Tattoo cover up

[nicenspicy]

This would be my first on on Celebrity Millennium & I am unsure whether or not to cover up my tattoos. I am young (25) and am not sleeved out or anything. I just really stand out from a crowd & have a couple of tattoos. I am mainly concerned about the one on my upper arm because in formal attire (strapless/sleeveless) you will be able to see it. It is a set of chinese characters & I have a frog on my upper thigh that you can see when I wear a bathing suit. Should I cover these up?

[Ehpride]

I have two tattoos. Now, I went on Carnival so I'm not sure how this translates to Celebrity, but for what it's worth... I didn't cover mine up at all. I have one on my thigh that can be seen when I wear most of my swimsuits or a couple pairs of my shorts. I also have one on my ankle that can be seen, well, whenever my ankle is exposed :) While I didn't see very many tattoos on my cruise, I did see some and no one seemed concerned about other people seeing them. I don't think you're going to injure anyone's sensitivities by not covering them up. I say just go with it. I know how tattoos become a part of you. So don't worry about it.

[gjules]

I also have tattoos; one on my thigh, right shoulder and right ankle. I won't cover them up!! I love my tattoos and always get positive comments about them when people see them! If I didn't like them, I wouldn't have gotten them. The one on my thigh is very unique (it's a moose in a blue suit holding a glass of beer!) and people always comment on how it's such a cute tattoo and very well done. I actually looked for dresses that would show off the butterfly on my back because I think it's pretty-it's in shades of blue and purple. My favorite comment is "Gee, you don't look like the tattoo type!" I always wonder what type I DO look like!!!:confused:

OK, I have to admit to covering them up whenever I was around my elderly mother in law before she passed away. It just wasn't worth all the questions and worry on her part. She would have been sure I was going to die from some dreaded disease or something!!:rolleyes:

Otherwise, I say display them proudly!

[lszu]

Don't cover them up.

 

I have three, two of which are pretty visible since they are on my ankle and shoulder (my third is on my hip and only visible in a bathing suit). I got my first one 20 years ago and had some snide comments back then, but people now are much more open to it.

[Brown Eyed Gurl]

I have a flower tattoo on my upper arm, which, while I like it and think it is pretty, doesn't look right with my sleeveless cocktail dress.

I have decided on wearing a black shawl over my upper arms in the dining room.

[mrsred]

This would be my first on on Celebrity Millennium & I am unsure whether or not to cover up my tattoos. I am young (25) and am not sleeved out or anything. I just really stand out from a crowd & have a couple of tattoos. I am mainly concerned about the one on my upper arm because in formal attire (strapless/sleeveless) you will be able to see it. It is a set of chinese characters & I have a frog on my upper thigh that you can see when I wear a bathing suit. Should I cover these up?

 

If you decide to cover your tattoo, there is a product called Dermablend. I have friends who sware by it (I emailed a few of them, and they agree this is THE stuff).

 

http://www.dermablend.com/index.aspx

 

One did caution that you need to match your coloring fairly well, so you may need to buy 2 shades then blend them.

 

Best wishes,

 

~e

[crucero-amante]

I say that when you have a tattoo or tattoos you're cool for life. :rolleyes:

Since you decided to get them why hide them?

[Cruise Arizona]

On my two Celebrity cruises I saw many women with tatoos. Just be kind and gracious and nobody worth knowing will care about your tatoos.

 

Lots of people have tatoos now, even one 70 year old sweeheart of a lady that goes to my gym.

[christinasreadytocruise]

This would be my first on on Celebrity Millennium & I am unsure whether or not to cover up my tattoos. I am young (25) and am not sleeved out or anything. I just really stand out from a crowd & have a couple of tattoos. I am mainly concerned about the one on my upper arm because in formal attire (strapless/sleeveless) you will be able to see it. It is a set of chinese characters & I have a frog on my upper thigh that you can see when I wear a bathing suit. Should I cover these up?

 

im my opinion, id say be yourself. youll be dressd accordingly and thats all they ask of you, its what you like and you got the tattoos for a reason, so be proud and be yourself. im 22 and only have 3 tattoos but 2 of them are on my back and while they are relatively small and not offensive i dont mind showing them off. its me! thats just what i think. some people might take a more conservative approach and say its only appropriate to cover them up but i dont agree, thats a made up rule by society making it so that anyone different has to change to fit the mold and be what everyone else wants you to be. if they dont like it then they dont have to look at it. different strokes for differnt folks. sorry i wasnt ranting or anything, just giving my opinion. hope it helps a bit in your decision.

