As we all know, trends come and go, but tattoos are forever. Today we're taking a look back at some of the most interesting tattoo fads starting from the '70s up to now.
Photo by: Stephany Lorena
The '70s - Tattoos slowly become mainstream
In the '70s tattoos started to become more popular among civilians. Sailor Jerry was a pioneer of the industry, focusing on his unique nautical style that is still very popular today. In fact, Sailor Jerry's tattoos inspired a clothing line and other merchandise.
Photo by: David Pennington
The '80s - Rock N roll!
Rock and roll music greatly influenced the popularity of tattoos. The '80s were filled with bold makeup, big hair, and even bigger tattoos. The 80s introduced pop culture tattoos to the masses, which led to the tattoo style known as New School.
Photo by: João Silas
The Early 1990's - The Tribal Tattoo
Tribal tattoos have been around for much longer than the 90s, originating in Polynesian cultures, including Samoa, Tonga, Hawaii, and New Zealand but their popularity spiked in the early '90s. Even now this style is reasonably popular, though most artists now focus more on the element of abstract patterns and geometric designs over the traditional tribal tattoos.
The Mid '90s - The Dolphin
These adorable aquatic mammals were tattooed on countless ankles in the mid-'90s. According to ancient legend, dolphins are protectors of the water and wellness; maybe that's what inspired their tattoo popularity. Dolphins are linked to many forms of symbolism including change, harmony, and having a free spirit.
Tattoo by: Ayhan Karadag
The Early 2000s - The barbed wire Tattoos
Pamela Anderson was spotted with a barbed wire tattoo on her upper arm and inspired others to jump on the barbed wire wagon (not literally, of course). Though years later Anderson did get her tattoo removed it still remains a brief part of the tattoo history.
The Mid 2000s - The mustache Tattoos
In 2011 women started tattooing mustaches on their fingers. Some were inspired to do this to show support for prostate cancer research and participate in "Movember", while others liked the idea of being able to instantly disguise themselves whenever and wherever necessary. The weirdest aspect of this trend is someone deeming these tattoos "fingerstaches".
2015ish - Micro Tattoos
Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus, and more celeb alum have been spotting with these cute and tiny tattoos, leading to the growth of micro tattoos. Dr. Woo, a micro tattoo artist, is one of the most in-demand tattoo artists to date for not only tattooing actors and singers, but also for his exceptional tiny details.
Tattoo by: Dr. Woo
2019 - The roof tattoos
Recently clients have been seeking tattoos on the roof of their mouths. Ouch! This location is pretty sensitive so artists use the handpoking technique instead of using a tattoo machine. What do you think of this new fad? Comment below!
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