# Your impression of a person's tattoos in relation to their BMI **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 13, 2010, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-impression-of-a-persons-tattoos-in-relation-to-their-bmi/546587 "2010-07-13T20:20:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![FrustratedIdiot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/77aa72/32.png) [@FrustratedIdiot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FrustratedIdiot)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2010, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-impression-of-a-persons-tattoos-in-relation-to-their-bmi/546587/41 "2010-07-14T19:41:16Z")
> [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](#): > > PS - if anyone has a tattoo on their face here could you answer a question? > > DID THAT HURT LIKE HOLY HELL OR WHAT?!? A HS acquaintance of mine has a face tattoo–but he’s a wannabe banger. Every time I see it, I can’t help but think that he’s limited his employment opportunities. Maybe the tat might help his credibility in the joint, I don’t know. ---
**Author:** ![tr0psn4j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2010, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-impression-of-a-persons-tattoos-in-relation-to-their-bmi/546587/42 "2010-07-14T20:59:57Z")
Tattoos look horrible on everyone. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2010, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-impression-of-a-persons-tattoos-in-relation-to-their-bmi/546587/43 "2010-07-14T21:37:54Z")
> [@tr0psn4j](#): > > Tattoos look horrible on everyone. \*Bad \*tattoos look horrible on anyone. Good tattoos look worse on fat flabby skin. ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-impression-of-a-persons-tattoos-in-relation-to-their-bmi/546587/44 "2010-07-15T00:45:12Z")
Yeah, I think tattoos on fat people are a little weird. It sends somewhat of a mixed message. It’s like the fat person is saying “I want to make my body beautiful, but I just want to spend a little money and endure a little pain instead of making long-term changes in my lifestyle.” Hmm, you know, this reminds me of another recent thread . . . ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-impression-of-a-persons-tattoos-in-relation-to-their-bmi/546587/45 "2010-07-15T02:06:30Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > \*Bad \*tattoos look horrible on anyone. Good tattoos look worse on fat flabby skin. A Tattoo draws attention, and of course, thus it’s not so bad on a attractive person. But if you’re not attractive- thin and scrawny _or_ fat and flabby, drawing attention is not good. Bad tats don’t do anyone any favors of course. ---
**Author:** ![Gustav](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/919ad9/32.png) [@Gustav](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gustav)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-impression-of-a-persons-tattoos-in-relation-to-their-bmi/546587/46 "2010-07-15T07:19:19Z")
If anything I think bigger people are _more_ likely to pull it off successfully. ---
**Author:** ![Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleeps_With_Butterflies)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-impression-of-a-persons-tattoos-in-relation-to-their-bmi/546587/47 "2010-07-15T07:46:57Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > A Tattoo draws attention, and of course, thus it’s not so bad on a attractive person. But if you’re not attractive- thin and scrawny _or_ fat and flabby, drawing attention is not good. Bad tats don’t do anyone any favors of course. Considering that different people consider different qualities to be attractive it’s hard to say who should or shouldn’t get a tattoo then, dontchathink? ---
**Author:** ![InterestedObserver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@InterestedObserver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InterestedObserver)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 9:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-impression-of-a-persons-tattoos-in-relation-to-their-bmi/546587/48 "2010-07-15T09:42:28Z")
I don’t judge people by their weight/size/appearance OR by their tattoos or lack thereof, so no, can’t really say it makes a difference to me. I’ve seen “fat” people and thought, wow, that is an AWESOME tat! Same for leaner folks with cool ink. I’ve also seen some of assorted sizes and thought, wow, that’s a really unfortunate tattoo. :o BTW, you don’t have to be a war veteran to have “earned” your tattoo. Most I know who have more than a few consider each a rite of passage signifying some very significant aspect of their life. ---
**Author:** ![Electric\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9de0a6/32.png) [@Electric\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Electric_Sky)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 9:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-impression-of-a-persons-tattoos-in-relation-to-their-bmi/546587/49 "2010-07-15T09:49:33Z")
Stretched or deformed tattoos don’t look good on anyone, so if a thin tattooed person gains a lot or a fat tattooed person loses a lot, it’s going to screw up their ink. That’s why I wouldn’t tattoo my belly, or any place where fat comes on and goes off relatively easily. However, someone who’s been fat pretty much all their lives and doesn’t intend to get skinny can sometimes pull tatts off better than their skinny brethren, IMHO. The same goes for people that are just broad or muscular. Maybe it’s just that there’s more “canvas” there to work with. If I were a tattoo artist, I’d advise a large (fat or muscly) client against getting super-tiny tattoos, though. You know, a tiny delicate single rosebud or something. ---
**Author:** ![kushiel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbce88/32.png) [@kushiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kushiel)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-impression-of-a-persons-tattoos-in-relation-to-their-bmi/546587/50 "2010-07-15T17:08:32Z")
Fortunately, the area around your collarbone and neck in the back doesn’t tend to change too much unless you do _major_ changes like bodybuilding or 150lbs kind of thing. So I’m a fatty with a tattoo there. I’m also a fatty with a tattoo on my lower leg. It’s right on the muscle facing out where your calf flares. I haven’t worried too much about stretching at this point, plus the skin/muscle there tends to stay firm. Of course I’d never get a tattoo in a place where your skin stretches a lot. Lower back, front of torso…but I wouldn’t do that if I was skinny either! ---
**Author:** ![RainGrowsBrite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@RainGrowsBrite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RainGrowsBrite)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-impression-of-a-persons-tattoos-in-relation-to-their-bmi/546587/51 "2010-07-15T17:41:28Z")
I think a bad tattoo is a bad tattoo whether you are fat or skinny. Samesies with a good tattoo. People are all different shapes and sizes. Even skinny people can have flappy untoned backs that would look funky with a tatt on it. I just figure, whether fat or skinny: choose wisely on placement and subject. Dont be this guy: [![](https://growabrain.typepad.com/growabrain/images/strange_tattoo.bmp) ](https://growabrain.typepad.com/growabrain/images/strange_tattoo.bmp) This tattoo would look good on a skinny dude tho right? (Answer: No.) ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-impression-of-a-persons-tattoos-in-relation-to-their-bmi/546587/52 "2010-07-15T18:24:23Z")
Tattoos = turnoff Fat = turnoff Tattoos + Fat = 2\*turnoff ---
**Author:** ![SylverOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c0e974/32.png) [@SylverOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SylverOne)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-impression-of-a-persons-tattoos-in-relation-to-their-bmi/546587/53 "2010-07-15T20:04:29Z")
Fat girl with tattoos checking in… I didn’t get them to appeal to anyone but myself. I got them because they each represent a moment in my life I’d like to remember. They are all strategically placed so that age and gravity will not matter. And except for the one on my wrist, none of the others are visible in normal attire. So, for anyone that thinks for one jiggly moment, I give a damn what their impression of me is, they can think again. And rest assured, when it comes time for the next one, I won’t be asking for anyone’s thoughts on the subject. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2010, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-impression-of-a-persons-tattoos-in-relation-to-their-bmi/546587/54 "2010-07-16T02:58:23Z")
> [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](#): > > Considering that different people consider different qualities to be attractive it’s hard to say who should or shouldn’t get a tattoo then, dontchathink? Actually, I don’t think _anyone_ should. But hey, it’s their body. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-impression-of-a-persons-tattoos-in-relation-to-their-bmi/546587.md?page=2)