What I actually said was:
“As far as I’m concerned, they reduced their overall beauty and lowered my opinion of their personal standards when they got the tattoos.” Of course, there is that generation gap between us, and our children always do things that disappoint us.
Pravnik, I would never call your wife skanky. If you like the tattoos, what does it matter what I think? I’ve made that point all along – just my opinion.
The women here who are taking umbrage at being called a skank by Sunrazor are sooo overreacting (pravnik, I’m lumping you in here, too). Who the fuck cares what someone else generalizes about you – or your wife? I have 2 tattoos myself, and I haven’t been called a skank until someone I’m face-to-face with actually calls me a skank. But even then it’s not worth dignifying with a response, because it’s just that person’s opinion.
It’s like in Road House, when the bar’s new cooler (head bouncer) is telling the other bouncers that they need to stay cool and calm with the customers, and that insults aren’t personal: they’re just words chosen to elicit a specific response.
Bouncer: Yeah? Well, what if someone calls my momma a whore?
Cooler: Is she?
But do you think that their appearance is diminished by one or more tattoos? I don’t really care what your answer is (see above), I just need to know whether to remove your picture from my nightstand. 
I know you wouldn’t, and I’m not particularly offended. I’m mostly just tweaking your nose. 
It’s funnier if you could hear me do it in the “Sopranos” voice.
You callin’ me lumpy? :dubious:
I think the part that raised my eyebrows was:
I really don’t see where the values-questioning comes from. My apologies for misinterpreting the “slutty” business, though.
Daniel
Damn straight! 
I respect your opinion. Personally, I love a well done tattoo, but I hate almost all piercings. They look unsanitary to me. Cest la vie!
That said, I have to show off mine because I get complimented on it almost every day. People say things like, “I normally hate tattoos on women, but for some reason I really like that, it’s sexy.” YMMV
Not the greatest photo ever taken, but I did it myself, so there ya go:
When I used to buy tattoo mags it seemed like they were really expensive and I’d be done with it in about a half hour or so. It isn’t like a magazine with a lot of articles and things to read, it’s just an expensive picture album. But I am not above standing in the bookstore and looking through magazines without buying. I am a terrible terrible person. 
Eh, I prefer the term Arschgeweih.
Although Schlampenstempel is a pretty good one too.
I think large, obvious ones look shitty, such as :
http://www.zhippo.com/ParagonTattooPAHOSTED/images/gallery/neck-angel-tattoo-M.jpg
I think that’s a guy, but pretend it is on a girl. But here’s an example of a neck tattoo that I think looks pretty and is probably almost always covered up by her hair:http://aboutjane.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/tattoo.jpg
I will confess though, I do regret the tattoo on the back of my neck. Thank dog I don’t have to look at it every day or I’d probably cut it off. It looks something like this:http://www.theborga.com/Neck%20Tattoo.JPG But it isn’t that big and harsh. I still hate it though, but it doesn’t bother me enough to get it lasered or anything.
This touches on something I wanted to say earlier, but couldn’t think of a way to describe.
When I opened that link, my first thought was “Nice body”. My second thought was “That IS a sweet tattoo”.
Then my brain kicked in.
It IS pretty cool. I would find that quite attractive- for about a week. Then it would become part of the (obstructed) scenery. I would compare it to you wearing the same colour and type of underwear every day. Sure, it’s hot as hell the first couple of times- but after a while granny panties would be sexy just because it was something new.
Not to mention that one of these days your skin will not have that youthful elasticity, and your grandkids will ask why you have a vine of ink on your ass when you go to the beach.
With that said- it is my opinion. If you are happy with it, that is all that matters.
One more thing- Regarding the OP- I believe the reason they look “so damn skanky” would be because a tattoo magazine is filling something of a niche market. Therefore, the sales can’t be all that great. One would imagine they pay girls a pretty small figure to appear in the publication. Less pay=less “talent”. You don’t see Jenna Jameson performing in “Red Roof Inn: Cherry Poppers” do you?
