The ladies thread

[keepcalm]

@Rawok - I'm getting my thigh tattooed here in the states this weekend, and I'll be visiting Sweden in late October! Looking forward to it. :) Your clothing ideas sound good to me.

@KBeee - I'm not very visibly covered. Partly because I think about this very thing sometimes -- there is a happy medium as to how tough I actually am and how tough I'd like to appear to strangers. Specifically, at what point will visible tattoos make me appear less friendly/approachable than I really am, and do I want to project that kind of image? I dunno. As much as I envy those who say, "Fuck what other people think - do what you want!", I have always been a pretty approachable person, and I think I would miss that aspect of my life if I became so covered that people thought twice about me before they even got a chance to talk to me.

Incidentally, it's stupid that some people still associate tattoos with tough guys/gals/whatever, but the fact is, they do. Either way, I'm glad you're enjoying your extra space in public, @KBeee!

[Rawok]

@keepcalm - Cool, where are you going and if I may ask, why? :)

If you're heading north, bring the long johns.

Regarding being tough, maybe we all are a little bit badass for loving art and enduring pain :D

Edited September 8, 2014 by Rawok
grammar

[keepcalm]

@Rawok, haha indeed! I won't argue ;)

I'm visiting Sweden kind of on a whim -- I'll already be in Europe this fall, and I have a friend here in the states who's from Stockholm, and he promised me free lodging with friends and family of his who are still in Stockholm -- I never pass up a free place to stay in an otherwise expensive place, haha! Looking forward to exploring a bit as it will be my first time to a Scandinavian country.

[DevilMan]

Specifically, at what point will visible tattoos make me appear less friendly/approachable than I really am, and do I want to project that kind of image?

Having tattoos doesn't make you less friendly or approachable, only a 'bad' attitude towards tattoos (of the other person (or perhaps even you ;-) ) does that...

[keepcalm]

Having tattoos doesn't make you less friendly or approachable, only a 'bad' attitude towards tattoos (of the other person (or perhaps even you ;-) ) does that...

I agree with you, theoretically, of course! -- but I'm just going off what @KBeee said about the reactions she's had personally since becoming more visibly covered!

[EmmaB]

Hello! Just chipping in to say that I don't think having lots of visible tattoos necessarily makes you unapproachable. I was at a wedding a few weeks ago, and wore a red halterneck dress. After the ceremony and dinner, I felt comfortable enough to take my cardigan off, thus displaying tattoos over both arms, and the top half of my backpiece. I found that whilst obviously I drew a few double-takes, people felt if anything more able to approach and even touch me - one male guest even attempting a peek down the back of my dress (without my prior consent, I might add!).

I have very short buzzed hair, and am also pretty tall at 5 foot 10 - so you'd think I'd cut a rather imposing figure, but my husband tells me I have a nice open face, and I am very smiley and talkative so I think that overrides any potentially negative impression given by my tattoos. Perhaps if I'm having a bad day people might give me a wider berth.

[pidjones]

Don't worry, the ones that don't think you friendly/approachable are the ones you probably don't want to be friends with/approached by, anyway.

[SeeSea]

I have a wedding in a couple weeks and I'm in a quandary what to do. I think I'll have to let my husband make the call, as he knows these people a lot longer than I do, even though I've known them for a while. The cardigan is a good idea so I have the option to leave it on if I choose to consider a skimpier dress up top.

[Fala]

A bolero might do the trick too @SeeSea

[EmmaB]

Yes, I think cover-up options are wise, because then you can go by how you feel on the day. Having said that though, I have seen your lovely backpiece SeaSea, and I honestly think that if anything, if it is on show you are likely to get lots of people asking if they can take a closer look rather than finding it offensive in any way. I found that the most unexpected people said positive things to me about mine - I had been expecting at least a few frosty stares, but they didn't seem to be in evidence (or perhaps I didn't notice them after a few glasses of prosecco)

[El Dolmago]

I have a wedding in a couple weeks and I'm in a quandary what to do. I think I'll have to let my husband make the call, as he knows these people a lot longer than I do, even though I've known them for a while. The cardigan is a good idea so I have the option to leave it on if I choose to consider a skimpier dress up top.

Little cotton boleros/ cardigans are your best friend. I usually wear them to any formal parts of an event- the ceremony, the eating part of the dinner, and ditch them for the dance.

- - - Updated - - -

Great thread and awesome advice! I'm getting a tattoo on my thigh in ~2 months which will be during serious winter up here in the north of Sweden and I'm thinking shorts for the actual session and a long skirt/dress with loose long johns in something soft, like meriono wool (the kind kind of course).

@Rawok Just a piece of advice my tattoo artist passed on re: wool leggings.

