# Tattoos



## Jennifer Price (Nov 12, 2007)

What are your offices policies on tattoos? All 3 companies I have worked for since graduating college have been pretty lax about letting tattoos show. The company I work for now has an official policy about covering all tats, but at least 6 of mine can be seen depending on what I am wearing - it seems to be a non-issue in my office, although I do cover them when I am meeting clients.

How does your office handle the issue of tattoos?


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## Guest (Nov 12, 2007)

Okay, to answer your question, my work place seems to be VERY relaxed when it comes to piercings and tattoos when it comes to the IT folks. I haven't seen any professionals with either piercings or tattoos but then again I am pretty young at 36 for those ranks at my job. :true:

JR


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## bigray76 (Nov 12, 2007)

We have no set policy about them, but my electrical guy has one on his forearm which he generally will just wear long sleeve shirts everywhere.

It is implied here though that you don't let them show... ever. Likewise, you won't find anyone here with any piercings (other than women's ears).

It is the 'professional' image the company wants to keep.

As for me - no piercings, no body art, and I shaved off my sideburns after getting promoted.

Jen - what are your tats of and where do you have them?


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## bigray76 (Nov 12, 2007)

jregieng said:


> Okay, to answer your question, my work place seems to be VERY relaxed when it comes to piercings and tattoos when it comes to the IT folks. I haven't seen any professionals with either piercings or tattoos but then again I am pretty young at 36 for those ranks at my job. :true:
> 
> JR


Actually now that I think of it, one of the assistants in our department (male) has tons of art on his arms (and who knows what else). He is a really nice guy who switched out of the mailroom to be a gopher for us and learn estimating. The other one I can think of is the part-time (nepotism hire) accounting file clerk... she has the one across her lower back and we'd all wish she would cover that up (she still dresses goth half the time). Nepotism hires can get away with anything they want though.


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## testee (Nov 12, 2007)

this has got to rate up there with the lawn mower in a bikini thread


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## bigray76 (Nov 12, 2007)

Testee said:


> this has got to rate up there with the lawn mower in a bikini thread



How did you get a lawn mower to wear a bikini????


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## FusionWhite (Nov 12, 2007)

bigray76 said:


> How did you get a lawn mower to wear a bikini????


Get it drunk and tell it you think its pretty...


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Nov 12, 2007)

My boss has one. Hence the policy is flaunt 'em if you got 'em.

I was never interested in getting one personally, but I don't see what the big deal is and why you need a corporate policy. I mean if it said "Fuck You" or something that's one thing, but if it's just a design who cares.


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## Jennifer Price (Nov 12, 2007)

bigray76 said:


> Jen - what are your tats of and where do you have them?


Both feet - the best way to describe them is a "doodle" (which is in fact what they were...a friend of mine in college drew them for me). They cover from toe to ankle, so they are visible anytime I wear any of my shoes except for my work boots

Right ankle - lizard (visible when I wear capris)

Lower back - Trinity knot

Right shoulder - sun

Left wrist - 4 stars

Right wrist - "I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine" written in Hebrew

Right ear - shooting star


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## Road Guy (Nov 12, 2007)

I have always wanted to get a tat, but the "right thing" has never come to me.


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## Polysloman (Nov 12, 2007)

jenevans said:


> Both feet - the best way to describe them is a "doodle" (which is in fact what they were...a friend of mine in college drew them for me). They cover from toe to ankle, so they are visible anytime I wear any of my shoes except for my work boots
> Right ankle - lizard (visible when I wear capris)
> 
> Lower back - Trinity knot
> ...


You're fine.

When I interview candidates I pay attention to their personality and knowledge of engineering, not body art.


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## ktulu (Nov 12, 2007)

jenevans said:


> Right ear - shooting star


why the right ear and not the left? and why the ear to begin with?

My lone one, right shoulder, is never seen, so it's a non-issue. But I am work for a company with 2 employees, so we don't even have "policies"


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## bigray76 (Nov 12, 2007)

Road Guy said:


> I have always wanted to get a tat, but the "right thing" has never come to me.


Same here... anytime I thought something would be cool, I thought about it again a couple days later and it just didn't like the good idea I thought it was originally... hence I never got one.


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## Jennifer Price (Nov 12, 2007)

ktulu said:


> why the right ear and not the left? and why the ear to begin with?


My left ear has the cartilage pierced so it would have been too "busy".

