Stop and Think if you really need that Tattoo

Stop and Think if you really need that Tattoo

Funny Story. When I turned 18, I wanted to do something new with my life. Being a part of NIFT, just made me want to experiment or do what I never imagined while in school. After attending two months of college and exhausting hostel time, I went back home for a week of vacation trying to relieve my stress. I told my Mum that I needed to get a nail art done as for some reason it fascinated me. To my surprise, my mother suggested, "Why don't you get a tattoo?"

"Why not?", I said. How I wish she never suggested this to me, because my first tattoo is one of my undying regrets of life even though it turned out well.

Spontaneous and Tattoos hardly go together

 I went to the nearest tattoo parlour with no research, no design, no thought because yes, 'Let's be spontaneous'. My mom selected a pixie and she talked me into it. She decided every inch of that design to be etched permanently on my body. I was on cloud nine then.

My First Tattoo

https://www.instagram.com/p/B-jU1hvpFdN/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Everyone loved it and I loved the attention, until suddenly I was asked, "What does it mean?". Ahh! What?

Do tattoos really need to carry a meaning? Can't they just be for fun. I was judged by everyone who asked me the meaning of it because cmón, there must be a story behind it. There must be a specific weight for it to be imprinted. But I had nothing. It was random and I started to regret it. I promised myself to never get a tattoo again.

A year later, at a cousin's wedding, a guy approached me and said, "I know what your tattoo means" and I was confused. To my defense I claimed, "Yes, it's a pixie". Confusingly he looked at me and claimed to know the other meaning of it, "Weed", he said and I was dumbstruck. Little did I know about it then and it was too late to realise I had a drug etched on my back. Yikes!

Obviously, for some it's cool. I was asked to change my Instagram handle to '420forlife' or 'girlwiththechillumtattoo'. I was embarrassed.

Soon I embraced it. At Least it was on my back, away from my vision and now I wanted another tattoo. This time I was careful. I researched for months before jumping into conclusions. Took opinions from the right people and everytime I selected a design, I gave it time. You need to at least give it a month to process if you really need it. 

'Thalassophile'. My next tattoo. I was there. I needed it and I was ready.

I discovered my love for the beaches, the sea and being a water sign made sense. I searched for the right reference, right font, right size. I sketched it over me with a black pen just to be sure and Voila! I needed it. I took final opinions to throw the second thoughts off and after multiple suggestions I went to the most recommended place near my house in Indiranagar, Bengaluru. The SkinDeep Tattoo. 

My Second Tattoo

https://www.instagram.com/p/B1L4VKRHGxg/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

https://www.instagram.com/p/B0tTmdNHrUd/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

They let me discuss my tattoo and font after taking print outs and talking about it. I was asked to compromise on the size of my tattoo to be bigger but I didn't want to repeat my mistakes. After a long discussion, I took Multiple Stencils on my arm to decide the best place for this one and how over the years my Fluctuating body weight, if any, will have the least effect on it, I got my second tattoo, on my forearm.

I got exactly what I wanted without compromising the size or the font of what I desired but I definitely considered the fact of the Effect of fluctuating weight which made me feel secure and content.

So before you get a tattoo, Plan, Research, Pinterest, Relate, Sketch, Take Advice. Sleep over it. Give it months. Take it to the tattoo parlour and discuss or you can go through the mentioned link below for some inspiration and ideas I saved on Pinterest. Take advice and consider before you follow your heart because unlike me, you might not need A Marijuana Leaf on your Back. 

https://in.pinterest.com/sonaliarora929/tattoos/

To know more about me and my everyday life, follow me on Instagram: @girl.with.the.pixie.tattoo . Till then let me know what else I shall write about.