Fashion Pearls of Wisdom Archives - Page 3 of 4

November 3, 2015November 3, 2015

Fashion Pearls of Wisdom: Tattoos are for Sailors

Our guest blogger is Natalie McCreesh aka Pearl, a fashion lecturer, freelance writer and creator of Fashion Pearls of Wisdom. In this post she’ll be talking about tattoos and relationships…

I couldn’t have told you whether my grandfather had a tattoo. No matter the weather he would always wear long trousers and a sleeved shirt, occasionally folding up his cuffs an inch in summer. He passed away when I was 12 years old taking any secrets with him. As I write this there is a gentleman sat across from me on the train, dressed in a manor my grandfather would have seen fit; blue striped shirt, grey slacks, polished Oxfords. His snow white hair putting him at around my grandfather’s generation. As he sat down he slipped off his damp over coat, revealing shirt sleeves rolled up to just below the elbow. Scattering his pale freckled skin a series of small blue tinged tattoos. Now smudged with age it is difficult to make out the designs, a swallow perhaps and an anchor. With a nudge and a disapproving tut from the lady beside him he pushes down the sleeves, with it a knowing eyebrow raise and a quick grin to me. His look said it all, this wasn’t the first time nor would it be the last his wife would plead with him to cover up those tattoos.

This exchange got me thinking about tattoos in relationships. When I was still dating I had a few odd comments, a general consensus that guys didn’t like tattoos on girls – even guys who were tattooed themselves. I had one guy tell me on a first date he wasn’t really bothered about my tattoos so long as I didn’t get any more, needless to say I never did call him again. I’ve also spoken to people both male and female who have admitted they’d rather their partner not be tattooed, or in contrast wish that they were.

After meeting my boyfriend for the first time my mum had said to me ‘you’d best keep this one you might not find another who likes your tattoos’ I’m still not entirely sure if she was joking or not. My mum likes my tattoos, although she thinks I’ve got enough now – not sure how to break the news to her when I get my sleeves done but that’s another story. But she is from a generation filled with tattoo stigma. Before I met my boyfriend’s parents she said I might want to wear something pretty and on the sensible side, hiding the tattoos and toning down the extreme fashion. My boyfriend said the opposite, don’t cover up your tattoos because otherwise they will wonder what on earth we have in common – a university lecturer and a builder (he’s the builder). In the end I wore something in between, just what is normal to wear to go for dinner and didn’t worry about it. Getting a tattoo is a permanent body modification, it’s not like a dodgy jumper you can eventually talk your partner out of wearing – or shrink in the wash. After all they do say love is about compromise, but, for me, someone not loving my tattoos would be deal breaker.

October 26, 2015

Fashion Pearls of Wisdom: Inked and Educated

Our guest blogger is Natalie McCreesh aka Pearl, a fashion lecturer, freelance writer and creator of Fashion Pearls of Wisdom. In this post she’ll be talking about her decision to not cover her tattoos at her graduation ceremony…

This summer I had the opportunity to don academic robes for the graduation ceremonies at the university where I work. I gained a PhD in Biochemistry (textile and fibre analysis should you be intrigued) in 2010 however this was the first time since then I would wear my robes, this time to watch my own students graduate. Graduation ceremonies are filled with tradition and seen as formal affairs, dress code is generally smart and conservative. For my own graduations I’d worn smart basics such as a blouse and pencil skirt with some cool shoes for a bit of personality. There is also the practicalities of wearing the gown to consider, they were designed to be worn by men in suits, the hood looping around a shirt button to secure it. Thus wearing it over a dress can cause it to slip around. That said in the 11 years since my first graduation things have changed, the dress code is more about what the students see as ‘their best’ which can be anything from evening gowns to party dresses, t-shirts under blazers and so on. No matter the changing styles it’s an occasion to get dressed up and of course celebrate these amazing achievements.

I’d planned to wear a shirt with loose tapered trousers due to the afore mentioned practicalities, however the day turned out to be a scorcher (robes are heavy and hot at the best of times) so I just threw on a light summer dress, one I wear for work often, instead without much thought other than to make sure I found some safety pins to avoid being strangled by my gown’s hood.

