The world of tattoo art and design has its own language and terminology just as any business does. One of the more contemporary terms in the business is the 'tramp stamp. ' What are tramp stamps? Well, they have nothing at all to do with the US Mail or a design on a postage stamp or even the children's classic Disney flick 'Lady and the Tramp'.A tramp stamp is a phrase that was coined (source unknown) to describe a tattoo that is inked on the lower back of a woman or girl. The lower back has become a popular location for women to get inked and combined with the trend of low-rise jeans has caused a stampede to the tattoo studios. It has become fashionable for girls to show off their midriffs with belly rings and piercings and their lower backs with body art tattoos.
The term tramp stamp has a derogatory connotation and should not be considered relevant when deciding to get body art. Getting a tattoo is a personal decision that has nothing to do with such a label. Another popular trend for women is to get sexy foot and ankle tattoos. There has not been any negative labeling or backlash for these locations or even the more sexually explicit areas of breasts and genitalia, although these are less common locations for tattoos - they nonetheless do invoke a more sexual connotation - and yet the lower back has received more attention.
There are many, many lower back tattoo designs to choose from. Japanese Kanji tattoo designs have become very popular in Western civilization. The beautiful flowing script is perfect for feminine tattoos. When using Kanji on the lower back many opt for the symbols to be written horizontally. There are also many masculine tribal and warrior symbols as well. Calligraphy styles can be adjusted for male and female designs. Kangi is one of three alphabets used in Japan where the fancy symbols represent ideas rather than single words. With over 1,000 symbols, and some requiring over 30 strokes of the pen, there is a large chance of error, as there is also a certain order in which the strokes should be done. Tattoos using these symbols should only be done by professional tattoo artists that can translate and understand the language thoroughly in order to avoid permanently inking the wrong interpretation.
There are design studios and galleries online and offline that offer infinite designs and artwork. Finding the perfect one for you is the hardest part of getting inked. So what are you waiting for? go tattoo yourself!