So fascinating to consider how acceptable it has become to have tattoos in the workplace. In most creative fields, in fact, it is a definite advantage to have a few tats showing. You almost feel like a loser, if you don’t have at least one! Almost unbelievable to think that Starbucks did not allow their baristas to display tattoos until 2014!

I actually thought the tattoo trend might be running out of steam because everyone seems to have one but then towards the end of 2016, more people than ever posted on facebook that they were getting new ones (Christmas gift!). So NO – tattoos are not going out of style, in fact they are more popular than ever.

See below for 3 tattoo trends/styles I’m keeping on my radar!

ORIGAMI

This may be one of my favorites. Origami is like visual poetry. I know I could wear this forever.

 

TRIANGLES & GEOMETRIC DESIGNS

Again, I like these because they are more subtle and elegant.

 

TRASH POLKA TATTOOS

This is one of the hottest tattooing styles as we head into 2017. It’s also the style lots of tattoo artists consider their personal favorite.  Way too much going on here for my tastes. I think I would tire of this rather quickly – and then what??

Here’s some background: It originated in Würzburg, Germany when two tattoo artists (Simone Pfaff and Volko Merschky) searched for a style to make their Buena Vista Tattoo club stand out. They took their inspiration from fine art collages, graffiti and the modern art movement.

Typography that resembles the Times New Roman or Courier of classic typewriters is the preferred way of adding text. Quotes appear to be excerpts from newspapers, words appear to be a mishmash of styles and letters are a little rough around the edges to give the impression of slightly smudged ink.

Only red ink and black ink are used. This mimics classical printing, where red and black ink are the easiest two colors to print. This restriction makes it easy to spot trash polka tattoos from a mile away. The term ‘polka’ in trash polka tattoos refers to a shape that is both the most prominent and least prominent part of the tattoo designs—the polka dots. All of these elements together give both a retro and a new age feel to the trash polka tattoo style!