The move from upper arm tattoos to a full sleeve..

[slayer9019]

Being British I haven't had much exposure to pro-basketball so I had to look up these sleeve things to see what they were. While I think it a little sad that folks have to cover their art (unless it is outwardly and obviously offensive or inappropriate - i.e. 'hate' or pornographic tatts - I kinda love that the untattooed are buying those pantyhose style tattoo sleeves, people with actual tattoo sleeves are buying blank ones! classic weirdness of how the world works!

For those who don't know what I was talking about with the basketball sleeve. It's like an arm sock

[Just Alex]

I wouldn't mind wearing one of those if it was deemed necessary to cover up by my employer, I bet they get hot and itchy over the course of a whole days work though!

[David Flores]

A lot of the times the coverup is more of a distraction than the tattoo. People would assume it was a brace and ask you what you did to your arm. I knew a guy who would ace bandage his forearm tattoos and he looked like a burn victim bagging groceries and pushing carts. Again he had to answer a thousand questions. He eventually moved to freight shift so he worked overnights.

[Just Alex]

I can imagine that, when I worked at KFC I had to wear a blue plaster over a (now retired) eyebrow piercing. The bosses in their infinite wisdom felt this would be more subtle than just leaving it, and that it would help "keep it in". All it actually achieved was me getting shitloads of questions about what I had done to my face and eventually pulling the jewellery out/exacerbating the inevitable rejection.

[heathenist]

Well for me, I'm trying to work my way down my left arm and have it finished over the course of the next year or so. I have 1 big spot on the outer upper arm left and then a medium size spot near the armpit. After that, it's down to the forearms. I'm only 23, however, I'm working towards a PhD (well a MA now, then next year I start PhD work). My thought process is this: I'm seeking a career in academics and honestly with a PhD in sociology, I won't have many other options anyways, as it's a pretty limiting degree, and the other options that are available aren't something I'm interested in doing. Academics, I think, are a bit more liberal than the corporate world in terms of things like this. Every department I've been a student of had most of the teachers teaching in t-shirts and even sweat pants and gym shorts at times. While I don't personally know of professors who are heavily tattooed, I know they exist. And even as a TA, I prefer to teach in a jacket and tie anyways, and for any job interview I will absolutely be wearing a suit, so what's the difference if my lower arms are tattooed vs my upper arm down to my elbow being tattooed? They are both visible in a short sleeve.

I'm actually holding off on the big stuff (torso/back) for later on in life.

[chris775]

I got my my first tattoo at 18 on my forearm so had to cover up at my last job, now i have a few more on my forearms aswell as other places not on show. In my current job tattoos aren't an issue but i am planning on going to university next year to study to become a mental health nurse and its stressing me out knowing if i will be accepted onto the course, anyone currently working in the nhs with any advice?

[jacobhh]

I've been getting tattooed for 2 or 3 years now (mid 20's, somewhere around 10 pieces) and work in the arts so my need for cover up is minimal. I have pretty exclusively stuck to my legs, mainly because I can only afford small to mid sized pieces right now. I know that in the tattoo world that is considered sort of lame but I am pretty settled on full Japanese sleeves and full back and chest pieces (which I will do before the arms). To each his own but I am thankful everyday I haven't made any rash decisions and ruined huge pieces of prime real estate.

[eisen777]

Whats lame? Nothing wrong with full conceptual sleeves/Japanese style.

[kylegrey]

Whats lame? Nothing wrong with full conceptual sleeves/Japanese style.

Hell yeah gimmie flowers and water all day every day .

[fuckhead]

I'm having my right forearm tattooed in Oct. I dont give a fuck what anyone thinks anymore...if shit changes I will just have to roll with it. I won't do my hands, but I'm ok with doing my forearms now.

Edited for emphasis, but, this. I'm not trying to be a prick about it but if you have to ask the advice of relative strangers on what to do, well, you probably aren't ready to have your forearms tattooed.

