When did the popularity of tattoos among British people start increasing, what do you think caused?

[LadybirdsTakingTurds]

Can you tell me when tattoos became very popular in British culture? I recently went to a new gym and noticed a large number of young people, both men and women, with tattoos covering their bodies, even up to their necks and covering limbs. I was aware tattoos are much more common now than they were in previous decades but it was even more noticeable with everyone showing more skin.

It's now perfectly normal in the UK to see a person with a heavily tattooed leg, whereas this would have been considered unconventional just half a century ago. What do you think caused it - was it influenced by pop culture or a trend? Do you think its here to stay?

Some of the designs I've spotted repeatedly include lions, clocks, naked women, prayer beads, eagles, elephants, mandalas, chequered flags, clown faces, flowers, skulls, butterflies, roses, stars, and crying eyes.

I have not read all the comment. I have not noticed an increase in tattoo's. They were very popular when I was young. I desperately wanted one as teenager. My mother forbade me to do so. I am glad I've never did get one. I am not personally a fan a lots of tattoos, particularly large ones.

I'm 66 and in the last few years got some personal and colourful tattoos, I absolutely love them. I'm not wrinkly and quite fit so they look good, and in the next 20 years my skin and face will age so I'm not fussed about them not looking pristine either!

That aside, these threads crop up occasionally and I'm fascinated at how tattoos seem to cause some posters to turn into rude fuckers, calling people sheep and questioning their intelligence. Why on earth does a picture on someone's skin cause such a reaction?

The sheeple to me are the head tilters who spout the usual judgemental and repetitive shite.

I find them funny. They all must have some sad lives.

Imagine being that wound up about what other people do to their bodies, to the point you'd refuse medical help. Jesus wept.

I've been debating with myself as to whether to comment on this thread, given that the issue of tattoos seems to be very polarising, and there seems to be a view from some PPs that people should absolutely not be allowed to dislike them.
Anyway, I've got a bit of free time so........
I work as an artist, so you'd think I would like tattoos. I have certainly seen some very artistic and beautifully drawn examples.
But, I love the human body and skin in its natural state, and whilst I can understand and be ok with, for example, a small butterfly on the wrist, (and I do mean this as just a small generic example), I am repulsed by, (again for example), whole sleeve tattoos, neck/face tattoos, and tattoos covering a large proportion of a person's body. I just cannot understand why people want to ink over so much precious skin, and I find that amount of tattooing aesthetically very unpleasant and actually downright ugly. Not long ago I saw a young woman whose left arm was completely black. I assumed she was wearing a long-sleeved jumper, but when she moved closer I realised the arm was completely covered in ink, with no natural skin showing at all. I just don't understand why people do that. But that is just my opinion.
To digress a bit - I also hate facial piercings for similar reasons. Yet, I have one piercing in each ear lobe, so I accept that I could be described as a hypocrite.
I absolutely support peoples' right to have as many tattoos in as many places as they wish, for whatever reason, without being referred to as "sheep", uneducated, etc.
I also support peoples' right to dislike or even hate tattoos for whatever reason, without being referred to as snobs or bigots or whatever......

it looks odd to abuse your body with needles and pain in that way.

The same could be said for any plastic surgery that isn't done for necessary medical reasons. See also, Botox, lip fillers, having your hair dyed (burns), permed etc.

What on earth is wrong with punk and rockers? You sound like someone from the 1950s who has time travelled to the 21st century.

Agree with you wholeheartedly. My dad dislikes my tattoos, but he doesn't judge me as anything other than his daughter who likes to express herself in ways he wouldn't.

It's the looking down on, commentary that piss me off. Disliking is one thing. Judging someone to the point some do on mumsnet is just utterly batshit.

Do you live in 1950?

What I don't get is why there are so many folk who get their knickers firmly in a twist over other people's tattoos.

