Tattoos...

Not really a 'business' issue, but here goes..

Yesterday I returned home from sunny Menorca....whilst there I noticed that almost all the blokes with tattoos were Brits.

It seems that tattoos are no where near as popular on the continent as they are here... why ?

The few Europeans who did have them had small discreet ones, rather than the 'cover your arms' type sported by the Brits..

What the view on tattoos on the lower arm when wearing a short sleeve shirt..?

For the record, I dont have any...but thats mostly because I couldnt decide to have something permanently painted onto me, and because it hurts.

By the way if you've never been to Menorca, I can thoroughly recommend it... very quiet, very relaxing and child friendly..

Andy

isn't tattooing a celtic tradition?

i have tattoos and sev,eral of them, but not in your face ones so i personally do not mind them, although i do not like them from the neck up, arms are fine by me as long as they are not offensive, its all horses for courses really

I cant answer that question other than to say I have a tattoo and as far as I know am British. Perhaps it is something to do with the weather rather than being cultural? or perhaps it is cultural and we are just more tribal than our European brothers and like to display our uniformity by being part of the great tattood masses. Maybe we are more easily influenced by others and more likely to be jumping on band wagons when they come along? It could even be a self confidence thing - as far as I can see brit fellas are not that confident and having a tattoo might boost there self esteem in a way other Europeans do not need?

in other words - god knows lol

Quite an interesting recent article about tattoos and why they are so popular http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2010/jul/20/tattoos

Personal view is that it's all about people wanting to create an identity for themselves, either as an individual or as part of a group. Not for me, very low pain threshold and insufficient imagination to think of something I want drawn on my body for eternity.

To be honest, I don't really know what the answer is. I have nine tattoos, one of which is very large (on my back), and some of them are generally visible (upper arms and inside of wrist). I was just always fascinated by tattoos.

I admit that I am not keen on tattoos, I would never have one as I don't like needles nor the thought of being permanently marked. Tattoos can look good on young skin but on old wrinkly skin they don't look so hot.

I've got 5 tattos - but even when wearing a T-shirt you wouldn't know I had any.

I had them done for me - not for showing off, so it's never been an issue as far as business is concerned.

I would never have a tattoo but that is probably my father's influence, since he had some done when he was in the navy many years ago and regretted having them done because the colours faded.

Although I would not like the art on my body a really do think that the people who come up with the designs are fantastic artists and their combination of skill and imagination never ceases to amaze me. A good friend of mine had a fantastically intricate design done on his right arm and although I struggled with the concept of permanently marking his skin I couldn't help but marvel at the skill taken to create the design.

In answer to your question Andy, I think that David Beckham and Robbie Williams have influenced a lot of young men to have the Celtic type designs on their arms but that is only a tiny example of the options available.

It is an individual decision and one that it is not easy to go back on once made, at least not without a lot more pain than the original one to have the tattoo.

I have two full sleeve tattoos plus tattooson my back, chest and legs.

I have run experiments with wearing short sleeve shirts and the way that people treat me. The result is that I have found it best to wear long sleeved shirts until people get to know you and then short sleeved once they have made the judgement.

I find that if people meet me with the tattoos visible it makes a difference to how they react and interact with/to me. There are still people who have known me for long time that still do not know the extent of my tattoos but it is becoming more acceptable in business. (but not much)

When I do wear short sleeves people tend to talk to my arms LOL In the end we always end up talking about them.

i have seven, one is a Tottenham tattoo on my lower right leg, one is my sons name across the left breast (close to the heart) and two for the wife, top of right arm and right forearm. with the upper arm one havng another small one in it.

one is a cover up after i had one done when i found my mum, waste of effort so covered it (forearm)

the other is a shark on my right breast, because i love sharks - and hopefully they will love not eat me!

Each one has something meaningful to me, so thats what counts.

One of the wifey tats is not really understandable to others, always becomes a talking point, and i have to explain the D, E, B is strategically within my own tribal design.

I have to say though, the pain is awesome!!

We are all individual with our own "meaningful" things within our lives, who is anyone to comment on what someone has done and why?

(unless its your kids!)

It seems that people who have tattoos value them or understand them. Many others just do not care or prefer to remain silent on why they do not like tattoos.

In the world of social media we are taught that personal branding is important. If that is true how does a tattoo define you to people who do not know you? If you do not like the message that precedes the real you, think twice about the role of a tattoo.

I have a couple, want loads more. Sorry if i insult anyone, but i don't agree with fashionable tattoos, they need to be for youself. If you look a the Pacific Islanders and Maoris there Ta Moko on a mam would take there whole life to do and would tell the story of there ansesters/battle and life - all done by chizzle as well, hard core.

The voice from the continent (me): I just don't get it why people like tattoos.

For yourself and not for others to see? Ahh right, how often do you look at yourself/ your own back?
Is your decision of say 30 years valid when you turn 60?
The name of a child/wife/girl friend? Are you fearing you might forget them? The latter two are dangerous territory anyway, ever heard of the "current partner"? LOL

Everybody likes different things, but that one is definitely not for me.

I have a very small tattoo (about 2cm), which I have had for nearly 20 years. I dont even notice it anymore, although I did use to have a very paranoid boss that thought it wouldnt give the right impression to clients.

As far as I know we never lost a contract because I had a tattoo.

I also love the idea of the Maori tattoos that tell a life story.