Now that tattoos are mainstream, are there any rules to the body ink game?

Tattoos are no longer taboo. The millennials are crazy about them while the overall tolerance levels too have upped in recent times. This discussion is not about someone’s aversion to people with tattoos but about how we perceive heavily or amply tattooed people. Personally, I think tattoos can be very aesthetic provided they are done in the right way. Half-visible body art brings more disharmony to your persona. This is not about finding a progressive workplace that has more tattoo tolerance or expressing yourself with an attitude. You cannot change employer perceptions that quickly. If your job is about people interactions and formal meetings, you might want to try body art that remains reasonably concealed when you are dressed-up with the least possible ink-work peeping.

Don't Go Overboard with Workplace Tolerance Expectations

Interview settings will always be formal unless you have a very creative line of work or if the workplace already has a high tattoo percentage. In such settings, a peeking tattoo around the neck or wrists seems to create confused vibes, at least for the interviewer. The problem is that business attires and typical tattoo placements just don’t work. Wearing a formal jacket over tattoos that seem to be desperate to show-off might not make the right impression. First impressions…remember?

Tattoos have gained mainstream acceptance, not Love!

Tattoos on the neck are perhaps the hardest to tackle. Even interview shirts cannot completely hide them while arm tattoos are easy to conceal under layers. Then again, you are looking for a job and not declaring your lifestyle choices. However, that is what the hiring squad might think, i.e. someone unsure about the 9 to 5 schedule, seeking short-term employment just to test waters. For many workplaces, proudly displayed tattoos are just as disruptive as outdoor wear or putting-on athleisure trousers.

Free yourself, then pause and think...

There is no criminality associated with tattoos unless you have gang art done on your skin or you choose something too regional or religious. Face tattoo art is extreme for me. Though you have all the democracy in the world to turn your face into a canvas, it just splits your personality. Plus, I seriously wonder that all the face ink really represents immovable faith and unless it does, you might want to rethink this way of getting inked.

Perception about Peeking Tattoos

What confuses me more are tattoos that peek, giving a glimpse around the wrists, neck, behind the ear, or just above the ankle. For me, this creates a bit of unrest. It is like seeing something that is meant to be watched as a whole. I feel slightly irritated at that time, often reduced to just imagining what the entire skin art ensemble look like…