Miss OstrichMy boyfriend and I joke around all the time about getting matching tattoos together because most of our friends are heavily inked and we are not at all. We talk about how we'd get something funny like a shark eating a lady with the caption "nom nom" or something ridiculous like each other's names circling a giant portrait of us together across both of our backs. Silly things.
One of our friends just graduated tattoo school (a legitimate college) and started apprenticing at a tattoo shop in Manhattan. Part of her apprenticing involves tattooing volunteers for free because she'll need the practice, and as her friends, she expects us to get tattoos from her.
I'm all for tattoos (I'd like a few myself) and expressing yourself with body modification and the like, but now that the offer for a free tattoo is in the air, the jokes my boyfriend and I have made could be a reality. We talked about it and decided they were JUST jokes; neither of us are ready to take that permanent step, so the offer will have to wait.
I'm curious, though; how many of you are tattooed or have matching tattoos with your SO? How do you feel about couples getting the same tattoos? On top of that, how do you feel about name tattoos?
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I have few tattoos and piercings... but I've gotten them all on my own. I figure if I break up with my SO, I don't want to have a permanent reminder of him...
I eventually want to get inked.
I would never get a tattoo of anything to do with my boyfriend. Tattoos are permanent, most relationships aren't. I have one tattoo though and I love it. : )
First of all, tattoos are permanent. Body art on each other that symbolizes the both of you? Together? PERMANENTLY? To me...not the best idea. Personally, only if I was going to get married to the guy and know for sure that I would be with him until death do us part (seriously), then I would get a tattoo that had their NAME on it. Or anything to do with them. Names of SO's...I'm definitely against them.
However, matching tattoos..like a small picture of.. oh I don't know, a bee (it's the first thing I thought of), that's fine. Just realize that if your relationship ends, that tattoo could become a constant reminder of something horrible (or good) that you can't get rid of (without paying tons of money of course).
I wouldn't risk getting a tattoo that would remind me of my SO unless I was sure I was going to marry her. I don't want to have something permanent that will remind me of her if things were to not work out.
I don't think matching tattoos are a good idea. Wouldn't you rather have a tat that symbolizes you and who you are? I have one that I got during a rough time and it really means a lot to me because it serves as a reminder that I'm strong and can get through anything. That's better than having a SO's name (or whatever) tattoed on my body that would only be painful to look at if we broke up AND would be painful to get rid of.
My boyfriend and I both got our first tattoos together; however, what we each got was vastly different. I went with something small and easily hidden; he got half a sleeve done.
I would never ever want a matching tattoo with someone - not my SO, not my best friend, not my mother...no one. Why? Because having ink on my body that can permanently remind me of someone who I may not want to be constantly reminded of is not something I want to experience. Just imagine - You and your BF get matching tattoos, 6 months down the road you break up with no intention of getting back together, and then the next guy (or girl) you start dating starts asking questions about your ink. When you got it, what it means, why you did it. If you're okay with that, then go right ahead and do it. It is your body and your decision and what anyone else says really shouldn't have a major impact on what you decide to do.
Also, don't get each others' names or initials done if the two of you decide to go through with this. Name/Initial tattoos of an SO are the kiss of death in relationships. It's an unexplained phenomena, but is often proven to be true. The cardinal rule of name tattoos is often only your children and [deceased] family members.
I would definitely love to get a tattoo soon. But for sure I wouldn't get one with any boyfriend's names or dates...nothing is sure these days
Dating or even being married to someone, I would not get a tattoo that would remind me of them especially their name on me. If I was to ever get a tattoo, I would do is for the sole purpose of getting a tattoo for the sake of myself; not for someone else or a reminder of someone else on my body.. permanently.
Even a marriage won't guarantee that you'll be with him/her forever either.
I want a tattoo, but I wouldn't get a matching tattoo with anyone unless I was related to them by blood (ie mother, sister, cousin). Couple tattoos are just tacky, unless you're a biker and have them everywhere and for everything. Then it's a story and it's interesting. But random couple tattoos don't fall into that category.
I want a tattoo.
But not one that matches any boyfriend/husband I may have in the future.