It was only upon putting on the gown and looking at myself in the mirror did it occur to me I should perhaps put on tights to cover my tattoos. As I said these ceremonies are formal affairs. I’m lucky enough to be given the freedom at work to wear whatever I want. As it happens you can’t really see my tattoos with what I wear to work due to the fact I dress in what I deem appropriate – I wouldn’t wear backless dresses or shorts to work say. What I do tend to wear are calf length dresses with jackets, so in the warmer months you can see the tattoos on my lower legs and feet. If anything my tattoos have only brought positive reactions. Although this hasn’t been the case in previous jobs, it has never been a problem for me to cover my tattoos if requested, I think it would be ignorant not to acknowledge the fact there is still very much a stigma around tattoos. Many of my students are tattooed and they are always encouraged to express themselves however they wish, there is no dress code per say for them.

So what made me decide to keep my tattoos visible on this day? It was actually something a friend had said to me ‘look at you with all your education and your tattoos’ and I thought yeah, just look at me, because it really doesn’t matter if you have tattoos or not and we need to break those boundaries. I’m not encouraging anyone to get tattooed, that’s personal choice, but I am in a position to help break the negative stigma attached to tattoos and that I feel is an important place to be.

October 19, 2015

Fashion Pearls of Wisdom: Ink on the beach

Our guest blogger is Natalie McCreesh aka Pearl, a fashion lecturer, freelance writer and creator of Fashion Pearls of Wisdom. In this post she talks about the reactions she received from people while sunning herself on a beach…

This was to be my first beach holiday in years, I’d packed some vintage style bikinis and not much else envisioning long days spent in the sunshine. What I hadn’t foreseen was that with the bikinis would come the stares. I’m used to getting funny looks back home for my tattoos but I guess this was a lot closer to naked than I was used to being in public. I live in Sheffield which I’d say is a fairly tattooed city, seeing tattooed people isn’t all that unusual. On this two mile stretch of Spanish beach not so much. Sure there was the odd little tattoo but in the five days we spent there I only spotted two other heavily tattooed people. In a sea of exposed flesh mine stood out, together with my boyfriend we stood out even more.

It really made me stop and think, just seeing all that ink free skin how few of us actually choose to be tattooed. When you have tattooed friends, follow tattoo related Instagram accounts and so on it becomes the norm, you get used to seeing tattooed people. The beach line up was a bit of a reality check I guess. The stark realisation at how different you have decided to become. There is sexism in the stigma too, I could watch my boyfriend walk around with the odd glance but nothing compared to the reaction I got. Is it more acceptable, more normal to see tattooed men?

One day after some holiday cocktails we found a stack of business cards for a local artist and took them to hand out to the gawkers – what can I say we find ourselves hilarious after a few piña coladas. A bonus is that parents with screaming kids would take one look at us, decide we were likely criminals and move further down the beach, win! Away from the beach at a restaurant (not wearing the bikini just to clarify) we were asked to move to a table furthest away from the crowd, the waiters plea that it was reserved didn’t wash as we promptly left for the place opposite and watched said table sit empty for over an hour. I caused quite a stir at the hotel for breakfast too in a backless dress- tattoos not ok, stealing the entire platter of chocolate croissants totally acceptable apparently.

All I can summarise is that the behaviour of people is strange, Things&Ink’s Rosie wrote about her tattooed holiday experience in Vietnam and had various reactions. In some cultures staring isn’t considered rude and I don’t mind at all people looking at my tattoos, I just wish they could give a little smile to show its in a friendly way every now and again. That said it won’t stop me wearing a bikini on the beach!

October 12, 2015October 12, 2015

Fashion Pearls of Wisdom: In the Buff

Our guest blogger is Natalie McCreesh aka Pearl, a fashion lecturer, freelance writer and creator of Fashion Pearls of Wisdom. In this post she talks about getting her bum tattooed…

Let’s face it getting tattooed is fairly intimate. It involves someone, that can be a total stranger, touching your naked skin. Arms and legs are easily exposed but what about those areas we usually have covered with clothes? What about those tattoos that cover large areas? I’ve been asked a few times about getting my butt tattooed. What did I wear, was it embarrassing, could everyone in the shop see, what if you needed to fart!

