Lower Back Tattoos

I have a full back piece from my neck to my butt. I love it and I get compliments on it all the time. The lower back tattoo or "tramp stamp" has definitely got a bad wrap thanks to popular porn stars, but tattoos are not for other people. They're for you. If you have one you think would look best there and it means a lot to you, there is no one standing in your way.

Do what YOU want to do. Don't worry about other people's opinions.

I hear this rationalization all the time, and disagree with it. People get tattoos for other people, not themselves. It's like saying you wear makeup for yourself. Say I like Superman; I know I like Superman, but I get the tattoo so that others know it too. It is an outward expression. One does not express oneself to oneself, they express themselves to others. It's a really cheap and shallow form of expression in my opinion, too. I would never reduce myself to expressing myself through designs painted on my body. End rant.

You can disagree with it, but some people DO get tattoos for themselves and no one else.
No one would know I have tattoos. You can't see them unless I walk around in a bra, which I don't tend to do. I rarely wear a bikini.
And just because you don't understand an art form does not make it "cheap and shallow".

I understand it, and see right through it. lol at people with tattoos thinking they are these deep, misunderstood free spirits. Back in the day, a person with a tattoo had a story to tell. They were ex cons, in the military, bikers, etc. they had seen the gritty side of life and had the scars to prove it. Tattoos have become so sanitized it is sad. They lost all their meaning when everybody got one.

I think if the tattoo has a personal meaning to you I think they are fine.

I have one. Got it in Alaska before the craze came up there. I like it. I don't care what you tat on yourself, it's not my place to judge you. There seem to be a lot of judgmental people on here though. I'm also sick of the whole, "Well what will you look like when you're older...blehhhhh...word vomit". I'll look ****ing awesome, that's what. You people really think anyone is going to give a **** at that age? LOL. I'll be on my porch shooting squirrels and yelling at whippersnappers.

I have seen a LOT of trashy broads that don't even have tattoos...soooooo....

I think all tattoos are eyesores. They make attractive people look kind of trashy. Just my humble opinion.

You know what else makes people look kind of trashy? Judgmental comments.

So I'm gonna play devil's advocate here. This is just her opinion, one that many people share. She shouldn't be criticized for it.

It was just an opinion, one that many people agree with, so why not?
There is a difference between an opinion and saying someone looks trashy. I have 15 tattoos. I don't think I look trashy one bit and find this opion offensive.

This is just like Orwell's newspeak. Change the things people are permitted to say, either by directly forbidding it, or by ridiculing and ostracizing speech you don't agree with/that offends you. He never say anyone looked trashy, he never said you personally look trashy. He wasn't even thinking about you when he said it! He said that tattoos can make attractive people look trashy. Whether you agree or not (I personally do not agree with him), you should champion his right to say that. Free speech for everyone keeps everyone free. Let's not censor thought/speech that offends us or makes us uncomfortable.

Wouldn't it have been less harsh to say "I personally don't care for tattoos or like how they look." ?

If I think your haircut or the outfit you're wearing looks like utter and complete garbage, it's going to be rude for me to tell you so, regardless of what rights I have as an individual. No one's saying he can't say it, but if he's allowed to speak freely in a rude way towards other people, then they are perfectly within the rights of their own "free speech" to call him/her an A-hole for it.

I love when people are all, "Free Speech! Free Speech!" to excuse rudeness...Freedom of speech doesn't mean you have to be a *kitten*. There is still this little mysterious thing called MANNERS.

the betty boop tat above my left boob will probably look like a gigantic raisin when i get old and shriveled

I see nothing wrong with a lower back tattoo, or just about any tattoo placement.

Do I think some tattoos are tacky? Sure.

Can a well done tattoo that holds meaning to someone be a beautiful thing? Absolutely. I've known several people with some incredibly personal tattoo work done, and I would never EVER look down on them for it.

Also, watch LA Ink sometime. Some of the stories of the work done on that show will have you tearing up.

I myself have a single tattoo on the back of one of my shoulders. My mother (then 40-something) and her 50-something year old friend from work took me to get my tattoo on my 21st birthday. Mom got a koi fish on her foot, mom's friend got a delicate flowery bracelet around a wrist, and I got my dolphin, which I contemplated on for about 5 years before I got it. Call us trashy if you will, it makes no difference to any of us.

SNL Clip

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8mcok_saturday-night-live-turlington-s-lo_fun#.UXCfIbXvvu4

I have a full back piece from my neck to my butt. I love it and I get compliments on it all the time. The lower back tattoo or "tramp stamp" has definitely got a bad wrap thanks to popular porn stars, but tattoos are not for other people. They're for you. If you have one you think would look best there and it means a lot to you, there is no one standing in your way.

Do what YOU want to do. Don't worry about other people's opinions.

