When it comes to commitments, few are as daunting as a new tattoo, especially if it’s your first. For one thing, tattoos are based on taste, and as anyone who’s looked back at old iTunes playlists can attest, tastes change like the tides. on the other hand, tattoos are more permanent than even “till death do us part” (you can’t divorce your own biology, after all). oh, and getting tattooed hurts. a lot.
However, while once culturally relegated to the back rooms of 19th-century brothels and 20th-century biker bars, tattoos are experiencing a surge in popularity. According to a 2012 Harris Poll, 21 percent of American adults sport tattoos. When you refine the data to apply only to the vaunted millennial demographic, that number jumps to 40 percent (according to additional research from Pew Research Center).
In short, we’re in the midst of a full-fledged cool tattoo renaissance. And if you’re not part of the party yet, there’s no better time to join than now. the only question: what the hell are you going to get?
“Usually we recommend starting small and placing the tattoo somewhere that isn’t very visible, just so [newcomers] can get used to it before jumping into something bigger,” says Jessica Jones of red rocket tattoo, in new york city.
To help you narrow down your options even further, we reviewed hundreds of social media accounts, spoke with experts from across the industry, chatted with tattooed friends and colleagues, and consulted our own personal experience (between the two of us, we have more than half dozen tattoos). In this document, you will find 100 of the most elegant and tasteful ideas to get great tattoos for the first time. who knows: maybe you’ll find the one for you, or at least the inspiration for one.
1. a rose
Flowers, specifically roses, are among the most timeless tattoo designs. As revealed at a recent exhibit at the New York Historical Society, the trend can be traced back to high-society women in Victorian times, who used to discreetly place the design in easy-to-conceal places, such as below the wrist ( so it could be hidden with a bracelet). if you want to play it safe, go for a simple tattoo like this one.
2. a bouquet
Or work with an artist on a custom bouquet of all your favorite flowers.
3. orchids
When it comes to houseplants, orchids, if cared for properly, are among the most durable (and, if you ask most trendsetters, among the prettiest, too). get one that lasts forever.
4. succulents
Succulents also lead a seemingly endless life. Owned and designed by best life editor ashley moor, this minimalist tattoo piece is an example of how to style them right.
5. vines
cut the flowers but keep the greenery. Wrap your wrist, forearm, or even your entire thigh in graceful, lithe vines.
6. a willow
the contemplative nature of the willow tree is suitable for a contemplative soul, and the simple tattoo that goes with it.
7. a palm tree
“You won’t be able to go to the beach for two weeks after you get your tattoo,” Jones says. Excessive exposure to sun and sand can cause irreparable damage to the skin or worse, to the artwork. however, this doesn’t mean that a cool tattoo like this one can’t evoke a bit of that playful nature in your everyday life.
8. a pine tree
“The color tends to be harsher on the skin, because the ink has to be well saturated,” says Thornhill. In other words: more sewing than a traditional black ink tattoo requires.
9. a maple tree
If you’re going to get a colored tattoo, consider going for a design done in the watercolor style that’s all the rage these days. When your tattoo fades, and make no mistake it will, dull, splattered ink tends to age better than more vividly colored pieces.
10. a whole forest
“A lot of people these days don’t realize that most artists have a book full of original designs they’ve drawn and want to get tattooed on,” says Jones. “Pick an artist whose style you like. Then pick from their book. That way, you’ll have something special that no one else has.”
11. a lion
another source of inspiration from nature: the animal kingdom. “The first step is having the idea,” says Thornhill. “if you came into the shop and you’re having trouble thinking of what to get, the artists can help. we’ll ask customers what means the most to them and where they’re thinking of getting their tattoo. then we work our magic to design something special they can enjoy forever.”
12. a wolf
Something similar to this big bad wolf, which was meticulously created by dan bythewood, adorned in new york courtesy of our colleague, tyler stewart, is a great way to pay homage to the Darwinian ancestor of man’s best friend.
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13. dogs
Human relationships can have ups and downs, but a dog’s love stays the same. remember your pup. (Also, speaking from my personal experience, the above design, by the artist, is fine, it’s by Morgan, having a dog tattoo is a great conversation piece.)
14. cats
align with best life’s official stance on the cat vs. dog debate.
15. a paw print
Getting a paw print is an abstract way to commemorate the furriest, sweetest member of the family.
16. a butterfly
float like one of these.
17. a bee
or chop like one of these. (although not as much as, you know, getting a tattoo).
18. feathers
You’ll see a lot of these simple tattoos in coachella and burning man.
19. a dove
some consider bird tattoos to be basic. but if you buck the trends and go for a stylized geometric design, your bird will be just the opposite.
20. chocolate
let’s go. everyone loves chocolate.
21. a piece of cake
yes, you can have your cake and eat it too. (however, you’ll need to provide the edible version yourself).
22. a cupcake
with a cherry on top.
