough where I want. To each his own.
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### Author:  [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)
#### Post date: [March 24, 2006, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shop-assistants-with-tattoos/349772/9 "2006-03-24T22:35:28Z")
Heh, if businesses here in LA tried a no tattoo rule, they wouldn’t have any employees. I’ve wondered sometimes if I’m the only person in LA county without one. (I know I’m not, but it does seem that way sometimes)
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### Author:  [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)
#### Post date: [March 24, 2006, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shop-assistants-with-tattoos/349772/10 "2006-03-24T22:52:51Z")
> [@blueslipper](#):
>
> It may be just me. I realise that tattoos and piercings are very common these days. I just had not realised they were okay for shop assistants.
> My next question- is there anything that is frowned upon for front line retail staff? Can they wear anthing they like, have any kind of tattoo or piercing or body mutilation?
So, it never strikes you as being remotely inappropriate to judge someone solely based on their appearance?
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### Author:  [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)
#### Post date: [March 24, 2006, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shop-assistants-with-tattoos/349772/11 "2006-03-24T23:02:04Z")
> [@Troy McClure SF](#):
>
> I never understood why people (not the OP, I mean in general) demand an explanation for allowing people with tattoos or whatever works in customer service. Seems to me like the burden should be on them to explain why they shouldn’t.
>
> FWIW, I’m more likely to patronize a place where the workers are tattooed, because it shows me that the business appreciates what’s actually important about customer interaction, and at the same time, they make the comfort of their working stiffs a priority.
**Troy** beat me to it. I am much more likely to patronize a place that allows piercings, visible tattoos and “unnatural” hair colors than uniforms and strict dress codes.
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### Author:  [@Mrs\_Johnson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mrs_Johnson)
#### Post date: [March 24, 2006, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shop-assistants-with-tattoos/349772/12 "2006-03-24T23:09:31Z")
Why are body modifications so often considered to be a “mutilation”? People do plenty of painful things for looks. Tweezing eyebrows or waxing. Is that mutilation too?
What I expect at a shop/store varies by the place, but as long as the staff members are clean, dressed appropriately (no undergarments showing, excessive clevage or flab or anything else hanging out of their clothing) and are polite I don’t care what they look like.
If you could see the guys stomach piercings… I’d say that’s inappropriate. I expect the stomach/mid-section to be covered up.
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### Author:  [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)
#### Post date: [March 24, 2006, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shop-assistants-with-tattoos/349772/13 "2006-03-24T23:12:56Z")
> [@Mrs Johnson](#):
>
> Why are body modifications so often considered to be a “mutilation”? People do plenty of painful things for looks. Tweezing eyebrows or waxing. Is that mutilation too?
For that matter, why is an eyebrow ring mutilation, but an earring acceptable?
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### Author:  [@mrald](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrald)
#### Post date: [March 24, 2006, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shop-assistants-with-tattoos/349772/14 "2006-03-24T23:21:07Z")
I work in a nursing home where peircings and tattoos have to be covered up. I have pericings and tattos. The tattos are always hidden because of clothes, but I never hide my eyebrow ring or the several up my ears. (woman are only supposed to have one in each ear). The old people LOVE it, they just can’t get over it. The higher ups have mentioned it, but I won’t hide it. I always get a good evaluation though so whatever. BTW I live in Arkansas, in a small town where such things are still somewhat taboo.
I think that in this day and time people should just get over it, as long as the person is doing their job who cares what they look like. I would rather have a tattooed waiter that is good than a bad one that passes the “dress code standard”
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### Author:  [@Uvula\_Donor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uvula_Donor)
#### Post date: [March 24, 2006, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shop-assistants-with-tattoos/349772/15 "2006-03-24T23:26:49Z")
Young people these days!! Why would anyone want to look like they fell face-first into a tackle box?!?!!? And OMFG!! A mohawk!! What’s next, a _tomahawk??_
It’s a _madhouse!! A **MADHOUSE**!!!_
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### Author:  [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)
#### Post date: [March 25, 2006, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shop-assistants-with-tattoos/349772/16 "2006-03-25T00:05:18Z")
The only thing that makes me cringe about facial piercings is imagining how much they may have hurt. That’s about it. As for tattoos, I like seeing different tattoos. Except for the guy who used to come into Kmart with a swastika tattooed on his face. That was creepy.
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### Author:  [@Logan\_5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Logan_5)
#### Post date: [March 25, 2006, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shop-assistants-with-tattoos/349772/17 "2006-03-25T00:15:16Z")
LOL, young people? Thanks! I was begining to feel old at 36! 🙂
Why do some assume that people only modify for attention? It seems it never crosses their minds that maybe it’s an actual asthetic preference.
Do you part your hair on the left for attention? Do you put on brown shoes for attention? Do you wear a watch to be noticed? A blue shirt? Perhaps you really just want to fit in with everything that is “normal”? Whatever that means. Isn’t it possible that you just like it? I don’t care for blue jeans, in fact I think they’re quite ugly, but I don’t fault people who wear them.
A ring on your finger or in your lip, same thing.
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### Author:  [@Idlewild](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idlewild)
#### Post date: [March 25, 2006, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shop-assistants-with-tattoos/349772/18 "2006-03-25T00:27:46Z")
The waitress at my wedding reception (held in the upstairs art gallery portion of a cafe) had a lip piercing. She was very cute. I like to see individuals being individuals. That was in freaky old Sydney though 😉
I care what shop assistants do. What they look like is really, eh, not that big of a deal. I mean it’s nice if they fit the general aesthetic of the shop - I noticed that the Boston Lush store now seems to have a counterculture thang going on- but beyond that, and even that isn’t a big deal, nah. Why would I be worried what they look like? It’s the service that counts.
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### Author:  [@kudzus\_gal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kudzus_gal)
#### Post date: [March 25, 2006, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shop-assistants-with-tattoos/349772/19 "2006-03-25T01:21:54Z")
[QUOTE=mrald]
BTW I live in Arkansas, in a small town where such things are still somewhat taboo. QUOTE]
I also live in a small town in Arkansas and applied at a national retail chain _ **cough cough…walmart** _ a few towns over, where they said I had to cover my tattoo and remove my piercings. My tattoo is a slave bracelet on my hand…wouldn’t I look stranger wearing a glove Micheal Jackson style? I am female and while I could wear the bottom earrings I had to take the others out, they are simple hoops no big deal. I also have a small (very small) stud in my nose, the solution to my not wishing to take it out…?..cover it with a bandaid :rolleyes: They seemed surprised when I turned down the job and actually ask my why? DUH $5.35 per hour is not enough pay to make me hide who I am.
BTW I am not a young kid either, body art is a form of self expression, for me its my wild side, I am almost 40 and live a simple and happy rural life.
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### Author:  [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)
#### Post date: [March 25, 2006, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shop-assistants-with-tattoos/349772/20 "2006-03-25T01:39:12Z")
> [@kudzus\_gal](#):
>
> I also have a small (very small) stud in my nose, the solution to my not wishing to take it out…?..cover it with a bandaid :rolleyes:
See, I find that so strange. How is the band-aid any _less_ distracting or gross or whatever?
A few fast-food places around here have a policy requiring the staff to cover up their eyebrow or nose rings, and even their extra earrings, with band-aids. See, I’m not worried about the eyebrow ring falling off into my sandwich. But having extra band-aids taped all over everyone… that grosses me out because I keep imagining them falling into the food. Plus, I find that it makes the kids look like they’re diseased or something. I see band-aid, I think nasty oozing sore, not sparkly nose stud. My humble opinion: these places got it wrong.
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