So I've told a few people that I know that I'm getting tattoos done this week and told them I'm getting them on my thighs. The response I got from a few people was, "why are you getting them in a place nobody will see them?" That response kind of surprised me. Maybe I was expecting something more along the lines of, "I can't believe you're getting another tattoo". (I know this will be my mom's response when she finds out. Sorry mom.) I
know that getting a tattoo in a place
that you can't cover up working a 9-5 job isn't a great idea, but
lately I've noticed people in fairly conservative retail stores with
visible tattoos on their arms. I've also seen a lot more people with
unnatural colored hair working in retail. This has made me wonder, are
tattoos piercings, and colorful hair becoming mainstream and normal?
I suppose my mindset about people's reactions to such things comes from the fact I've lived in the conservative South my whole life. I grew up in a small town and when I was in high school, I was the goth girl with black hair and spiked dog collar, so I obviously got a lot of whispers and shocked looks. So when I quit my job last year, got out of my conservative attire, and started dying my hair funky colors, I was really expecting people to give me some really weird looks. Don't get me wrong, I do get those sometimes, but for the most part, I get nothing but complements on my hair. In fact, my husband and I went to a farmers market yesterday and I was approached by a little girl in a tutu, obviously on her way home from ballet practice. She came up to me with a smile on her face and said, "excuse me, but I think your hair is neat!". We couldn't help but giggle about it.
I wanted to get some more opinions about this topic. If you have tattoos that could be visible at work, how has your employer reacted? Do they care or do they ask you to cover them up? What kind of reactions do you get from people if you have tattoos, piercings, or colorful hair? What's your reaction to others who have these things? Do you think tattoos, piercings, and bold hair colors are becoming the norm and not the exception?
I can't wait to hear your opinions!
I have quite a few visible tattoos and have varying reactions from some people who are downright rude to people who are curious or want to pay me a compliment. I was a legal secretary for 5 years and during that time I started to get my arms tattooed. I never tried to hide them as I have never really been concerned about other peoples opinions about them. I think my tattoos are tasteful and no more offensive than someone with (in my opinion) a bad haircut! I don't think the managing partners of the law firm ever really appreciated my tattoos but I was never directly told to cover them up. Oftentimes the clients would compliment me on them!
ReplyDeleteI think your employer probably appreciated your hard work enough to ignore your tattoos, which is the way it should be! Thank you for sharing your story. I agree that other people's opinions about the way you look shouldn't really matter.
DeleteI have a pretty large arm tattoo that's visible whenever I wear short sleeves. I work in a retail job, and they don't mind it showing at all. It's kind of up to our particular store manager though; he doesn't allow certain facial piercings, but will allow tattoos...not sure his reasoning, I think it's just his personal preference. I get mostly positive comments from the customers.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your experience! I guess it's a lot easier to take out a piercing for a few hours while you're at work than it is to cover up a tattoo. It seems like a lot of retail stores are realizing that they are missing out on a lot of good employees if they pass up people with tattoos.
DeleteI wish I could be more helpful! I have on large tattoo but you can't see it as it's on my side. However, here in Minnesota, everyone and their mother has a sleeve tattoo and it's fairly accepted. My partner is a teacher and she's covered and doesn't have to cover them up (she couldn't anyway). :) Can't wait to see your new tattoos! Please post a photo! Good luck!
ReplyDeleteI will and thank you! Maybe I don't go to the right places or get out much at all, but I don't see a lot of people here with full sleeves. I've certainly seen more than I used to, but I think the progression is a little slower here.
DeleteThis is definitely something I've been thinking about a lot lately. I have wrist tattoos, a half sleeve, and a few smaller tattoos on my arms and the rest aren't visible. I'm currently looking for an office job and I think it's a little hard. I try to cover my arms for interviews just in case. Ultimately, it is important to me to be able to work at a place that can accept it, but in reality, it is a point of stress for me now that I'm on the job hunt just IN CASE. I wouldn't get rid of my tattoos if I could, but it does make me overanalyze a lot of situations. I am lucky though to live in a place that has really progressive politics and ideas, where I think more people are probably tattooed than not tattooed, so I think it will work out. I have been a little nervous though to get any visible leg or foot tattoos just in case I do find myself with a great job that asks me to cover them.
