You might relate to this feeling: You love the way tattoos look on other people, but you're just not sure you can pull it off... or stick with that kind of commitment. But there are certain tattoos to get if you're scared to get one, but really want to. You don't have to go all-in and get an arm sleeve or a giant, intricate elephant in the middle of your back. Instead, you can dip your toe in with a simple or tiny one, to give you a feel of how you like seeing ink on your body. That move will also let you gauge how quickly you get over an idea. After a couple of months, will you feel indifferent over the tiny picture gracing your thigh of your arm? Or will you feel a happy little fizz every time you glance it in the mirror?
Going with something minimal and subtle is a perfect baby step into the tattoo world, and it won't chain you down with the same type of commitment a mandala or an intricate picture might. After all, there's no shame in taking it slow! Below are 11 tattoos to get if you're nervous to get one.
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1. Try Something Minimal
If you're just getting started, dip your toe into the tattoo world with getting something minimal, like these trio of crosses.
2. Hide It With Hair
Get something clean and minimal like this pretty paper plane, but place it behind your ear so it's easy to hide. That way it won't be somewhere as exposed as your arms or shoulders, making it less of a commitment.
3. A Geometric Animal
With clean lines and so much empty space, choosing a geometric animal tattoo will stay looking timeless on your body, no matter how many years pass by. Which isn't what we can say about tribal tats and bellybutton sun rings, is it?
4. A Word Jumble
If you use a minimal font and keep it short and sweet, doing a Scrabble-like tattoo will not only let you create something with meaning, but it wont feel overwhelming.
5. A Script On Your Thigh
It's easy to cover up, and won't peek out unless you want it to — hello short-shorts and mini skirts! On top of that, putting it into a band format keeps it feeling classic and not over-crowded.
6. A Dandelion Stalk
Dreamy, whimsical, and can mean a bunch of different things to different people, a dandelion stalk down your back is a great way to begin your tattoo obsession.
7. Go With Something Classic
Honestly, when will a small rose bud ever go out of style? It's just as timeless as red lipstick or a pair of oxfords. Can't go wrong. And when it's this small and placed behind the ear, it won't require a lot of nerves or grit at the chair.
8. Constellations
I think it'd be impossible to get bored of having the night sky on your body. And when it's such a minimalist tat like this one, it'll stay looking pretty throughout the years.
9. A Mountain Tat
It's just a handful of lines but this little mountain tattoo can evoke a lot of different meanings. Do you like hiking, or are you adventurous? Are you a born traveler or are you from the country? Maybe you have a wild spirit or like the quiet you find when you go into the hills? There's so much to interpret there.
10. A Saying In Handwritten Text
Let's think of it this way: This looks a lot like something Jane Austen would scrawl, and that's been over 200 hundred years ago. Which, if you ask me, is the definition of timeless. So get your fast tat in a handwritten scrawl and you might just love it for ever.
11. Arm Bands
There's no way any tattoo artist could mess this up or create it not to your liking, and it's simple and elegant in its own way. The perfect baby step!
See? Trying out a first tattoo doesn't have to be so scary.
Images: @theresa_huang/ Instagram
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