I guess embarrassment depends on the individual. I get absolutely mortified when I’ve got to go see a doctor, professional bikini wax – forget it I’ll do it myself, but that’s just me. So how did I find myself sitting comfortably sans clothes in a tattoo studio with three guys? The answer to that is simple, respect. My artist and the others in the studio are some of the nicest people I ever met. I’ve been getting tattooed there for over a year now and in getting to know the guys I am totally relaxed with them. From my first visit I felt at ease, we discussed the design and had a chat before that oh so awkward moment when I had to get undressed. I’d asked around before hand and the general consensus was to wear a bikini which had tie sides so you could undo and adjust as needed. This turned out to be excellent advise. I was handed a roll of tape and left to prepare behind screens in the studio, grateful for the privacy and a mirror I taped the sides of my bikini to me so that the strings could be undone exposing my back whilst preserving my modesty at the front et viola.

Tip, the bikini is also ideal for after you’ve been tattooed- nobody wants a tight bra over a fresh tattoo. Turns out that you’re not the only person getting embarrassed, a naked lady is also a problem for other people not knowing where to look. So if you find an artist you’re comfortable with you’ll be fine. Yes we’ve had the odd nip-slip but what do you expect? Just have a good laugh about it. As for farting, just don’t, please!

September 14, 2015

Fashion Pearls of Wisdom: Erasing the Past

Our guest blogger is Natalie McCreesh aka Pearl, a fashion lecturer, freelance writer and creator of Fashion Pearls of Wisdom. This is the third of many posts to appear on th-ink.co.uk, in which Natalie will be telling us about her life in tattoos. Catch up on the first, second, third and fourth posts in the series.

Are we tattoo snobs? I think I might be. I have not so long since covered up my last teenage tattoo. I had laser removal for some of them and it was during this procedure that a friend challenged my intentions. ‘Why would you get a tattoo removed? Don’t you know they are permanent, they are markers of your life, don’t throw away your memories’. His body is covered in what must be close to one hundred tiny tattoos, each linked to a memory, a person, an event, an emotion. He collects his tattoos using his body as a trinket box. None of them you would describe as a piece of art, but they are pieces of him.

Beginning of backpiece with cover up

The tattoos I had early on in life I wanted covered up for two main reasons, firstly they were badly done and secondly they were taking up space on my body which I wanted to cover with large, professionally done tattoos. My tattoos now could be classed as artworks on my skin, they are beautifully executed and original in design.

But is that the point of getting a tattoo? I really don’t know, we all have different reasons for going under the needle. It cannot be as simple as collecting art, I could and do have a multitude of art hanging on my walls at home, there was no need to have it on my body. Most of my tattoos cannot be put down to any special meaning either, of course there are the traditional meanings, I have a rooster which is my Chinese zodiac sign, I have a Foo-dog which represents protection but these aren’t meanings deeply personal to me. I have a peony on my knee which is solely there to fill an awkward gap, there for aesthetic purposes does that make it purely fashion?

Like fashion, tattoos can cost very little or exorbitant amounts. You have the high street budget fashion comparison in the street tattoo shops, often boasting special offers ‘all you can sit for £250’, ‘full sleeves £300’, ‘any two names £20’ (all genuine offers seen on the streets of Sheffield), you can get a full outfit from Primark and your boyfriends name tattooed for under £50. On the opposite end of the spectrum you can pay $500 per hour – I won’t say who quoted that but on large pieces you can pay an average £80-100 per hour. Some artists charge by the piece and depending on the size and details a fairly large tattoo can cost between £200-£500. Just like a Chanel handbag, if you embark on a body suit you will look to pay into the thousands.

Therein lies the elitism, not everyone can afford the best artists and the largest tattoos. For some having a spare £50 for a tattoo is a struggle. When I had my early tattoos done they were the ones I could afford. But does erasing those tattoos mean I’m erasing my past? Am I trying to hide my working class background? Every now and again I forget I had my first tattoo covered up and get confused for a second when it’s not on my wrist, there instead the snake concealing it. Throughout our lives we change, we change – our clothes, our hair, our jobs, our homes so why not change our tattoos to better reflect the people we are now rather than the people we were.

Snake by Kelly Smith