[nicenspicy]

Thanks for all the advice. I went to a "conservative" university where people made really rude remarks about my tattoos & now I've got a complex about it. I thought my complex was about the "richie conservative" crowd but now I think they were just a bunch a *holes.

[Ehpride]

That sucks that people have made comments about them. I'd say just enjoy them. If somebody doesn't like them, that's their problem.

[tinsel57]

nicenspicy, it's not the tatoos that make or break a person, it's the person under the tatoos.

 

I am sorry to hear that a university was not more open minded in this direction. But please do not let it color your opinion of the world. Today more and more alternatives such as tatooing are being accepted. Hey I remember when I was 13 and wanted my ears pierced and I was told ONLY THE GYPSEY"S pierce ears!!! LOL! Now look where we are.

 

Be yourself sweetie. It's what's inside that counts.

[coolcat12]

I say let the TATs breathe!:)

[lszu]

nicenspicy - I got my first one 20 years ago. I only knew one other girl with a tattoo at that time. I was on the receiving end of some really nasty comments. What did I do? Just acted like myself. If some one doesn't like me because I have tattoos that's their problem, not mine.

 

P.S. - I'm looking for my next one now.

[ElvisandTracey]

Cruises are not stuffy and old as they once were-I am early 30's, 4 tats-ankle, shoulder, lower back and one more that is visible in my bikini (bootie), and no one even gives them a second look on cruises-half the people you will see are tatted, no worries-have fun.:D

[Happy ks]

I have no tatoos and no desire to have one. But, why in the world would you get one if you're concerned with covering it up? I say leave it alone, if a person can't handle it, it's their problem, not yours.

[Nyiles]

This would be my first on on Celebrity Millennium & I am unsure whether or not to cover up my tattoos. I am young (25) and am not sleeved out or anything. I just really stand out from a crowd & have a couple of tattoos. I am mainly concerned about the one on my upper arm because in formal attire (strapless/sleeveless) you will be able to see it. It is a set of chinese characters & I have a frog on my upper thigh that you can see when I wear a bathing suit. Should I cover these up?

 

You are who you are. The tattoos are part of what makes you you. Why cover them up?

[momofmeg]

I have two tattoos. Now, I went on Carnival so I'm not sure how this translates to Celebrity, but for what it's worth... I didn't cover mine up at all. I have one on my thigh that can be seen when I wear most of my swimsuits or a couple pairs of my shorts. I also have one on my ankle that can be seen, well, whenever my ankle is exposed :) While I didn't see very many tattoos on my cruise, I did see some and no one seemed concerned about other people seeing them. I don't think you're going to injure anyone's sensitivities by not covering them up. I say just go with it. I know how tattoos become a part of you. So don't worry about it.

 

 

On RCCL Mariner of the Seas they actually had a temporary tatoo stand-which was doing the business too-the girl said it would last up to two weeks even with swimming it would last.

 

Now I did not get one (LOL) but my thoughts on this-I have seen too many women my age who have tatoos from 25 years ago. They no longer look good to me on the aged weight body- even the slim aged body-although that little heart or rose was very sexy at one time. My suggestion to you young women-just get the temporary ones-that way you won't be regretting it in 25 years. And believe me 25 years passes in a blink of an eye. I still feel like I should just be about 25-that is until I look into the mirror.

[nicenspicy]

For me, there is an appropriate time & place for everything. I am not the same person that I was when I got those tattoos. I was 16, rebelous & trying to prove that I was more grown up than I was. Now, I don't feel that way. Instead of "look at me, HERE I AM" I feel more subdued. I want to be looked at for me instead of my tattoos.

[Ehpride]

On RCCL Mariner of the Seas they actually had a temporary tatoo stand-which was doing the business too-the girl said it would last up to two weeks even with swimming it would last.

 

Now I did not get one (LOL) but my thoughts on this-I have seen too many women my age who have tatoos from 25 years ago. They no longer look good to me on the aged weight body- even the slim aged body-although that little heart or rose was very sexy at one time. My suggestion to you young women-just get the temporary ones-that way you won't be regretting it in 25 years. And believe me 25 years passes in a blink of an eye. I still feel like I should just be about 25-that is until I look into the mirror.

