Should You Get a Tattoo?

Tattoos are not ?alternative? anymore. No longer are they solely found on tough guys whose hobbies include beer and bashings. Nor do they make you perennially unemployable. Tattoos can be found on the most average of people, whether as a marker of something special or just a design that they liked the look of. A tattoo has the potential to completely change your look, so think carefully.

It does not have to be meaningful

A first tattoo is often something that you ponder for a long time. You may sit on the idea for years, fearful that something that seems meaningful now will not seem silly in a few years? time. After that first tattoo, people often become more lax about getting their tattoos, getting inked as soon as they have the impulse. But if you want a first tattoo and are not sure what to get, that does not mean that you must sit idle until you come across something that means a lot to you.

Others may tell you that your tattoo needs to have a special meaning as you will be stuck with it for life. While it is true that you will be stuck with it for life and it is a big decision, it is not such a bad thing to be forever emblazoned with a nice design you have come across.

Never get a name

You may like the idea of getting inked with the name or image of your partner or a close relative. But unless you want to spend big bucks getting it tattooed over in years to come, do not get someone?s name permanently on your skin. You never know if that person is one day going to exit your life, with the tattoo as a reminder of what you used to have. If you really must get a tattoo to show your love for someone else, get something symbolic rather than their name.

Keep it small

A small, tasteful tattoo is unlikely to impede your employment prospects. A big tattoo in a prominent place- think neck or face- makes you appear less respectable. To play it safe, get something small and easily hidden. This does not mean it has to be a body part that is usually clothed. The forearm is a good tattoo spot as you will have plenty of opportunities to show it off, but you can cover it with a long-sleeved top.

Avoid tribal designs

Having generic tribal tattoos does not reflect well on your personality. Unless you are actually a member of said tribe, it makes you look like a wannabe. The same applies to all cultural symbols. You look silly if you do not belong to the group who it is meaningful to, and just chose it because you thought it looked cool. There is nothing wrong with choosing a nonsense design for the look, but if it turns out to have an actual meaning, you should not have it inked unless it means something to you.