to ink or not to ink

Last August I got a tattoo on my right forearm. I had known that I wanted one for a while and waited patiently for the perfect thing to get. One night after rereading my favorite short story, “A Tree, a Rock, a Cloud” by Carson McCullers, I decided to get the title permanently stamped on my arm! The story means a lot to me, and I wanted a constant reminder of it with me always. With some moral support (and a hand to squeeze) from my best friend, Becca, I got the tattoo a few weeks later and I absolutely love it — no regrets!

Now I’m thinking of getting a second tattoo, but this time around, I’m not getting the same positive feedback I received before. My parents were both great about my first one; they actually like it, which means a lot to me because I strongly trust their opinions. But my mom was a little skeptical when I told her about my idea for a second one (three birds on my left shoulder) — she thinks too many tattoos can look tacky. Some of my friends have had the same reaction. I know that getting a second tattoo is something I would be doing for myself; it’s really not about what other people think. But the support of my family and friends is important to me, so I’m really torn.

I’m supercurious to know what you guys think about tattoos, CG!s — trendy? Tacky? Do you think superstars like Angelina Jolie have changed the way tattoos are perceived?

xo,
Julia
CG! Beauty Intern