Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Tattooed Vintage Women

I love tattoos! Most of the time - when they're engraved in somebody's skin for the right reasons...They can be like a diary of a persons life - things that girl/boy has gone through during their lives - or just things that have a special place in the wearer's heart, and which that person wanted to bring out and permanently fixate into the skin. Since a full arm tattoo is called a "sleeve", "to wear one's heart on the sleeve" becomes something that's actually visible when it turns into a tattoo...

This way of decorating the skin has been around for thousands of years. Scientist have found remains of tattooed skin that's over 10,000 years old. But it's not that often you see photos of tattooed people before the 1980s - especially not women! So today I'm going to show you that inked women did exist even a few decades ago!






























Not so sure about the authenticity about the picture above. The tattoos look far to modern-made for the time the model lived in. But I just loved this photo anyway... 


And we end with my favorite - tattooed ends...
















6 comments:

  1. I love the third photo here where she's absolutely covered in tattoos. I had no idea that the concept of tattoos had been around for so long and that women used to rock it all the time, I mean sure tattoos are common on women now but to see them back years before they became so popular is awesome, thanks for sharing this Miss Meadows, great photos.

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  2. Gorgeous...these ladies look amazing!! I've always wanted a tattoo..a phoenix on my back to signify all the struggles I've overcome in life & I think that would be enough for me really. I think they should mean something when you get them, means a lot more and you won't end up wanting it removed later as that is meant to hurt more than the tattoo did. Have watched them getting ones removed and I felt a little horrified after, ha! The last picture is cheeky, I love it ;) xxx

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  3. You're correct that the next to last photo is manipulated.

    The "pre"-tattooed image can be found in "Fotografía erótica" by Klaus Carl or at http://menschenmaterial.deviantart.com/art/18-69093333

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    1. Cool! Thank you! I like both the original and the photoshopped pictures though... :) xox

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  4. How very interesting! Were these women not in the circus? If not, that's extra cool!! Back in 1967, I met a woman who was nicknamed Sandy the Billboard. She told me that her goal was to get every square inch of her skin tattooed, & when I met her she had a very good start on it. She was the first woman I'd ever seen who had tattoos & she was my inspiration. Unfortunately, I'm only up to 3, including one that covers about 1/4 of my back. I have plans for several more, but the $$ can be prohibitive. By the way, I'll be 70 this coming March.

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  5. I love the fact that you don't think you're too old to get tattoos, as many people think. That's nothing called "too old" do do anything really. As long as you CAN do it, do it!!! Haha! :) But I know, tattoos are expensive. I have a few myself, but have to save up for my next one! Preserved skin with tattoos has been found that's over 10,000 years old, so it's an ancient method to create art on skin. I guess most of the women in this post worked as show girls, at circuses, or maybe even freak shows. Glad it's become a lot more accepted to walk around with tattoos since those days... Good luck with your own tattoos honey! :) xox

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