"Yeah she's pretty, but OH those tattoos...."

[Kristy C]

So there is something I have been running into alot lately, and I am wondering if any of you tattooed ladies can identify.

Do you ever overhear people saying things like the title of the thread? Or what about people saying it directly to you? "You ruined yourself", "Why would you get all those tattoos, you're too pretty"....you catch my drift.

Now I'm not talking about grandma or any older family member, as that can be expected :) I mean other people you encounter in daily life.....customers or clients you encounter at your job, acquaintances at your local bar, or just complete strangers in public at the grocery store.

I have customers at my job say it all the time. "Why would you RUIN yourself like that?"
One girl I work with said it's a "shame" that I got my tattoos cause I could have been a model or been in Playboy. Little does she know I am a model in my own chosen subculture....it's just funny how people assume every girl's dream is to be in Playboy or Maxim.
Then there are the conversations I overhear all the time. Yesterday my hubby and I, a few friends were hanging out at a local joint watching the Kentucky derby. I got up to use the bathroom, and as I was walking by the corner of the bar, I noticed a couple staring at me, and the woman goes to the guy "Yeah, she's pretty, all except for those tattoos. Ugh! Why would she....."
Then at VLV of all places, I overhead two women, as they were pointing to a girl having her picture taken by a car...."Now just LOOK at her. She's doing it right. NO tattoos, so classy....now she's a real beauty"

I don't let the s*** bother me too much, I am not really mad about it, I am more just wondering what everyone else's experiences have been with this sort of stuff....guys feel free to chime in with your opinion please!!!

[Lenore Lovelace]

Thankfully comments such as these seem to have dwindled over the years. It's either due to the fact that I always carry myself with confidence, and this seems to scare people off from wanting to say rude things, or that a lot of the times when I am out, I have the OH with me and no one really wants to talk s*** about either of us.

That's not to say it doesn't happen, tho people tend to freak out over my big ears more than anything. I can't tell you how many whispers and giggles I've heard, along with with gasps and "Is that really her ear?"

For every ignorant comment that is thrown towards my back, there is a compliment; someone who wants to know why I chose to get a certain tattoo or piercing. In fact, lately I've been asked if my 'face dots' are actually tattoos, which I must say is a boost to the ego. They are only make-up [for now], but apparently I'm doing it well enough that people have to know if it's real or not.

To be honest, if people are going to be rude and talk loud enough for me to hear them, I reserve the right to make them feel stupid. Granted, the scene plays out in my head more often than in reality, as I don't like to feed into bullies.

I really wonder how others would feel if their choice of appearance was called out in a public manner.

Body modifications have existed for a very long time. They were used as signs of beauty and determined how valuable a woman was. They were worn strictly by aristocrats and royalty. If that's not classy, then I don't know what is.

[Kristy C]

I was starting to give up hope on anyone replying to my post!! Thank you for a thoughtful response.

[pinuphu]

Hi Kristy!
I thought this problem is less anywhere except my country... But I have to agree with you two and I hear and heard all the same things and many others for my appearance...but I didn't care... I have only 1 tattoo but I receive every day oooh what a weird and strange thing two cherries on my legs.... XD
Once somebody I didn't know asked me I had painted on my legs every morning or it's real. OMG! :D

But tattoos and pin-ups are a bit more known in your country, don't they...?

[Seanna {Madam}]

Yeah, that used to hit me in a soft spot back when I first started. Now, I just think it's funny. I love watching the expressions on people faces and seeing the head shaking. I don't expect the entire world to agree with me or understand my choices whether I'm tattooed or not, which is why I'm confident in my decisions. I just give them a smile and move on.

[Kristy C]

AWESOME! ^^^^

And yeah...the funny questions. My most memorable one came from 3 ladies I was waiting on when I worked in a diner back in Florida.

They asked "But what are you gonna do when you want to get married? How are you gonna find a husband, and what will he think?!" and another chimed in "What are you gonna do about your wedding dress?? don't you want to look pretty on your wedding day?"

At that point my husband and I had just married a few weeks before! My response was something along the lines of "Well, I'm already married, and very happy....and he has three times the tattoos I do!" My man actually prefers women tattooed to not tattooed.