Hell- I didn’t even mention this:
My SO has a tattoo.
On her right leg, outside calf.
Her little brother was going to get the one she has, but his parents told him to wait until he was 18. Unfortunately, he never made it. She and her sister both got the same design (albeit smaller) on their legs.
However, due to the circumstances and placement, I can’t say that it bothers me. Does it give her some “trash” appeal. Well, yeah it does. I particularly enjoy when we are somewhere formal, and I get to explain (because it is very obvious) to folks WHY she has the tattoo.
They shut up very, very quickly.
I’m one of the people who commented on his remarks, but I’m more amused than anything, and not the least bit offended. I know tattoos aren’t everyone’s style, and plenty of guys find them drool-worthy. He’s entitled to his opinion, and I don’t fault him for it at all.
Oh, no, no. Don’t do anything rash like removing the picture. One o’ these days I’ll make a trip to the Far Distant North, maybe even all the way past Kentucky to Virginia and Maryland.
When that happens I’ll drop in, we’ll discuss tattoos and many other things that effect the space-time continuum.
In the meantime, lets don’t rock the boat. You leave my picture on your nightstand and I’ll keep your perfumed hanky snug in my little box of treasures.
Jiminy jillickers, Radioactive Man!
Honey, I don’t think anyone has ever gotten bored with me in a week, or a year, or four years for that matter. 
You must not like t & a very much.
And I am 33, which I guess is older in some circles, but I can’t imagine why my tattoo would ever be on my ass. I don’t intend to let myself go, so that’d be quite an exaggeration. And when people say that shit about grandkids and the tattoo I always wonder what kind of granny goes around showing her body to her grandkids? Seriously, when I’m 75 it ain’t gonna matter.
I’ve been in that situation. These folks are not shutting up just out respect for the dead, they’re also thinking, “You know there are other ways to commemorate a dead relative, right? Other than a tattoo or a car sticker?” Plus, they’re probably wondering what spectacular, teenaged way this young man got himself killed.
I’m only saying this because I don’t know you and you don’t know me, and I never was able to say this to the friend who sprung her poorly-drawn “R.I.P., lil bro’” tattoo on me. I’m not trying to be mean, just to tell the rest of the story.
Preach on, sistah.
My guess re: the OP is that skanky women are more likely to pose for tattoo magazines. I have a full backpiece that wraps from my right shoulder to my left thigh, a gorgeous elaborate thing that’s taken years to complete. It’s something I did for myself, not for others. Very few people have ever actually seen it, but the ones who do gasp and “ooh” and “ahh”. While I am quite pleased with it, and it means something very special to me, this is one non-skank who’s not posing for tattoo mags any time soon.
And word on the granny business. When I’m 75 the way my ass looks is going to be the least of my concerns… and the tattoo will still be a rich totem decorating a hide made lovelier through years and wisdom, or so I hope. And frankly, if I found out my grandma has half a body full of tattoos, I’d be tickled. Furthermore, if I wind up a quiet, contrite, properly-attired grandma with no crazy stories to tell, then I’ll consider my life wasted.
And that, my friend, is why you keep your nose out of other folks business in the first place. The only reason people say anything is to (smugly) point out their distaste. I don’t recall my SO ever having discussed the tat without first being questioned (in that smug tone) about it.
You make a good point that I can’t argue with, as far as the smugness factor. But if your tattoo is showing, it’s fair for people to assume you want people to look at it and notice it.
Has anyone ever complimented your SO on her tattoo? From your post it sounds like the only remarks she’s ever gotten have been negative.
I assumed this went for everything in life, so I stopped the girl that just walked by in a halter top to pay her a compliment…it didn’t work!
She does get positive comments on it, as it was done by some well-known guy (I have no clue who he is), and is very striking.
However, as stated before, it is just part of the scenery to me now.
{edited to add: I stand corrected, she did discuss it with several people at a festival we went to- They were the positives}