All the 'clever' armchair diagnosing and shit. So tattooed people are everything from criminals, psychos, have 'ishoos', like to self-harm/mutilate themselves, want to look hard, thick, 'sheep', unhappy, depressed, crazy, want to 'repel men' (that's a new one) what else did I miss. All this because they don't agree with other people's sense of style/appearance choices.

Honestly, why do you care? Fair fucks if you don't like/hate tattoos, don't want any yourself, refuse to date people with them. That's fine. I don't like all those filled lips, Brazilian butts, balloon-breasts, those big holes in ears (gauge piercings?), lots of tatts on a face or blackout tatts. And many other style choices. But it's not my face, butt or ears, not my business whatsoever. I don't think people who have them are psycho saddos and suchlike, it's their body and life.

So weird.

If anything they are too common now, l don't have any and feel in the minority.
I think the more tattoos people have the more they like to show them off which is why in summer so many people insist on walking around half naked. We have them strutting through our shop which is close to a gym, and it's not always a good look.
But each to their own, l think people who live outside the UK look and dress more elegantly.

It started, as far as I can remember around the time of the Spice girls so 97-2000.

They are not for me.

It's totally fine not to like something for whatever reason, and the reason this sort of thread is polarising is not because folk don't like them, it's when they are downright rude about other people's intelligence or reasons for having them.

They are on my body, they are doing no harm to anyone else, but it attracts the moat base rudeness on here, and frankly when I read it, it makes me realise why some mumsnetters are thoroughly taken the piss out of on other sites.

😂 do your homework before your assume this will be easy or cheap!!

my sister has been trying to get a god awful tattoo off her neck for the last 2 years, at $150 each visit. It’ll take 20 more visits and she’s already done 18 sessions!!!!

I take it you've surveyed every British person with a tattoo to come to that conclusion?

@Reugny

That's my point. My age group (now early 40's) were children/teenagers looking up to people like him, being all over the media with huge, visible tattoos. Personally I think he looked much better before the tattoos, though obviously none of my business lol

I also remember him being on the front page of all the printed papers for wearing a skirt (sarong), and these days hardly anyone would bat an eyelid at a man wearing a skirt!

I have several large tattoos and I love them. I’m in my 40’s and got them over 10 years ago. I am no sheep, I didn’t get them to be edgy I just love tattoos (and piercings), I always have, it’s no deeper than that. My husband also has lots and I have to admit I’m only really attracted to men who are tattooed. We are all different. Some people like tattoos, and some people don’t and that’s fine.

You also wouldn't put lip fillers or Botox on a newborn baby yet we have teenagers getting them now.

WTAF?

Nobody thinks that people should be not allowed to dislike them. I do not give a rat's arse if people don't. But the people who dislike them usually feel the need to add insults - we are tacky, chavvy, low IQ, have mental illness are all things that have been said on these threads. Why is that OK?

The history of tattoos is quite an interesting one actually, I found this article if you're interested in reading about how they became popular in Britain BBC link

And if someone accuses me of having low IQ or a mental illness just for having a tattoo I will absolutely call them a snob. I never initiate insults but I won't be spoke to like that.

It made me laugh

There's nothing wrong with not liking tattoos (or even not understanding why people would want them), it's the judging people as thick/chavs that has people's backs up. Which you haven't done in the slightest. 😊

I'm a professional tattooist and quite heavily tattooed myself.

I love art and am a classically trained painter, so I love tattoos. The artistic possibilities are endless and it's, hands down, the most challenging medium I've worked in.

It's EXHILARATING getting them done, a rare piece of real excitement in today's boring, over commodified, capitalist society.

We have a whole culture and community world wide, but especially in the UK, once you dip a toe in, you find out more and more possibilities...

In the 1880s Great Britain saw a wild craze of tattooing amongst the royals and upper classes, look into it you'll be surprised.

To disparage it only separates yourself from a very inclusive art form of which I am so PROUD to be a part of!

I love getting tattooed. I have never not got an appointment booked in!