Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Tatt-oooohhs

After attending Creamfields on the weekend (the weather was perfect) I was shocked to see just how many people now have tattoo's. I know that the trend has grown exponentially in the past year or two but I don't think you realise just how heavily tattooed our generation is until they're all half naked. The beautiful sunshine demanded a lack of clothes and all of a sudden I was surrounded by thousands of inked bodies.

I have been thinking for a long time if I should get a tattoo and if I do what do I get. I always thought tattoos were suppose to be thought provoking, deep and meaningful and generally have some kind of special meaning to the body, but after the weekend I think it's safe to say that a tattoo is just like any other trend (only that this ones permanent). People have cartoon characters (because they liked it as a child), birds (just because they look pretty), tribal tattoos (despite the religion or race of the individual), bows (well everyone has them so why not) and a number of other surprisingly un-meaningful permanent etchings just because they felt like it.

Now I'm the first to admit that I'm a complete sook when it comes to the idea of tattoos and the biggest thing that's kept me away from the needle is the crazy amount of pain I'm expecting, but when I see a girl with her entire back covered in a tattoo of a dragon (again no significant meaning needed) I just can't believe it! Pain seems to be completely irrelevant, they want it, so they get it. It seems like such a liberated way to look at a permanent fixture on the only body you ever get, but perhaps that's a sign of the generation. We consume everything we can and weirdly enough I have seen tattoos of clothing brands, designers and public figures and it seems like such a bizarre trend to me, tattoos have a become a fashion statement as much as the new Burberry trench has (but weirdly tattoos are more accessible).

I have to say though, despite my shock, that I'm completely in love with this trend and adore looking over individuals tattoos, and yes I am that annoying person that will ask you why you got it, and what it means because I'm so fascinated at the permanent nature of this trend. I wonder what my generation will look like in 20 years time and whether the trend will get more extreme or will start to fizzle out over the next year or so. Either way I think I might stay a pure skin, and just admire all the other bodies out there.

I've put a few pictures in from the day, as you can see it wasn't hard to find people with ink, it was like walking around in an art gallery all day, only this art talked back.