[Dan S]

As far as being denied a job because you are a colored person, I do believe that would be grounds for a nice, hefty discrimination suit.

[jacobhh]

Whats lame? Nothing wrong with full conceptual sleeves/Japanese style.

Sorry bad phrasing / pronouns ... what I meant was just getting just your legs tattooed is viewed as kind of lame. Obviously NOTHING lame about full Japanese sleeves!

[ShaneRealz]

For those who don't know what I was talking about with the basketball sleeve. It's like an arm sock

Untattooed players wear these also, as a shooting sleeve (compression on the dominant arm to keep it straight).

[Colored Guy]

As far as being denied a job because you are a colored person, I do believe that would be grounds for a nice, hefty discrimination suit.

My son worked in a restaurant last year into this year and the policy was no facial hair (we ain't even going near menopausal women here...), no visible tattoos. So I have no idea if that could be challenged. We had one guy at work, just hired and one of the bosses bitched him out on the shop floor about his ink... someone suggested he go to HR and lodge a complaint.

CG

[rozone]

I say, be punk rock about it.

Don't let the "man" hold you down.

If someone is going to deny me a job because of how I've decided to decorate my skin, then that's not a person I wanna work for.

Getting visible tattoos is a lifestyle decision, so doing it means you truly need to commit to it and be aware of all of the consequences of those actions. I'm not saying don't do it. I'm saying that if you do it, do it for you, know what it means, and know the doors it will close (and open) for you.

[Scott R]

I have never seen anyone buy those pantyhouse sleeves as anything other than a Halloween costume. However it is funny the influence that tattoo designs has on clothing and culture. You see some weekend warrior pull up on a Harley with no tattoos but the their jacket has a big tattoo style rose and their tank has a skull or some tribal design. I am always shocked at the amount of little things I notice in a day that have been influenced by tattoos or tattoo design.

I did see a few episodes of dog the bounty hunter where the wife had the tattooed sleeve hoses on

[slayer9019]

I say, be punk rock about it.

Don't let the "man" hold you down.

If someone is going to deny me a job because of how I've decided to decorate my skin, then that's not a person I wanna work for.

Getting visible tattoos is a lifestyle decision, so doing it means you truly need to commit to it and be aware of all of the consequences of those actions. I'm not saying don't do it. I'm saying that if you do it, do it for you, know what it means, and know the doors it will close (and open) for you.

I gave up the "punk rock" mentality at work awhile ago. I remember when I first transitioned from a job to a career. I put away the cut-off dickies, took out my earrings, cut my awesome 5" goatee, and shaved off my mohawk (that I had for 2 years!). I love getting tattooed, but I also like having a good paying job so I can keep getting tattooed. I am not good at much, sadly I am office-bound in talents.

I remember a time where I thought that "my employer better accept my 'lifestyle'". That changed after being unemployed real quick! Work is work, when I get home then my lifestyle can kick in.

Untattooed players wear these also, as a shooting sleeve (compression on the dominant arm to keep it straight).

Yea I know they actually have sport application (their actual purpose) but employers found they make great tattoo coverups. It's funny to me to see some poor kid working at starbucks forced to wear athletic equipment to make coffee. I always wanted to have my coffee served in lay-up formation.

Sorry bad phrasing / pronouns ... what I meant was just getting just your legs tattooed is viewed as kind of lame. Obviously NOTHING lame about full Japanese sleeves!

I am way more heavily tattooed on my legs than anywhere else. I think leg tattoos *squidpants* are awesome. Each thigh is like a small back piece sized area. Don't waste the space!

As far as being denied a job because you are a colored person, I do believe that would be grounds for a nice, hefty discrimination suit.

Actually they tried to do this and lost every time. Because it is a personal decision it is not a protected class. Things that cannot be changed (don't know why religion is listed but hey whatever) like race, orientation, socio-economic, etc.

[Dan S]

@slayer...my religion requires me to be tattooed.

[Colored Guy]

I did see a few episodes of dog the bounty hunter where the wife had the tattooed sleeve hoses on

If it weren't for Mrs. Dog's abundant set of snack trays, nobody would watch the show.