23. a sentimental baked good
Not all cool tattoos have to have meaning, says Jones, but “some people prefer meaningful tattoos!” If you grew up in, say, New York City, a bagel is a way to take your hometown with you no matter where you go in life.
24. a city skyline
or, get even more literal: a city skyline tattoo pays homage to the city where it all began, and novices will be happy to know that a design like this simple outline tattoo requires no more than an hour under the sun. weapon, at most.
25. the silhouette of your home state
A recent trend in tattoos is choosing to get an outline of their state of origin. that way, you can wait and ruminate; if you want to fill it out at a later date, with colors, topography, roads, townships, geometric design, or even just all-black shading, you can. or you can leave it as the scant work of art that it is.
26. coordinates
The coordinates of a special place, Jones says, are among the most common requests for first-time tattoos on Red Rocket. you know: something like the exact location of your birthplace or the birthplace of your child.
27. a map of the world
you can also use macro.
28. earth
really macro.
29. the moon
Any tattoo you get can serve as an anchor for a larger, more elaborate piece. take this crescent moon, for example. It was a launching pad for a manga by three different artists, mostly Nicolas Gualteros, at Sena Tattoo, and is a prime example of how you can combine more than one style into something inimitable unique.
30. a planet
Tattoo artists and studios often offer “lightning tattoos” at one-day events. A lightning bolt tattoo is a pre-designed, pre-priced piece of art that is available on a first-come, first-served basis. they are usually small and usually require less than an hour of work, hence flash. the magical version of jupiter above (ari), done by baris yesilbas, at cartilage tattoo in brooklyn, is one of those lightning bolt tattoos.
31. the sun
If it’s good enough for our solar system to revolve around, then it’s good enough to earn a place on your skin.
32. the entire solar system
extremely macro.
33. stars
starlight, shining star, this could be the first tattoo you get tonight. (You’d be following in the footsteps of Dorothy Parker, who had a tiny clandestine blue star on the inside of her bicep.)
34. a galaxy
carry with you a healthy reminder that no matter what you feel or face, existence is vast.
35. your zodiac sign
One thing you can guarantee will never change is your zodiac sign.
36. an infinity symbol
Or simply capture the celestial essence of the universe in its entirety with an elegant and simple infinity sign.
37. an equation
There’s no shame in letting the world know about your fondness for the most remarkably curly physique in history.
38. a date
Maybe it’s the date of your wedding anniversary. maybe it’s the day your first child was born. Or maybe it’s April 27, 2018 (the day Avengers: Infinity War hits theaters, for those who somehow haven’t memorized the occasion). Whichever day you choose, remember that you will see it on every other day of your life, so it should have life-changing seismic significance, like those three examples.
39. a while
an idea: discover the exact time you were born and remember the importance of your whole being. (Your birth certificate should have the information you’re looking for.)
40. a watch
consider getting that time in analog. It’s a timeless style!
41. a compass
Yes, all the time-tested circle-shaped tools work just as well on tattoos as they do in real life.
42. a sailboat
pirate-skull-and-crossbones: out. the way of the pirate ships in: in.
43. or just a candle
And no, we’re not referring to the song about how awolnation became popular. (although, yes, people have tattooed it).
44. a lighthouse
Fans of stories like the great gatsby or bioshock infinite can show their appreciation for iconic works of fiction with a well-designed minimalist headlamp.
45. waves
as thomas jefferson once said: “the boisterous sea of liberty is never without a wave.”
46. a nautilus
the ne plus ultra of nautical-inspired tattoos. (And this piece is proof that, yes, some artists will tattoo your hand.)
47. shells
Although common, seashell tattoos are actually quite poetic. a real shell serves to protect the marine mollusk that takes shelter in it, so a tattoo of one can symbolize your strength and tenacity. or it can literally mean that you really like going to the beach.
48. a starfish
Fun fact: Starfish are technically living creatures, but they don’t have brains or blood.
49. a lobster
In the midst of midwinter blizzards, let your lobster tattoo take you back to sunny Saturdays at the beach: toes in the sand (and a coiled lobster in your hand).
50. a fish
If you’re in the mood for an aquatic tattoo, you’ll find few shapes more elegant than the slender curlicues of a Siamese fighting fish.
51. two fish
duplicate a trend and duplicate.
52. red fish
red is well known as the most carnally evocative color. (A recent study by okcupid found that men and women who wear red received more messages than those who wear any other color.)
53. blue fish
For more weird fish tattoo ideas, check out this scary inspiration.
54. artwork inspired by nursery rhymes
(see what we did there?)
55. a line of text
“When it comes to writing, just make sure it’s [in a] clear, legible [font],” Thornhill says. To find fonts, visit dafont.com. it’s an invaluable database, filled with nearly 40,000 free fonts to choose from.
56. handwriting of a loved one
However, the most unique font of all is personal writing. One example: Our colleague, Madeline Purdue, received a note from her grandmother permanently etched on her side. It is a carbon copy and permanently etched keepsake of the card she received from Nana for her 18th birthday: her last birthday card.
