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.

Until recently, tattoos were pretty much taboo in mainstream society and were only popular amongst 'undesirables': sailors, sex workers, homosexuals, travellers, carnival workers, musicians, drug addicts, criminals. Basically, the 'demi-monde'. Tattoo parlours were usually situated in the red light and docks regions of cities - somewhere no-one respectable would ever go.

Then squares like footballers and commercial pop musicians started getting them and they became utterly mainstream and banal.

Effectively, tattoos became gentrified.

I've got a tattoo that really means a lot to me. I’m not a fan of pigeonholing people just because they have tattoos, but I do think or so it seems that there is a popular trend of people who just do it because everyone else is, like a status symbol. The reason I say this is the tattoos you mention of lions etc and prayer beads lots of lads I know have those.

I am very curious now if tattoos are as prevalent in other European countries as they are in England.....

I’d absolutely love a tattoo but I’m terrified of needles 😬.

My DS is planning to get one soon so I can live vicariously through him 😄

I can admire the artwork of tattoos but they don't do anything for me.

What gets my goat though is when I'm asked if I like tattoos etc and give an honest answer people don't like it.

For me, it’s a connection through the ages. We’ve been indulging in body modifications for a hell of a long time - it’s one of the few things we genuinely have in common with people from thousands of years ago. It’s not new, it’s not edgy, it’s not bad…the royal family had tattoos within the last few centuries! For a while it was something seen on lower and upper class individuals, but not on middle class in the UK. Mostly due to the fact you got them abroad and the people sailing around were lower class seamen and upper class officers. Now, we have good technology, good inks, talented artists, and acceptance for them in normal life…so popularity grows.

The question is why do Brits follow this style more than other countries - also ,imv,we follow changing fashions more.

Which Country's Residents Have The Most Tattoos?
Rank Country People Who Have At Least One Tattoo (%)
1 Italy 48
2 Sweden 47
3 United States 46
4 Australia 43
5 Argentina 43
6 Spain 42
7 Denmark 41
8 United Kingdom 40
9 Brazil 37
10 France 36

I think people just havent realised how far tattoos have come. They're still stuck in the mindset that you go and pick a pre existing design out of a book that everybody's getting, so therefore you'll regret it eventually type of shit.

Tattoos are designed and personal to the person, therefore you don't regret them. We've gone past the days of love hate on the knuckles 🙄

I'm getting a memorial one soon in honour of my daughter. Anyone telling me I'm a sheeple or following the crowd and will regret it, is a fucking divvy tbh. Maybe stop staring at people or people will start giving you a side eye for being a bit of a perv.

There has been an exponential growth in tattoo removal clinics too.

Interesting

They don't. Other countries do it too.

Why don't you go with him? If you see how it's done youll see it's not like your average needle.

Assuming the 'sheep' commenters don't wear common things like jeans or trainers or hoodies.

They must only adorn themselves in unique items handwoven from cat fur and the semen of righteous unicorns.

And as for the self mutilation...you think that a significant minority of the adult population is really into mutilating themselves owing to psychological issues?! What a bizarre world view.

I was distracted during my recent smear test by my GPs tattoos, they were some rather delicate floral designs up her arm, she called them her mid-life crisis tattoos!
My Granny was a doctor and wouldn't even contemplate dyed hair or pierced ears, she would be appalled at a GP being tattooed!

I like tattoos and would be open to getting one or two small ones (there’s a couple of designs i really like) but yeah I think tattooing yourself from the neck to the knuckles is a bit 😬 unless you’re a rock star

It's about how you say it.

"Yea, theyre not for me" = hard to see how anyone would get justifiably upset so you can just ignore them as being oversensitive

"I think only criminals get them and they all look shit and I look down on anyone who has them" = an unnecessary response from someone being deliberately goady and twattish

In real life obvs, because in real life people are likely chatting to someone they know so of course wouldn't want to deliberately upset them

Why though @Naptrappedmummy

Why is small and subtle ok, but something more out there is not? It's not for anyone else to judge.

Interesting. Italy and Sweden are surprising. I wonder if they're full leg sleeves or more discreet and minimalistic designs.

I stumbled upon some "Bongland" memes and I’m starting to think we’re the punchline of Europe re our obesity and drink culture.

HRTFT but from my perspective, I think a lot of it has to do with the amount of tattoo parlours that are around. People's curiosity is sparked, especially if a friend has one done.
Personally, I didn't have one until my mum passed, as I knew she would hate it! My dad would have done too, but mine are placed so that nobody would actually know I had 5! And all of which were carefully thought out and considered first! If I was going to get body art, I wanted to choose/design something that I was a) happy to have for life and b) that actually meant something to me.
I could never wander into a tattoo parlour and point to a picture and say, I'll have that one! It needs to represent something for me.
But I have seen a lot of women with full neck/sleeve tattoos just lately and I think they look awful! But then again, it's their choice, not mine.

... and wondered if we had tattoos to add to the mix.

I don't think it's just the UK, I've spent a lot of time in Australia over the last couple of years and I noticed that a lot of younger (early 20s I'd say) have the full sleeves and leg tattoos...a lot of them women. I haven't seen many women here with full leg and sleeve tattoos but then of course we don't have the weather often to walk around in vests/shorts so you wouldn't notice them as much!

Raves in the late 80s and early 90s saw people drawing on themselves and then getting tribal type tattoos and then it seemed to carry on from there.

Pamela Anderson got a barbed wire tattoo on her arm and she was a huge celebrity at the time and women started getting those 'tramp stamp' tattoos which are visible because the fashion was for low rise jeans and trousers and cropped tops.

Absolutely ghastly things in my opinion.

Certainly mainstream since mid 90s. Pretty much loads of my school and uni friends got them. Girls got the butterfly on lower back before it became known as a tramp stamp. Guys got ring tattoos around their wrists or upper arms. These were educated people from MC backgrounds. My first job as an accountant and my Co worker got a small cartoon character tattoo when he was drunk. It's been fairly ubiquitous since.

That's interesting -- say more? In what way does tattooing connect your inner self to your outer one?

A PP mentioned the two guys on Great British Menu with their whole arms blacked out - I really don't get this look. That Machine Gun Kelly bloke has just had most of his torso blacked out too. A nice colourful well designed tattoo I can appreciate but not sure what the blacking out thing is all about.