Saturday, March 2, 2013

Belly Tattoo


Tattoos
Over the past 50–100 years, it has become more acceptable for ordinary people to have tattoos and less so for the aristocracy - a reversal of the situation in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Tattoos are used today as a sign of affiliation to certain street gangs and many are tattooed in prison as 'badge of honor' so that 'ex-cons' can recognize each other.
Tattooing remains as the archetypal means of 'body painting' and decoration, and certainly the most permanent, and while the traditional popular designs appear to have been devised from 'heavy metal' and 'motorbike gang culture, these are slowly being replaced by more modern tattoo designs based upon Celtic, Indian and Asian themes in addition to floral and other natural images.

Arm Tattoo


Tattoos
During the latter decades of the 20th century tattooing became a popular social practice worldwide. Many younger (and some older) people today either have aspirations to have a tattoo somewhere on their body, or already have one or more.

Some elect for one or several small tattoos such as butterflies, flowers, or other designs, while others may have significant portions of their skin covered. Popular along these lines are the 'half-sleeve', having the upper arm covered in tattoos, or 'full-sleeve', which includes the upper and lower arms. Whether or not to get a tattoo which is visible while wearing clothing is a matter of taste, but also involves consideration of future employment opportunities, and societal and family pressures.
It is assumed that the majority of tattoo recipients patronize tattoo parlors, which- according to varying state laws- have been registered and observe accepted standards of hygiene. However, some individuals do not, and some even use home tattooing equipment.

Shoulder Tattoo


Tattoos
American woman with arms and chest covered with tattoos, 1907
Tattooing spread among the upper classes all over Europe in the 19th century, but particularly in Britain where it was estimated in Harmsworth Magazine in 1898 that as many as one in five members of the gentry were tattooed.

There, it was not uncommon for members of the social elite to gather in the drawing rooms and libraries of the great country estate homes after dinner and partially disrobe in order to show off their tattoos. Aside from her consort Prince Albert, there are persistent rumours that Queen Victoria had a small tattoo in an undisclosed 'intimate' location; Denmark's King Frederick was filmed showing his tattoos taken as a young sailor. Winston Churchill's mother, Lady Randolph Churchill, had a tattoo of a snake around her wrist, which she covered when the need arose with a specially crafted diamond bracelet. Carrying on the family tradition, Winston Churchill had an anchor tattooed on his forearm.