They just looked at me with total blank stares, they had no idea how to digest my response.

Funny how they assumed I MUST be single, alone and desperate in my unacceptable, unfeminine tattoo-edness.

[Wink Holliday]

"There's no accounting for taste."

Every person is entitled to their opinion. My guess is that each and every one of us has cast aspersions of our own towards other people's style choices. I know I have. Where these critics go wrong is in thinking that it's okay to mention their displeasure/disapproval to your face. If they had any class themselves, they would keep their mouths shut and their opinions to themselves. "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all."

(If folks are whispering amongst themselves and you HAPPEN to overhear, well, that's unfortunate. Accept it as payback for perhaps being overheard scorning the poor fool who wears the waistband of his jeans somewhat nearer his knees than his waist. How do they even DO that?)

[Kerosene_Deluxe]

I get it all the time doll, not just that but about my weight too (example: 'ooh you have such a pretty face, if you lost weight you would be so beautiful' etc) don't pay notice to it. just be happy being yourself, it's your body and you should decorate it however you please.
I've had people ask me if my tattoos are real too, lol!

[Retrodolls Pinup Photography]

i hear that all the time when people look in my book :(

[Anita Fixx]

Yeah! I love that Sailor Jerry scan where did you get it? I want! : P Maybe they could be made into cards that you can keep in your wallet and hand out to those stupid people. Haha!

Anyway as for the stupid comments from stupid people that's all they are..just ignorance so don't pay any attention to it, it's not worth it. Remember karma's a b****. People will always find something to criticize if it's not tattoos, it's your weight or height or whatever. Especially for women this is always the case..we're always being judged by our appearance, it's very unfortunate but true. F*** em..they can go to hell. It's not gonna stop me for getting more tattoos. Close minded, stupid people who can't keep their mouths shut will always exist. Maybe they were NEVER taught the common saying "if you have nothing nice to say don't say anything at all". Maybe they were born and raised in the gutter who knows?

peachy said:

oh yawn.......you would think people would get bored its like HELLO were in like 2009 get the f**k over it!!!
well obviously i had it all from my family but to be honest they just accept it now....
BUT yes i have comments like " what will you do on your wedding day????" WTF!!!! or "dont you think youve gone a bit far".......or "is there anything left to tattoo?"....errrrrr yep plenty baby and bring it on.....i only have 6 tattoos.......2 are pretty big pieces but i love them......they are the only thing i love about myself!

ive heard people in work looking at my tattoo mags saying " ohhhh she would be stunning if it wasnt for all those tattoos".......i tend to not really talk about tattoos to people who dont get it........its far too draining

heres something ive scanned for you love :0),...........gotta love sailor jerry xxx

[C/S]

Just a quick hit....
30 years ago Only the hard core Cholitas were sporting a small heart or cross on their hands or maybe a rose over the heart ...now days you cant swing a dead cat without hitting a Gal tatted out , more INK than me ??
Whats the world coming to ?? , some day those lovely ladies may become someones Grandmother .... hope the ink does not fade...

PS no one was harmed in this comment , I love all the pretty gals, shapes, sizes and color ...

crow

[Wink Holliday]

Yes!!! :)

CROWSHOP said:

some day those lovely ladies may become someones Grandmother .... hope the ink does not fade...

crow

[Lenore Lovelace]

Kristy C said:

"But what are you gonna do when you want to get married? How are you gonna find a husband, and what will he think?!" and another chimed in "What are you gonna do about your wedding dress?? don't you want to look pretty on your wedding day?"
At that point my husband and I had just married a few weeks before! My response was something along the lines of "Well, I'm already married, and very happy....and he has three times the tattoos I do!" My man actually prefers women tattooed to not tattooed.

They just looked at me with total blank stares, they had no idea how to digest my response.

Funny how they assumed I MUST be single, alone and desperate in my unacceptable, unfeminine tattoo-edness.

That is *awesome*. Don't people realize that there are plenty of men who have their fair share of tattoo coverage, or can appreciate a woman the way she is. The assumption that one will never, and can never be attractive with tattoos [or other body mods] is like saying someone who has a physical deformity [extreme yes, but to make a point] will always be single. How narrow-minded have people become?