Hello!

[cattoolady]

Hello!

Finally decided to register and make a first post after lurking here for at least a couple years now. :)

I'm a lawyer by day and tattoo lover by night. Also, cats. :D

I got my first tattoo on my 18th birthday, and never looked back.

Here are my two most recent tattoos:

The cat matryoshka was done at last year's Minneapolis Tattoo Expo by Shawn Patton. The photo was taken immediately after completion.

The next two are of my space cats. These are cartoons of my four fur-children. Of course, prior to finishing the piece, our family expanded to add another cat and a dog. Good thing there's space on my forearm. That was done by Dan Dittmer. One photo is after my second to last sitting, and the other is after the last sitting. Finished this about 6 months ago. No formal healed pics yet.

I have some other random stuff, but probably nothing else worth posting pictures of.

I'll be at the Minneapolis Tattoo Expo this coming weekend possibly looking for something to fill some blank space on my upper outer arm. :D

Given my occupation in particular, getting any potentially visible tattoo is a fairly large commitment. I'm more or less restricted to always wearing long sleeves at the office, although on quiet days, I can get away with partially-sheer sleeves, or 3/4 length sleeves. I know for me, deciding to get a half-sleeve marked the point in time where I decided I was going to be a tattooed person rather than a person with tattoos. I'm curious if others - particularly other tattooed women - had this experience - that of knowing that they were committing to being a "tattooed person."

Thanks all!

[SStu]

welcome!

[The Tig]

Hello and welcome. The space cats are cute!

Maybe some of the ladies will gladly share their thoughts. Since you've lurked for a while, I'm sure you've read the Tattoos and the Workplace and The Ladies Thread.

[byzantine]

Given my occupation in particular, getting any potentially visible tattoo is a fairly large commitment. I'm more or less restricted to always wearing long sleeves at the office, although on quiet days, I can get away with partially-sheer sleeves, or 3/4 length sleeves. I know for me, deciding to get a half-sleeve marked the point in time where I decided I was going to be a tattooed person rather than a person with tattoos. I'm curious if others - particularly other tattooed women - had this experience - that of knowing that they were committing to being a "tattooed person."

It's a strange one. I think I'm in that kind of place at the moment. I previously had two tattoos on my arms which were kind of hidden so some people barely even noticed them but in the last couple of years have got quite a few bigger and blacker pieces in visible spots- calf, forearm, elbow. I got mixed reactions for my plainskin friends but it doesn't really bother me. I really enjoy everything about getting tattooed and part of it that appeals to me is that I do it for myself and nobody else.

As I get more coverage I definitely feel the need to cover up a bit more at formal events- weddings etc. But to be honest I've always hated that kind of thing so try to avoid them at all costs anyway!

Regarding the workplace- I think the forearm is the biggest one for that really. I work in an office too and usually wear long sleeves anyway but it's a creative company so I can get away with showing them if I want to - usually don't though as I can't be bothered with people asking me about them! think they are becoming more and more acceptable some workplaces but corporate stuff is another world. Usually get more trouble over my Madonna piercing than the tattoos.

Ps. I love Minneapolis. It's rad. Especially Modern Times Cafe

[LadySparrow]

Welcome! The cats are amazing!

I have one tattoo on my inner forearm and it's that kind of watercolour tattoo which is "cute" and "is it real or is it just drawing?". I'm going to get tattoo on my arm (shoulder to elbow) in the near future and somehow I perceive it much more as a commitment than that forearm tattoo.

[The Tig]

I know for me, deciding to get a half-sleeve marked the point in time where I decided I was going to be a tattooed person rather than a person with tattoos. I'm curious if others - particularly other tattooed women - had this experience - that of knowing that they were committing to being a "tattooed person."

I think that phrase says so much to so many here. When we combine a growing love of our tattoos with a dose of "fuck it, I don't care what people think", well, you know the rest of the story.

[cattoolady]

Thanks for the kind welcome!

As I get more coverage I definitely feel the need to cover up a bit more at formal events- weddings etc.

