BellaOnline Forums Beauty and Self Body Art etiquette on displaying and viewing tattoos

Wondering what your opinions are on the proper way of asking to see someone else's tattoos. Like many of you I love tattoos and I don't care who you are or what you look like. If you have a tattoo that looks slightly interesting and visible I'm probably going to ask if I can see it. Catch of course being, if we are in a public/private place and where the tattoo is.

I've had people come up to me before and comment on my tattoo then show me theirs. This doesn't REALLY bother me except that sometimes the tattoos are really foul, terrible tattoos. I of course don't want to say, "hey wow thats cool." When it isn't.

I also don't want to just be, "look i didn't ask to see it" when they show it.

Mostly though I'm the guy who IS asking to see the tattoos. I never push the viewing of mine on others though.

As a guy, it often seems like I'm picking up on the girl, (perhaps its the bartender in me) but I'm usually not. Usually its genuine interest.

How do you all like being approached?
How do you all approach others?

I have multiple tattoos and they took a lot of time and money to put there. I am always happy to show people. Of course, there are a couple I can't show... but these don't show at work.At a bar setting though, anything goes. I am comfortable around guys and I kind of know when I am being picked up on. I too am faced with people showing me their stupid or generic-looking ones, but I am polite and say "cool" because they are usually an older person feeling like a rebel just because they got inked. I let the illusion live.

I am the same way as Amy. I have 12 tattoos and over half of them are visible. I don't mind showing them off or explaining their meaning, etc. I work in a very professional setting and they still work ;0) Even in this very conservative area.

I think this really comes down to a personal decision that may different for everybody.

I have two tattoos, one on each side of the back of my hips. I have a pretty physical job and once in a while if I'm bending over, they'll peek out just slightly and someone will ask to see them. I'm not really comfortable with lifing my shirt in the middle of a grocery store. But in a bar setting, sure.

thankfully mine are on my arms and two are on my chest which is easily accessible by lifting the collar out of the way.

funny since this posting, I was getting my hair cut and my hair person asked me to take my shirt off so should could see my back tattoo.... the place is small and was full of women I was a bit embarrassed but I did it. I just turned it around on her and asked her to take her shirt off so I could see her back. No dice.

Nobody ever suspsects I have tattoos I guess I don't "look the type" they are always shocked when I am in a tank top or in this case my hairdresser had looked down the back collar of my shirt and saw my too...

Sounds like most of us are on the same page.

I have some small tattoos that don't show during working hours and a very large back piece (all done by my daughter) and I never hesitate to whip up my shirt to show it off! I do warn the people in the front that they may not enjoy the belly flab show so they can move around back for a view of the beautiful underwater art! It really doesnt bother me at all to show it off! Usually I follow it up with one of her business cards!

For some reason, people very rarely ask me about my tattoos. I do see people notice them - and it's pretty obvious when they suddenly stop and stare at my most prominent one - but they almost never ask.

When people occasionally do ask, they always sound legitimately interested, so it hasn't bothered me at all.

Sometimes an obviously very conservative person will look and then kind of roll their eyes or give me a dirty look. I DO find that to be pretty negative, but I also realize that it's part of life, and I'd rather be myself than pretend to be one of them in an effort to be accepted.

(I wonder why peeps don't ask me about mine . . . maybe they think they're totally ugly!)

lol Chris.. some people don't know how to ask to see them. I have watched people wonder about mine all the time but never ask about them. I am still miffed at the conservies who roll their eyes, but hey, not everyone is a fan of ink. I think they missed the sermon in church to love your neighbor as yourself and unto your body is the temple, I just happen to have stained glass they cannot fathom lol