He told me that wearing anything made of wool can seriously irritate and inflame a healing tattoo - up until 2-3 weeks. Even of it's a layer away apparently it can cause real, possibly tattoo-damaging skin irritation. Which is a pain in my house because I have a gorgeous wool blanket that lives on my couch and has to get banished every time hubby or I gets work done. Just a thought!

[Rawok]

@El Dolmago Never heard of it but does not sound like something I would want to risk happening. I might have to revise my plan... Thanks for the heads up!

[Pugilist]

Just wear your loosest pants and you'll be fine! I usually do yoga pants post-cold-weather leg tattoo until I need to go into the office, then my loosest (and ideally most breathable) slacks.

[keepcalm]

Whoops! Meant to post that in the "commiserate about healing" thread, haha!

Carry on, ladies. Loose pants, yoga pants, yes yes :)

Edited September 18, 2014 by keepcalm
because I'm scatterbrained, apparently

[El Dolmago]

@El Dolmago Never heard of it but does not sound like something I would want to risk happening. I might have to revise my plan... Thanks for the heads up!

Daniel (my artist) is very quiet and low key so when he gives any direct advice I tend to listen. He mentioned cat fur also as a problem (which is hard to avoid in this house sadly).

[SeeSea]

Daniel (my artist) is very quiet and low key so when he gives any direct advice I tend to listen. He mentioned cat fur also as a problem (which is hard to avoid in this house sadly).

Yeah, mine mentioned cat hair as well. New sheets on the bed the night of the tattoo, and no cats in the bedroom for a couple nights. The four-leggers are never happy when I get a tattoo because they are banished. Leo, my quiet tentative sweet boy, laid next to me on the couch when I was knocked out after a very late night last week. Like he knew I was hurting and he was watching guard. Very unusual for my skittish boy and very sweet.

[Pugilist]

There is no way we could ever keep cat hair off our fresh tattoos. No way. That is one I'm just going to have to live with. :)

[peaceridge]

I have dog hair to contend with - 2 that shed a lot all the time! My solution is to crate them the first night, then I apply Saniderm for 4 days. Once it is off, the new tattoo is healed enough that the dog hair is not a problem.

[idyllsend]

I had no idea about cat hair. I'd never be able to avoid it completely anyway. My biggest problem with my cats is trying to keep them from licking fresh tattoos on my legs after I shower. The little buggers love it.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[keepcalm]

I had no idea about cat hair either! This thread is so informative, haha. I'm just happy I can finally wear pants again now that this thigh tattoo is settling down.

[Rawok]

Yeah, avoiding cats are a nogo in my apt. But I managed to heal a sleeve with them around so I'm not all that worried. :)

Speaking of periods (erhm), can't find the article atm but it was about how a pain tolerence studie revieled that during the second phase of the menstrual cycle the tolerence for pain were significantly higher. Maybe something to ponder while making future appointments, haha!

Edit: might have been this study, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11021338

Edited September 29, 2014 by Rawok
Spelling

[SeeSea]

Interesting. My tattoo artist suggested that I avoid booking sessions the week before and the week of. I've read elsewhere that estrogen affects how pain is perceived, so that makes sense - estrogen peaks around day 22-ish, and the study found that days 20-24 were associated with higher pain tolerance than days 2-4. Yup - something very logical to consider!

[HettyKet]

Was wondering, on the off chance, if anyone had had their stomach tattooed after having children (or, indeed, has tattooed post-pregnancy skin)? The stretch marks I had are all faded out but the skin is still somewhat fucked, particularly jsut above the navel. It's nasty if I'm very slim and toned, so I choose not to be and stick at about a US size 8-10. At this weight the visible 'damage' is moderate, probably mid to lower on the scale of pregnancy driven destruction. Youngest kid is 5.

What I'm a little concerned about is if the skin damage is going to be massively limiting to what I can have put on there or not. I've been lucky enough to grab this drawing my tattooist made and am booked in for the end of November. I really, really fancy it from mid-lower stomach straight up to the sternum - would presumably need the navel filling, which is fine (because I've no idea what I'd be letting myself in for).

So, with the hope of putting myself off, I did a rough scribble of the general shapes of the thing on my stomach but it's just made The Need worse. I know I should just ask my tattooist but I'll not see him before the appointment and anyway, I'd rather not embarrass either of us by exposing my post-pregnancy self without a good chance it'd be workable for the piece in hand.

Anyone got an opinion on if should I just give up the idea and have put on my thigh or arm?

[growltiger]

I don't have an answer for your question, but just wanted to say that I'm sure it'll look awesome wherever it goes. I hope you find that your first choice is doable though. Will you stick with b&g or will it be colour?

[HettyKet]

Thanks. I really love it! Will definitely be colour, is what he fancies too.