I hear this rationalization all the time, and disagree with it. People get tattoos for other people, not themselves. It's like saying you wear makeup for yourself. Say I like Superman; I know I like Superman, but I get the tattoo so that others know it too. It is an outward expression. One does not express oneself to oneself, they express themselves to others. It's a really cheap and shallow form of expression in my opinion, too. I would never reduce myself to expressing myself through designs painted on my body. End rant.

You can disagree with it, but some people DO get tattoos for themselves and no one else.
No one would know I have tattoos. You can't see them unless I walk around in a bra, which I don't tend to do. I rarely wear a bikini.
And just because you don't understand an art form does not make it "cheap and shallow".

I understand it, and see right through it. lol at people with tattoos thinking they are these deep, misunderstood free spirits. Back in the day, a person with a tattoo had a story to tell. They were ex cons, in the military, bikers, etc. they had seen the gritty side of life and had the scars to prove it. Tattoos have become so sanitized it is sad. They lost all their meaning when everybody got one.

Everyone has a story to tell. Everyone.

I have a full back piece from my neck to my butt. I love it and I get compliments on it all the time. The lower back tattoo or "tramp stamp" has definitely got a bad wrap thanks to popular porn stars, but tattoos are not for other people. They're for you. If you have one you think would look best there and it means a lot to you, there is no one standing in your way.

Do what YOU want to do. Don't worry about other people's opinions.

I hear this rationalization all the time, and disagree with it. People get tattoos for other people, not themselves. It's like saying you wear makeup for yourself. Say I like Superman; I know I like Superman, but I get the tattoo so that others know it too. It is an outward expression. One does not express oneself to oneself, they express themselves to others. It's a really cheap and shallow form of expression in my opinion, too. I would never reduce myself to expressing myself through designs painted on my body. End rant.

You can disagree with it, but some people DO get tattoos for themselves and no one else.
No one would know I have tattoos. You can't see them unless I walk around in a bra, which I don't tend to do. I rarely wear a bikini.
And just because you don't understand an art form does not make it "cheap and shallow".

I understand it, and see right through it. lol at people with tattoos thinking they are these deep, misunderstood free spirits. Back in the day, a person with a tattoo had a story to tell. They were ex cons, in the military, bikers, etc. they had seen the gritty side of life and had the scars to prove it. Tattoos have become so sanitized it is sad. They lost all their meaning when everybody got one.

kinda going a little off the original topic here but i would just like to clear a few things up, sure quite a few people out there do have meaningless tattoos actually it's probably safe to say more than half, but you said "One does not express oneself to oneself, they express themselves to others." this is not always true, i have 26 tattoos, and they all mean something, but to save some time i'll just share the first one i got which was barbed wire around my left wrist. when i was 15 my 20 year old brother drove a 4-wheeler through a barbed wire fence and clotheslined himself. i ran down to where he was to see the inside of his neck, major arteries,windpipe,blood everywhere, long story short that tattoo is in fact for myself AND everyone else who chooses to care, but i have it for myself first,anyone else who wants to care enough is just a plus. though i do agree with you about most tattoos becoming sanitized, but even though more rare now, people with a story to tell are still out there. but at last, if i really cared about people looking down on my tattoos i never would have got the first one, or the 25 after that, or the other ones i'll get in the future you or anyone can trash talk my tattoos all you want and i'll still sleep the same at night, i respect anyones opinion to my tattoos looking trashy because i didn't get them for you and sure not to impress any of you carry on with your judgements. End rant.

ETA: Brandiboo84's trashy-ness aka chestpiece is awesome and also for the record i never got a male tramp stamp (not sure if it's still the same name or what hahaha) but i do have a full backpiece that took about 21 hours total, and i know this might come as a shock but it too has an amazing story behind it

I have one tattoo and it is in the infamous "tramp stamp" area. Guess I'm trashy! Yay me!

OK I under stand everyones opinions about tattoos, BUT!!! If there is a forum about tattoos, why would you come to bash them?



Anyway, what do people think about a SPINE tattoo? From the top to the bottom. Its my last name so it is meaningful not some stupid thing (before people start bashing)

OK I under stand everyones opinions about tattoos, BUT!!! If there is a forum about tattoos, why would you come to bash them?

Because the OP asked for opinions?

i guess i should say that i like tattoos (tramp stamps included for the sake of the original question) and don't think they are trashy for the most part, i did once see a tramp stamp of bicycle handlebars. now even though thats a little bit epic it and i personally think it's awesome most wouldn't think it stops it from the "trashy" but it all depends on her attitude about it, if she got it because of how funny she thought it would be i think that changes things. i think personality says alot more than a tattoo ever will - tramp stamp or otherwise. i tend to get to know people before passing judgement on what type of person they are based off physical apperance

no it depends on the tattoo... and the person.. some guys love it some guys hate them.. so.. in my opinion who the heck cares lol... do what makes you happy..