This is an interesting thing - particularly for women. Unless I'm at a funeral, I don't worry about covering my tattoos for the most part. I recently attended a very formal fundraising event in conjunction with my work, and I wore a sleeveless gown. I had positive feedback from a few people that made a point to comment at the event. At the after-event get together that was a group primarily of uppity, uber-rich corporate types, I think I was viewed as sort of exotic (?). It was strange. I had a pleasant conversation with one woman who showed me her tiny "secret" thigh tattoo. But then, of course, there was a big wig who walked up to me, uninvited, pointed to my tiny paw print wrist tattoo out of all my visible tattoos, and said "that's the only good one." :rolleyes: I've had a conversation with my boss about visible tattoos at work-related social events, and to his credit, he has no qualms with it.

Welcome! The cats are amazing!

I have one tattoo on my inner forearm and it's that kind of watercolour tattoo which is "cute" and "is it real or is it just drawing?". I'm going to get tattoo on my arm (shoulder to elbow) in the near future and somehow I perceive it much more as a commitment than that forearm tattoo.

I really like that tattoo! Interesting that you perceive the shoulder to elbow as more of a commitment than the forearm. I've decided that my forearms are no longer off limits. That didn't take long. LOL.

I think that phrase says so much to so many here. When we combine a growing love of our tattoos with a dose of "fuck it, I don't care what people think", well, you know the rest of the story.

This! Seems like a very slippery slope LOL! Five years ago, I wouldn't have dreamed of having full sleeves because of my job, but now I find myself thinking about whether I could ever get away with tattooed hands in my line of work. Haha!

And last but not least, here's what I found at the Minneapolis Tattoo Convention yesterday. By Ryan Thomas of Black13.

[LadySparrow]

But then, of course, there was a big wig who walked up to me, uninvited, pointed to my tiny paw print wrist tattoo out of all my visible tattoos, and said "that's the only good one." :rolleyes:

Eh, these unwanted opinions... I like this statement: "opinions are like bu**holes, everyone has one but I don't need or want to see it."

[Princesa]

I love the cats!!!!!!!!

[The Tig]

I love the cats!!!!!!!!

Well, you better avoid searching for "monmon cat tattoo" images.

[AverageJer]

Greetings from Minneapolis.

My tattoos are all covered up if I am wearing long pants and short sleeves. My wife recently went below the elbow and she is thrilled. I think she very much would relate with what you said.

[Princesa]

Well, you better avoid searching for "monmon cat tattoo" images.

lol Ohhhhhh my!!! I'm in cat heaven!!<3

[TrixieFaux]

I have some cat tattoos myself...and I wear long sleeve shirts to work every day, although I sometimes pull up the sleeves a little and tattoos show. I don't remember consciously making a choice that now I will go from having a few tattoos to being a more heavily tattooed person, it just happened when I started getting really good tattoos and wanting them to continue or get bigger. The tiger on my left arm went from being just a tiger on my upper arm to being a 3/4 sleeve because I liked what the artist was saying & drawing and it just kept getting bigger and more involved. I guess I realized during those sessions that it might change how I had to dress sometimes but it was a price I was willing to pay.

More cats in the planning process for me. You can never go wrong with more cats. :-D

[soraya]

Hey @cattoolady, Love your half sleeve!

deciding to get a half-sleeve marked the point in time where I decided I was going to be a tattooed person rather than a person with tattoos.

That comment could have come out of my mouth! I have often thought about exactly the same idea.

My first tattoo was hidden even in my middle-aged lady bathing suit. My next few were not quite so hidden but were on my torso and covered by everyday clothes. Up until then, my placement guidance was that they couldn't be visible in a dress that I might wear to an office party.

Then I decided that I wanted one on my upper arm - I just liked the way tattoos looked there. It would be small, a couple of cherry blossoms. But I was aware that arms were "visible tattoo territory" which opens up a can of worms. It was a big step for me. For the first time I had to think about whether it would show at work, and select the day's clothes accordingly. I started to accumulate a "coverup wardrobe."

But after I got the upper arm tattoo, something changed in me, like I passed a point of no return. I realized that liked being a tattooed woman, and I liked the way I looked with tattoos, and that there was no question that I would be getting more.

I was very aware of crossing a line when I decided I wanted half sleeves. If I did that, I knew life was going to change, and after I finished my first sleeve, it did. I was very aware of being different. I absolutely started thinking of myself as a "tattooed person," rather than a "person with tattoos." I think there is an important perceptual difference there. It's like the difference between the tattoos simply being "on me" vs. being "me." I think it was the point where I started to see being tattooed as an essential part of who I am. Does that make sense?