 

My tattoos are both small, an inch or two square basically and extremely tasteful. Plus, they mean something to me...I've been extremely careful in that respect. I have a cross and butterfly on my thigh (for Jesus and resurrection) and a sunflower on my ankle because it's my favorite flower and it's a reminder of my grandpa who died when I was 16. I want to get another one, but want to be careful what I get and where I get it. If a tattoo doesn't mean anything to me, I don't get it.

 

So I see where you're coming from, but I'm not going for the sexy or rebellion (nothing to rebel against since my mom went with me and got one at the same time and my dad paid for it). I'm going for the meaning behind the art.

 

I would caution anyone who does want to get a tattoo to do it for yourself, not for anybody else and to really think about what you want and where. Because if it doesn't have meaning, then 25 years down the road, you will have a tattoo of your exhusband's name or a now long-stemmed rose that you don't want.

[momofmeg]

My tattoos are both small, an inch or two square basically and extremely tasteful. Plus, they mean something to me...I've been extremely careful in that respect. I have a cross and butterfly on my thigh (for Jesus and resurrection) and a sunflower on my ankle because it's my favorite flower and it's a reminder of my grandpa who died when I was 16. I want to get another one, but want to be careful what I get and where I get it. If a tattoo doesn't mean anything to me, I don't get it.

 

So I see where you're coming from, but I'm not going for the sexy or rebellion (nothing to rebel against since my mom went with me and got one at the same time and my dad paid for it). I'm going for the meaning behind the art.

 

I would caution anyone who does want to get a tattoo to do it for yourself, not for anybody else and to really think about what you want and where. Because if it doesn't have meaning, then 25 years down the road, you will have a tattoo of your exhusband's name or a now long-stemmed rose that you don't want.

 

I was not intending to "flame" you-you are just young and I really LIKE the cute little roses, hearts, butterflies on young women and if they are in places that they only show when a young woman is in a swimsuit they are really no big deal.

 

It is just as a woman gets into middleage and beyond things don't look so "cute" anymore and we tend to regret those things. So I will amend what I said-make sure you put tattoos in spots where you can cover them up later. Even one on your shoulder is fine because once you are my age 50 plus-I doubt you will be wearing apaghetti strapped gowns anyway-if you are like me-you will not go braless and the strapless bras are just too uncomfortable.

 

To the gal who is in her early forties and has a tatoo and says it still looks good-I still looked good at 40-I still looked good at 45-it was sometime between 45 and 50 I started to go "down hill" in physical looks and health both-I still can't believe the differance a few years can make.

 

To the OP-have you thought of seeing a dermatologist? I know I have a friend that has this birth mark on her face-what many people call a "liver spot" it is big and reddish-purple (think Gorbhshov-how is his name spelled ?-the last Soviet Union guy before the Soviet Union fell) she uses this prescription makeup and you would not even know she has one-if I had not seen her once without makeup I sure wouldn't. I do understand where you are coming from. I have a friend late 30's who has one on her neck she regrets-she hates it so much she always wears her hair down and long-she has beautiful hair that looks great long-but she keeps saying she is dreading getting older and someday needing to cut her hair when it is no longer becoming.

[JoanieBlon]

I am 59 and have 3 tattoos that I got during the late 60s. I had them reworked back in the early 90s when better inks became available. I have never regretted getting my tattoos ~ in fact I have often thought about getting another one or maybe more. Through my life I have been utterly fascinated with the traditional Japanese tattoo form know as Irezumi: http://www.irezumi.us/eg/index.html This site is somewhat slow-loading. Once at the site, you can select to see a video of traditional Japanese tattoos being applied with sharpened bamboo sticks. AMAZING work!

 

When I had my tattoos done, tattoos were NOT accepted by the vast majority of the population. They were viewed as something sported by of member of the Merchant Marine or perhaps a drunken sailor who got his girl's name in a heart applied during shore leave.

 

Because of this, I had my tattoos ~ which mean a great deal to me ~ placed where they wouldn't be seen in most normal dress, and I have always been glad that I made this decision. I had one placed very low down on my lower right back ~ almost on my butt ~ one placed on my left hip and the last placed high up on my upper right back ~ about over my right shoulder blade. The two lower ones never show unless I am in a 2-piece bathing suit. The upper one peaks out now and then if I have on a very open backed top or dress. It's quite pretty, being a small yin~yang encased in flowers and scrolling leaves. It's about one inch wide and about 2 inches long.

