Tattoos Look Scummy

I always remember words of wisdom from Ozzie Osborne, in that fly on the wall series his family did quite a while ago. Ozzie, being the bona fide quintessential heavy man of rock, and covered in them, advising the young teenage Kelly who wanted, and did go on to have loads herself "if you want to be really different don't have any" words of wisdom, there is simply nothing edgy or different in a time when every other man and his dog has one!

Okay so maybe one or two tucked away somewhere is no big deal. Can never understand why someone puts a huge one on their back, expensive I believe, and you don't get to see it [confused I] know someone who did that and the back became inflamed and his wife complained about the inking staining their white sheets he was a 50 something professional man at the time, the tattoo wasn't anything that resonated with his life, just some random giant eagle. A mid life crisis quite likely, when his kids got to late teens he asked them to stop calling him dad, too ageing apparently, first name only, a severe case of pretentious moi! David Dimbleby got over the mid life thing and then was struck down by "an old life crisis", still maybe he had the QT initials woven into his somewhere just to remind him lest he should forget what he once did for a living

It depends. Some tattoos are pretty, or artistic, or cleverly done. I'm not mad on fierce looking ones on the face or neck,
but even so would not describe them as scummy.
It's a matter of personal choice. Each to his own.

Oops overload on the thank you

Auntieflo thank you yes I am well thank you ?

Isn't it down to personal choice? I don't have tattoos and never wanted them, my closest friend had several - that didn't make her "scummy".

I once asked her if she thought she would one day regret having them done - her reply was why would she regret a time she had the cash to do what she wanted.

There is a world of difference between choosing to have a tattoo ( a pretty motif) and being covered in them as lots of
Footballers/ celebrities seem to do, resulting in them looking like ‘the illustrated man’.

Lucca hope you are well.

I know it's a different scenario Lemongrove, but I only posted because it all comes under the same heading of Tattooes. (Sp?)

Scummy is a horrible word to call someone just for having a tattoo!

Auntieflo me too ?

And I’m sad to see snobbery is still thriving

Yes I agree LG, completely different. I remember being in Israel over 30 years ago and sitting at a beach cafe where some elderly people were at an adjacent table, we couldn't help notice their tattooed numbers, survivors! an all too shocking reminder of the terrible days they'd been forced to live through.

Completely different scenario though Auntyflo ( hope you are fully recovered now.)

I have a tattoo.

A very tiny one, done to target my radiotherapy treatment.

I didn't choose to have one, it was done to help save my life.

Very good post TerriBull (I especially liked the bit about Beckham looking as if he should be operating the dodgems)

In my mind, I've often thought that too OP. I wouldn't necessarily say it to anyone, although I did have a few choice words, we both did, to our son when he got a couple on his arms and asked us both what we thought our response wasn't complimentary. My late mother would have had ten pink fits if she'd known, "low class" is how she described tattoos, I did explain to her at one time they were more universal these days and not just the preserve of axe throwing Hell's Angels. It's a subject that will always divide, pieces of art they may well be, but why would anyone want an indelible image on your actual body, it doesn't enhance it in any way, the body if you are young and toned will always look better au naturel, and if you aren't, then they somehow draw attention to the inevitable sagging and acquired weight, making it look so much worse. To me they just look dirty and with evening wear awful. It's the pretentious tosh such as "the co-ordinates" of where her children were born - Angelina Jolie, just why would anyone need such arbitrary information on their back???? or some rubbish in Sanskrit............ who is well versed in such an ancient language The state of Beckham's hands these days, urbane man image he may be trying to cultivate, but with those paws and copious amounts of them everywhere else, he just looks like some grizzled individual who operates the dodgems at a travelling fair. I know there's always the inevitable "this means something to me" said son had the first one done to remember his late brother by, but I don't get that either, sorry, you will always carry special people in your heart without having meaningless dedications to them inscribed on your body.

Having said all that I don't put the cultural tattoos of say Maoris in the same category.

Maybe it’s a generational thing, but I always associate tattoos with masculinity. I don’t know anyone female around my age with a tattoo, but I know a few men.
Unfortunately, in my area, there is a bit of a snob factor around tattoos. ( the poorer part of town has the most tattoos ) So in a nutshell - women with tattoos are thought of as chavvy.
But I’m sure if you live in Brighton every other women in the street has them, depends where you live I guess.

I'm more judgemental of using the word scummy than I am of tattoos.
I personally don't want a tat, but I've seen some that are like works of art and the owner's of them have been proud to show them to me and explain their significance. Their body; their choice.

What a spiteful comment granniechrissie! I don’t have any as it’s my choice just as it’s the choice of many hard working respectable people who choose to have them. Honestly some gransnet bloggers to get out more!

To say tattoos look scummy is like saying dyed hair looks tarty!

Where I live tattoos are a powerful cultural heritage and phenomenal works of art. As an old wrinkly person I have chosen not to to do it, but my daughter and son-in-law have quite a few. One of my daughter's is a unique, carefully researched reference to her Irish heritage and others are just beautiful. My son-in-law is of Maori descent and his are also skilful and meaningful.

Thank you OP
I think my tattoos look really ScRummy

I know I will be accused of being sexist by saying this,but I quite like them on men,but not on women. No idea why.

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202003/medium-672104-tat7.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202003/medium-418849-tats.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202003/medium-67078-samoan-tribal-tattoo.jpg

granniechrissie Which one is "scummy" ?

Ancient Briton
Maori elder
Samoan tribal tattoo

My daughter has three tiny tattoos, her decision
She has a very responsible career and is a brilliant mother
She doesn't look 'scummy' I'm not even sure what that means, do you mean people who have tattoos are scum?
What a dreadful generalisation and what a shocking thing to say about someone

I am cracking up with OP's judgement.

If you looked at me, you wouldn't guess I have chosen body modifications (it is a whole new world, not just tattoos)
They haven't impacted my career, studies, choice of husband or kids.
I am a highly qualified professional with high level education. I even speak more than one language!

One thing is saying you do not like tattoos (they are not for you), judging others for having them makes you "scummy"

Who has time for this? Life is way too busy.