57. just a word or two
from your favorite novel, poem, song, whatever!
58. punctuation
We like the subtle complexity and simple elegance of the ampersand.
59. a semicolon
Semicolon tattoos have gained popularity over the years as a symbol of hope and perseverance for people struggling with mental illness. “A semicolon represents a sentence that the author could have finished, but he chose not to,” explain the folks at the semicolon project. “The phrase is your life and the author is you.”
60. a matching or aligned tattoo
“We get a lot of [requests] for matching tattoos from family and friends, which is always nice,” Jones says. also works for couples.
61. a heart
As a work of art, it works equally well broken, intact, or anywhere in between.
62. tk
no, fellow editors, we didn’t forget an entry here. (“tk”, for those who don’t know, is writer-ese for “to come”, as in “text to come”.) if you’re wondering why the skin in this picture looks so raw, by the way, it’s because morgan got the simple tattoo while we were writing.
63. 525,600
diehard rental fans know this number (and phrase) by heart.
64. roman numerals
an idea: if your team has ever won a super bowl, do it.
65. atomic symbol
There are 118 elements in the periodic table, each with its own intricate structure. choose one.
66. chemical formulas
or combine a lot. choose a compound that means a lot to you (if you’re a painter, for example, maybe get the chemical compound for paint) and go with it.
67. a mercenary (with mouth)
“I [recently] did deadpool riding a unicorn,” says rusty thornhill. “That was so much fun.”
68. the avengers
assemble!
69. a hero you deserve.
but not one you need.
70. a skywalker
choose the light side or the dark side, or both!
71. a pokeball
Even if you missed the game boy games or elementary school trading cards from the late 90s, there’s a good bet you’ve played some iteration of the game. After all, Pokémon Go has been downloaded nearly half a billion times, and after its release in 2016, it topped the iTunes and Google Play app stores for months.
72. a master ball
for those who don’t know, the master ball is to the poké balls what the lion is to the jungle: king.
73. your favorite pokemon
With over 800 pokémon in the pokédex, you’re sure to find one that’s the best there ever was. (The correct answer: jolteon.)
74. a dragon
Of all the mythical creatures, few are more majestic or powerful than the charizard dragon.
75. game of thrones house shield
“a Lannister always pays his debts.”
76. the deathly hallows
a minimalist homage to a body of fiction that inspired millions of lives (and still draws regular comparisons to the real world on social media today).
77. an airplane window
Few experiences are more transformative than your first flight in a window seat, looking out over the topographical expanse at 35,000 feet.
78. a plane
The view from the outside is not bad either.
79. mountain range
especially if you’re flying over rocky mountains.
80. rosie the riveter
no, it didn’t technically exist, but it was a tectonically powerful icon nonetheless.
81. musical notes
Think of your favorite song, find the sheet music for your favorite part, and record it permanently.
82. a gramophone
hey, you’ll need something to stream your favorite song.
83. headphones
although you may want to keep that to yourself…
84. your heartbeat
The rhythm of the music is one thing. your pace is another (better) thing.
85. something like this
traveling tattoo artist georgie williams designs individual bespoke pieces in his unique, high-tech, machine-inspired, tron-style style.
86. or this girl
Traveling from time to time but based on temperance tattoo, san francisco,
chotattooer offers a unique style: bright, bold, beautiful, and saturated to the point of no return.
87. or this guy
The rich, moody sleeves of ryan flaherty, whose home base is pioneer tattoo, chicago, are the kind of artwork you’d expect to see tangled up in a high-quality frame, only instead of brushed brass, the frame is your skin.
88. or this girl
Diana Felix’s modern and deconstructed pinups are among the only tattoos of their kind (sensual, scandalous) with such inimitable class.
89. a wheel of fortune
We’ve all had fun on the wheels of fortune. let a wheel of fortune have fun with you.
90. a merry-go-round
The same goes for merry-go-rounds.
91. a red balloon
or 99.
92. a snowflake
You know what they say: every snowflake is 100% unique.
93. a snowball
get a bunch of them!
94. an umbrella
from mary poppins to kingsman galahad, you can’t go wrong with this timeless accessory.
95. company logo
Sometimes companies offer literally an eye for an eye. if you get their logo inked, you get free stuff. for example, the folks at &pizza offered free pizza for a year to the first 20 people to attend a new store opening, if they got the tattoo. (The &pizza logo is an ampersand, a design we’re, again, in love with, makes the decision here a no-brainer.)
96. an arrow
for an incredibly niche joke, throw it in the knee.
97. wings
You will feel free as a bird.
98. “mom”
You can’t go wrong with a classic.
99. “dad”
but you can update it for 21st century egalitarian living.
100. your wedding ring (one of the most thoughtful tattoos)
well, look at that. turns out you can make “till death do us part” as permanent as a tattoo (or a couple of tattoos).
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