ReplyDeleteAlso, it's funny, I've been asked the same question about why I would get tattooed where no one can see it. It seems like a funny question. My tattoos are for me, not just for showing off. I adore my "hidden" tattoos just as much as the ones on my arms.
I hope you post photos of your tattoo, I would love to see it! I'm getting work done next week too and I'm so excited!
-Sarah
www.newwavedomesticity.com
Thank you! I feel the same way about getting tattoos that aren't visible all the time. I'll get to see them everyday! I agree with you too about being a little nervous to get a tattoo in a place that you can't easily cover up. I know my legs wouldn't be a problem, I could just wear pants. But I can't see myself wearing a cardigan to cover up any arm tattoos when it's 102 degrees outside and humid. I think I would have to have a pretty established job before I did my arms.
DeleteMy first 2 tattoos are not visible. Then last summer my husband and I got matching tattoos on the upper arm, and while I thought it would be highly visible, a lot of my short sleeved shirts cover it fairly well. I am fine with tattoos but still in my profession it's still not widely excepted.
ReplyDeleteOh how I love your hair. I wish I could have bright colored hair. Maybe, I'll just do it one day. It's hair, it will grow back. :)
-Stephanie
A geek In Glasses
I agree that your profession does make a difference. I'm in ticketing, so no one really minds my hair. I could see more conservative places could frown upon it.
Deletetwo of my coworkers have large forearm tattoos and one has a couple on his hands. I work in a pharmacy so we're supposed to be business/professional with appearance, but it's CVS so we're still retail....another coworker has cherry red and purple hair so I don't think any of my managers (pharmacy or front store) mind tattoos or hair colors. I'm not sure how common this is though. I think it's becoming more accepted which is cool right? :)
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure how common it is either. I think it depends on what part of the country you're in too. I know people around here would probably freak out if their pharmacist had tattoos and purple hair!
DeleteI don't have any tattoos yet, but have been mulling a few designs over and had a talk with our HR guy about it - turned out he has a couple of tattoos I'd never seen - in fact, "find five people with tattoos" was on the getting-to-know-your-coworkers quiz at our last staff day! I work for a public library system and we're a pretty close knit bunch, plus it seems to be pretty common for people in this field to have a quirky look, judging by the last few conferences I've gone to.
ReplyDeleteHa that's awesome! I think people are realizing that having tattoos doesn't mean you're scary or weird. That stigma is slowly being dispelled and people can just talk about their tattoos now.
DeleteI think you are right, it's becoming more common. I was also a goth kid in high school and back then is when I feel everything started. People started dying their hair bright colors and getting piercings. Since that was (what feels like) forever ago, over time people are just used to seeing it. Plus you have so many celebrities now a days covered in tattoo sleeves and dying their hair bold colors. You will always have some people who roll their eyes at you or call you names, but not as often. I do see a lot more people in retail with tattoos, etc.. It makes me happy! :)
ReplyDeleteIf I get a tattoo I do want to show it off. If that means I have to cover it up someday at a job, oh well. My current work doesn't care about tattoos and they don't enforce the "no piercings" rule. I want pink hair but have been too chicken to ask. hahaha I'm thinking about just dying the underneath layer and see if they say anything. It washes out anyways. I love this topic!
I live (and work, duh) as an Executive Assistant in what I hear is the most conservative county in the nation (Utah county) & I have had zero personal issues.
ReplyDeleteI have two smallish visible tattoos (my son's name on the inside of my right wrist & 'wanderlust' on the outside of my left forearm) & usually have very obviously fake ginger hair -- For awhile I had a big chunk of my bangs bright purple and a chunk of my hair aqua.
People sometimes ask me about my tattoos or comment on my hair, but always in positive/amused tones.
I think it can hold a person back when looking for work, but once youre in a job and people know you do it well, they dont seem to care one way or another.