I have a preference for a more restrained approach, but honestly, that is for myself. Not for anyone else's skin treatments!

To hark back to Anna's thread about attainable style, a lot of tattooing is simply not psychologically attainable for me.

In fact, the way I see it, it's the same as dress or make-up. Just because I never would or have my limits is no reason someone else shouldn't go there! As long as it doesn't look 'frumpy' due to issues of poor fit (poor artistry) or appropriateness (talking of subject matter more than extent here---don't think I would be heartened to see strongly religious tattoos on my child's teacher at a supposedly secular school, you know?), go wear your own attitude!

I don't mind tattoos, in fact I have been talking about getting a small discreet one since I turned 40:). I think like other aspects of personal style, it's a personal thing. I am recalling Paula Yates' wedding photo in the red dress and the distinct tattoo on her arm...I thought she looked cool:). Given that it is such a permanent thing my only suggestion is just to be be sure that this is the right thing for you.

Denise, I hate tattoos where they get the kanji (Japanese characters) wrong. It happens all the time!

http://hanzismatter.blogspot.com/

MaryK, I had already thought about this example where the tattoos (and hers aren't even all that humongous) clash with the look of the specific clothes she's wearing, in my opinion. Or at least, they take attention away from the clothing:

http://geekthreads.blogspot.com/search?q=valentino

I get it that if you love tattoos, you would obviously not think that way. But to me, a tattoo would just look better suited with certain edgier clothing styles, rather than a Valentino dress. They're really not meant to blend in.

ETA that our 24-year-old daughter has three small tattoos. Apart from the fact that as a Japanese, she can no longer go to the public baths in Japan (really, tattoos are associated with yakuza, even when they're on women, so my husband felt she was snubbing his culture by getting one), it's not something I wish she hadn't done (and yes, I know she can do whatever she wants). But I would be disappointed if she were to get humongous tattoos or start having them all over her body very conspicuously. To me there is something so beautiful about plain, unadorned skin.

Mochi, that's exactly the kind of thing I was talking about. I don't like them when I feel they conflict with the person's clothing choices.

Deb, I adore your morphing tattoo! That is an idea I could get behind!!

@Roseandjoan - Way, way, way back my family is. To be honest I fell in love with the crest and I loved the inscription around it. Here's a pic of the crest. The only things I changed were the rays coming out and the inscription from Latin to Scottish Gaelic.

I've really enjoyed reading everyone's opinions on tattoos. And thanks everyone for keeping is so fun and non-judgmental! The one thing that I've gotten flack for that I've seen a few people say here deals with what will happen as I age. I can't speak for everyone, but here is my take on it. Mine are almost like "polaroids" (thanks RJ!) of where I was at that point. When I got my first one, I had been working through a lot of thoughts about my faith and where I stood in with it. My 711 was a week before I left my college town to go to a new place to start my MS. My crest was after I had realized in my MS that I'm freaking awesome at what I do and that I could complete anything and deal with anyone.

Like I said, I do want to get more, but I have to realistic. I can't put them just anywhere on me and I need to think about where I can put it that I can choose whether nor not I want to show it. Plus I'd rather pay more and go to a good, reputable and CLEAN artist.

And I do have a favor to ask of everyone. If you see part of a tattoo on someone and you want to see the rest of it, ask the person if they'll show it to you. 99.9% of the time we will and you'll get an explanation of it as well. I love it when people ask me to see my tattoo(s). I cannot tell you how many times people have started grabbing at my shoulder straps or moving my hair because they want to see my shoulder tat. And it's rude and a bit scary to feel a random person grab you and start moving things.

I think you should do what makes you happy and makes your heart sing. Sometimes part of the happiness comes from those around you and if their considerations give you pause there is nothing wrong with that.
I like the idea of doing a henna or some sort of faux tattoo (does that exist?) to see how you feel about it.
In terms of how I feel personally? I do not have tattoos and never will but not because I don't like them. I just like the look of unadorned skin, if that makes any sense.
If I were to get one I would likely put it somewhere I had the option not to show it. Therefore, not on the face, neck (front or back), hands or forearms.
But again it is such a personal thing.

You should do what ever you want to with your body but know that whether it is a tattoo, piercing, or even just a piece of clothing people will always judge you from within thier own beliefs.
I think tattoos are becoming mainstream but still only really excepted when fairly conservative. I have a niece that has several piercings and most of her body is covered with ink, she also wears her hair very big (like a cross between 80's hair and a beehive). This niece posted on Facebook that she resisted her urge to beat in the faces of a group of young ladies that stared to much. Well, come on, if you are going against the norm you will have to expect the attention. If you can't take the heat then don't do it.
I have a tattoo that is generally hidden, I sit at dinner with neighbors while they discuss how vulgar they are. I sit quietly and just smile, only recently did I show two of these people my tattoo. I expect in the next gathering I will be harassed.