One mom I saw had her kids' names tattooed on her in a clever fashion... I liked that. It makes sense because that will never change. They will always be your children, whether they are good or bad, love you or hate you.
The only tattoo I plan on getting is an Ironman symbol on my ankle but I have to actually do one first, otherwise it's just cheating.
I agree with several other people's posts here. If you would break up with your SO, you're stuck with that reminder of him, and its permanent. I wouldn't do that. I'm all for tattoos that you get on your own though! :)
I like a tattoo here and there (although I'm still trying to decide whether I want one myself)... but I'm really not at all into the name thing. I think matching tattoos are okay though, because it's a different kind of meaning -- one that doesn't exist solely in your SO's name. I think you and your boyfriend made the right choice for the time being. :)
I have one tattoo and a second in the "working design" stage. I'm all for tattoos.
I am NOT all for "couples' tattoos." A good friend of mine recently got a tattoo that matched the one her bf got (though in a different color). They broke up not long after that, then got together again. Relationships have too much possibility for being transient.
Plus, a tattoo, to me, is about something that speaks to YOU as an INDIVIDUAL. I don't want the exact same thing someone else has, even if I know that someone else and I will be together for the rest of our lives.
And name tattoos? DEFINITELY out. Unless it's some sort of reworking of my immediate (i.e., mom/dad) family name.
Don't get matching tatts. Its just stupid. Plus it kills a relationship when you're so close that you have identical body parts. And its even worse when you break up.
Horrible, horrible idea. *What if* something were to go bad with the relationship? It's one thing to get tattoos together [ie. at the same time], that's still a bonding moment you two will share together. But to get a tattoo that will always remind you of that person is a bad idea when it comes to current significant others. But, it is your body...
@ZepBlueEyedGirl@xanga - Completely agree.
I think the general rule is no names, unless they are your kids' names. You never know what may happen, and to end up with a huge tat of your ex's name is not fun!
I would personally never get a tattoo with my boyfriend. I do want a tattoo but I would never ask my boyfriend to get a matching one because it is his body and I would hate to pressure him into something that is not reversable.
And I totally agree with the previous comment about NOT getting name tattoos
my SO is thinking of getting a tatto of my name, i mean i do like the idea but at the same time hope he wouldn't regret.
I like to quote my best friend's mom when it comes to tattoos.
"If I had let you get a tattoo the first time you said you wanted one, you'd have a giant picture of Barney the Dinosaur on your arm." XD
Your ink job should be something extremely meaningful to you, personally, that you won't be wanting to disassociate yourself from later in life.
As for names, I think getting your kids' names would be cute, but not your SO's or spouse's. The relationship you have with your children is forever.
Let's see, we don't have matching tattoo, although I do have a tattoo of his name on me. Before we talked about how we will tattoo something that represent each other. He has yet to have a tattoo, he said he was going to, but something happened. Well, we'll see, right?
Do I suggest you to get a matching tattoo? I don't know, unless you know FOR SURE he is the one you want to spend the rest of your life with, otherwise, don't.
Because then you will have to go through the whole getting another tattoo to cover it, or get it remove, which hurts a lot too.
I suggest to keep that idea in mind for at least 3 months, if you still think the same, then go ahead.
Remember, "men cheat, women lie(and vice versa), and love fades, but a tattoo is forever."
I have a few tattoos myself and I feel that a tattoo should really be a personal thing. It should be something that you would want to get on your own, because it will be with you for the rest of your life (unless you shell out a ton of money for laser removal) Also, even though someone may be in a very committed relationship, I do not think it is a good idea to get tattoos together, or names of your SO one, because I find it tacky, and two, there is that chance that the relationship may not last, and you will have that memory imprinted on you forever.
If you want a tattoo I say definately go for it, just make sure that it is something that really means a lot to you, and something that you are comfortable being with you forever.
: )
My ex-roommate's first tattoo was paid for by her ex-boyfriend, and she told me that every time she thought about it she thought about him. Not to imply that you and your SO will end things, but if it does happen, I would just make sure that the tattoos aren't something that you'll regret. It is fairly permanent, after all.
In general, however, I definitely wouldn't do it. Big no-no in my book.