 

I have always wondered how people (especially women) who choose to have tats (some of them VERY large) done in constantly exposed areas will ultimately think about their decision to do this. Having worked with Supreme and Appellate Court personnel in several states, and for law firms, I suspect I may have not been accepted for employment if I had a giant unicorn tattooed on my upper arm that was constantly visable unless I always wore long sleeves, a dragon crawling over my calves or fairies on my ankles. It IS a fact of life that people WILL discriminate against you if vary from what is considered the social "norm." These days, tattoos are certainly more widely accepted than they ever have been in the United States.

 

That being said, if I had large, black Japanese symbols tattooed on my upper arms or other types of inked adornment, I'd just try to select a evening dress (perhaps like a black flutter sleeve kimono) that complimented them and go with the flow. After all, you're only with a cruise group for 7 days. What other people think about your tattoos isn't a big deal unless you allow it to be.

 

Trends come and go. Back in the earlly 70s I saw a VERY elderly lady with a HUGE battleship tattooed on her upper arm. She was wearing a short sleeved organdy dress with violets all over it, white gloves and a picture hat with flowers on it. I could barely manage to keep myself from outright GAWKING at her in disbelief. After some amount of investigation, I discovered that it was a minor patriotic trend during World War I for young women to get tattoos of ships!

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

When we cruised on Enchantment of the Seas in October 2005, there was a young woman who had her arms, back and shoulders COMPLETELY covered with tattoos. I don't know what else was tattooed because I didn't want to stare at her, though it was hard not to. My point, however, is that she made no effort whatsoever to cover up that artwork.

[gjules]

I didn't get my tattoos until I was in my 40's. My body was far from perfect when I got them and is STILL far from perfect! I got them for ME...no one else...just ME. They are in places where I don't have to show them unless I want to (upper thigh, ankle, right shoulder). My husband likes them and encouraged me to get them. That all said, when I'm older, and my body doesn't quite look as good with the tattoos, HE is the only one that will see them. He has loved me through weight gain and weight loss and weight gain again and again and I am confident that he will still love me when we are old, saggy tattoos and all!!

I am now 47 and am in the planning stages of my fourth tattoo. My husband is 50 and planning his first tattoo.

I totally supported my daughter when she got her tattoos. In fact she was accompanied by myself and her grandmother, and her dad paid for it! I did caution her to get them in places where they can be covered up, if necessary, and she did that.

[momofmeg]

I didn't get my tattoos until I was in my 40's. My body was far from perfect when I got them and is STILL far from perfect! I got them for ME...no one else...just ME. They are in places where I don't have to show them unless I want to (upper thigh, ankle, right shoulder). My husband likes them and encouraged me to get them. That all said, when I'm older, and my body doesn't quite look as good with the tattoos, HE is the only one that will see them. He has loved me through weight gain and weight loss and weight gain again and again and I am confident that he will still love me when we are old, saggy tattoos and all!!

I am now 47 and am in the planning stages of my fourth tattoo. My husband is 50 and planning his first tattoo.

I totally supported my daughter when she got her tattoos. In fact she was accompanied by myself and her grandmother, and her dad paid for it! I did caution her to get them in places where they can be covered up, if necessary, and she did that.

 

Well you and the 59 year old woman are in the minoirty. Most women in my age brackett that I know who have tattoos now regret it. One I know is only in her mid-late thirties and she regrets it. although it sounds like you have more of the "sexy kind" which are not really obvious exept to your hubby-and if he loves them who cares what others think.

 

I really see no need for any of you to take offense and go on the defensive-my advice was to Ehpride who is still young -not you-I was speaking from life's experience-and had no intent to criticize or flame anyone or to make anyone feel I was slamming them personally.

 

The OP started this thread because she-like many- now regrets her tattoo and no longer wants to display it-she wants to camaflauge it-she is not interested in "wearing it proudly" or in people who feel tattoos look good on older women or whatever-she wanted advice on covering it up. Hopefully she can get some of that prescription makeup from the Dr. If my friend could cover up a big purplish red birthmark that covered almost half her face I am sure a tattoo would be no big deal.

 

Hey alot of us regret more than tattoos! I guess that is called "living life" and wishing hindsight was 20-20 as the saying goes.