CG

- - - Updated - - -

I say, be punk rock about it.

Don't let the "man" hold you down.

If someone is going to deny me a job because of how I've decided to decorate my skin, then that's not a person I wanna work for.

Getting visible tattoos is a lifestyle decision, so doing it means you truly need to commit to it and be aware of all of the consequences of those actions. I'm not saying don't do it. I'm saying that if you do it, do it for you, know what it means, and know the doors it will close (and open) for you.

Call me a sellout.... I gotta do what brings home the bacon for my family. I deal with people far up the food chain at work every day and I'm expected to act and look like a professional.

I pretty much had the same mantra as you when I was driving a tow truck every day.

CG

[bongsau]

My $0.02

Don't rush out and get your sleeves like a lot of the young guns. You could end up with some half-baked, half-assed and most importantly half-finished tattoo work. A lot of young guns start sleeves and a lot of young guns never finish them...they perhaps don't realize the time and money commitment or maybe they are too excited to get their linework featured on Shock Mansion and Instagram.

Work a bit. Bankroll some money, build some cred at your job/field. It makes it easier to pay for that high quality big ass tattoo and it makes it less difficult to convince your boss to give you timeoff to go get work done.

Patience is a virtue and good things come to those that wait.

[Colored Guy]

My $0.02

Don't rush out and get your sleeves like a lot of the young guns. You could end up with some half-baked, half-assed and most importantly half-finished tattoo work. A lot of young guns start sleeves and a lot of young guns never finish them...they perhaps don't realize the time and money commitment or maybe they are too excited to get their linework featured on Shock Mansion and Instagram.

Work a bit. Bankroll some money, build some cred at your job/field. It makes it easier to pay for that high quality big ass tattoo and it makes it less difficult to convince your boss to give you timeoff to go get work done.

Patience is a virtue and good things come to those that wait.

Definitely worth waiting for and taking your time. I had most of my arm work done when I was 23-26 and it all faded over the years. I'm down to one item that needs to be done, everything else has been freshened up, added to and covered up.

CG

[jacobhh]

My $0.02

Don't rush out and get your sleeves like a lot of the young guns. You could end up with some half-baked, half-assed and most importantly half-finished tattoo work. A lot of young guns start sleeves and a lot of young guns never finish them...they perhaps don't realize the time and money commitment or maybe they are too excited to get their linework featured on Shock Mansion and Instagram.

Work a bit. Bankroll some money, build some cred at your job/field. It makes it easier to pay for that high quality big ass tattoo and it makes it less difficult to convince your boss to give you timeoff to go get work done.

Patience is a virtue and good things come to those that wait.

Seriously loved the amount of times you said "young guns" in this post. Solid advice.

Edited July 29, 2012 by jacobhh
Repeated?

[David Flores]

I say, be punk rock about it.

Don't let the "man" hold you down.

If someone is going to deny me a job because of how I've decided to decorate my skin, then that's not a person I wanna work for.

Getting visible tattoos is a lifestyle decision, so doing it means you truly need to commit to it and be aware of all of the consequences of those actions. I'm not saying don't do it. I'm saying that if you do it, do it for you, know what it means, and know the doors it will close (and open) for you.

I am totally with you at this point in my life, don't want to work in a job like that and willing to work harder and maybe make less money to do so, but would be hesitant to recommend it to someone who is 22 and no marketable skills. It's a lot easier to say you don't care when you have your shit together. Shit even having a job makes you not punk rock by some people's standards.

[lving4today]

hey now I have marketable skills, I'm a licensed radiologic technologist. :D (after 2 years of hell, I feel like bragging)

all good solid advice, from both ends of the spectrum. I shall wait and acquire squidpants

[Jake Anderson]

Whatever choices you do make, don't look back. Good for you on your marketable skills! After 8 years of post high school education, i have exactly ONE skill. Kinda pigeonholed myself! haha.