Once again I would like to thank you for your opinions. To those who may of chosen to hold their tongue I also respect your decision.

Given the responses here are some ramblings....

If I lived in a bubble I would have many more tattoos but I do not and I have to consider the message I am sending to others. It is therefore really usefull to gauge the reaction of others by asking the forum.

For instance, there are studies which show that men view women with tattoos as promiscuous, heavy drinkers and the more tattoos a woman has the worse their perception becomes, Of course, this is not just but as a wife and mother it has to be a consideration.

As for my work I do cover my body art, I also dress conservatively but not formally because this is the image my boss wishes to project. If I owned my own business in the same field I would show my tattoos but continue to wear a more conservative uniform. IMO showing tattoos does not equate to a lack of respect. With this regard opinions are also changing, my local bank now employs a cashier with tattooed hands!

I also agree there is nothing particularly unique about tattoos in 2013 but I am too sentimentally attached to my tattoos to believe I was merely following a fashion in getting inked. As my skin wrinkles and the ink fades these will still be markers of the milestones in my life.

I hope my thoughts make a little sense, they have been jotted between bath and bedtime for the girls

Your body, your choice.

For myself I shy away from anything that limits what I can wear in any way.
My dear fashionable mother even insisted that as a 12-month old I get my smallpox vaccine way high up on my shoulder so it would not show with sleeveless dresses. (Thanks Mom !

You know, to go at it point blank, when you decide to get a tattoo and then more than one, you are deciding what tribal society you will participate in and to what extent. And also which ones you will not. This is not a little thing because your tribe determines your job pool, your dating pool, etc. to a large extent. Maybe in government and at the opera in the city civic center there will be some tribal mixing and mingling, maybe there will be some visiting to crosstown shops, but... you will belong to one set and not the other. Perhaps because a lot of tattoos carry a lot of weight - the Marines, gangs, even artisan bakers.

You can marry one somebody from a different tribe and bring them into your family and hood and find acceptance... but let me tell you, once you get more than one out-of-tribe family in a neighborhood, people start moving in and out. In Hipsterville, where I live, the old time locals are bitter about all the fedora wearing, tattoo sporting, plaid wrapped hipsters who've oppressed the place with their gentrification. There are certain times of day and night when people call open season on hipsters. Don't blame them even if I am one of them (minus any tattoos so far).

I understand what you are saying Rachy and there are tribes but as you mentioned there is not one single all encompassing tattoo tribe. Marines, Gangs and Hipsters may all have tattoos as a way of belonging but their tattoos do not convey the same message.

Just popped in with an aside that Mochi's beef with Japanese misspelt is mine with butchered Latin, sanskrit, hindi, bengali... a certain Mr Beckham comes to mind!

Seeing as tattoos are so personal, you'd think people would stick with what they know?

Sort of a tangential story - a woman i sort of know was having a tough time in general (lost pregnancy, divorce). She started going to yoga retreats and found herself a guru. Became a yoga teacher and got an Indian chant specific to that guru tattooed over her back. Huge tattoo in Sanskrit covering her entire back from shoulders to butt and full of atrocious typos. A year later, the guru has been disgraced after being accused of sexual misconduct and she has moved on from yoga and is going to school to become a registered dietician.

Ooh another tattoo related story I bookmarked a long time ago. Loved this man's tattoo and his reasons for getting one.
http://whiskerino.org/2007/scrivener/16201/

I like tattoos and I have two. One is a breast cancer ribbon - my mother, grandmother, and aunt all died of the disease - and the ribbon has forget-me-not flowers intertwined in it (I used to plant those at my mother's grave). It's on my shoulder because it's the first tat I got and I thought it wouldn't hurt there (it didn't). You can see it when I wear sleeveless shirts. I love this tat because it means something.

The second is on my lower leg and now I wish it was much smaller. It's a pretty scroll design that was drawn freehand by the tattoo artist that did the first tat. He has been featured many times in tattoo magazines.

I do want to get a third tat, somewhere not easily visible, and it will be my favorite saying (by Helen Keller), "Life is a daring adventure or nothing."

There are a lot of tattoos around here, though maybe not on professional women my age (52). At my Agency we hire a lot of tattooed people--don't think it's an issue.

I would be unlikely to get one because of the fickle factor--I get bored very quickly.

My 20-something daughters don't have any either, though attorney DD once shocked me by saying she wanted one! Of what? Our Lady of Guadalupe! She had placement issues as she can't show any in Court. The only good place we could think of was the small of the back, but we agreed it wasn't seemly for Our Lady to be a tramp stamp! She'll probably get it eventually and that's fine with me, now that I've recovered from my shock.