And I chose the ear b/c it was a unique location for a tattoo. How many people can say they have a tattoo on their ear?


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## Guest (Nov 12, 2007)

jenevans said:


> How many people can say they have a tattoo on their ear?


Good point! 

JR


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## bigray76 (Nov 12, 2007)

Honestly I had never seen a tattoo in the ear before until now.


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## DVINNY (Nov 12, 2007)

I am an anti-tatite, but just wanted to post in this thread.


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## FusionWhite (Nov 12, 2007)

DVINNY said:


> I am an anti-tatite, but just wanted to post in this thread.


Me too, tattoo's are for frat boys and rednecks.

FLAME ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## DVINNY (Nov 12, 2007)

^ oh boy, here it goes


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## Jennifer Price (Nov 12, 2007)

FusionWhite said:


> Me too, tattoo's are for frat boys and rednecks.
> FLAME ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


And yet, all I can think about is how un-frat *boy*-like or un-redneck-like I am...


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## Guest (Nov 12, 2007)

FusionWhite said:


> Me too, tattoo's are for frat boys and rednecks.
> FLAME ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


rlyflag:

:banhim:

j/k ... I had to add :2cents: but didn't have anything worthwhile.


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## bigray76 (Nov 12, 2007)

jenevans said:


> And yet, all I can think about is how un-frat *boy*-like or un-redneck-like I am...


I don't think tats are either fratboyish or redneckish. They look good on some people and lousy on others.

The most rebellious thing I did was to grow my sideburns down into mutton chops.

I guess that tells you how exciting I can be!

(Burns are gone now, maybe a half inch long at best these days).


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## DVINNY (Nov 12, 2007)

^^^ JR, see my post above. LOL


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## FusionWhite (Nov 12, 2007)

jenevans said:


> And yet, all I can think about is how un-frat *boy*-like or un-redneck-like I am...


I was just kidding, my wife actually has a tattoo but I could go either way with it, take it or leave it.

I personally would never get one.


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## Jennifer Price (Nov 12, 2007)

SapperPE said:


> I am trying to convince my wife that I need another one.


You sound like my hubby...


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## TouchDown (Nov 12, 2007)

> The most rebellious thing I did was to grow my sideburns down into mutton chops.


NO FRICKEN WAY!!! Dude, you have got to post a pick of that... That's serious photshop material!!!


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## Undertaker (Nov 12, 2007)

Ah tatoos.There is nothing sexier than a woman with a tatoo. :woot:


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## testee (Nov 12, 2007)

bigray76 said:


> How did you get a lawn mower to wear a bikini????


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Nov 12, 2007)

^ I'm speechless.


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## bigray76 (Nov 12, 2007)

TouchDown said:


> NO FRICKEN WAY!!! Dude, you have got to post a pick of that... That's serious photshop material!!!


I don't think there are too many pictures of that left in circulation... About a year and half ago I still wore them long, below the ear lob.


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Nov 12, 2007)

Mine are generally lower ear at any given time. Sometimes mid with a fresh hair cut. I have a really thick beard that grows in by noon. I could have a quality beard if I wanted to. My wife doesn't want any part of that though. Which is ok, I can respect a woman who values her thighs. I've tried to grow it out a couple times when she's been away, but I always screw up trimming it and just shave the damn thing off.


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## Jennifer Price (Nov 13, 2007)

VTEnviro said:


> My wife doesn't want any part of that though. Which is ok, I can respect a woman who values her thighs.


Thank you so much for _that_ mental image :eyebrows:


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## Polysloman (Nov 13, 2007)

Undertaker said:


> Ah tatoos.There is nothing sexier than a woman with a tatoo. :woot:


Location is key just like real estate!

In Cali and ASU most of the girls show the one on their lower back. No rednecks just attention seekers... I guess.

I think it's a great distraction. Whoah doggy!!! lusone: :signs051:


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## DVINNY (Nov 13, 2007)

I have a name for those "bullseye" type of lower back tats, but I gotta keep it clean.


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Nov 13, 2007)

It _is_ nice to be loved and respected by one's peers. Too bad I'm neither!

I'm just glad someone noticed my little throwaway comment in there and has the same warped sense of humor I do.


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## Desert Engineer (Nov 13, 2007)

I've heard of the lower back tat on women referred to as a "tramp stamp".


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## NCcarguy (Nov 13, 2007)

Desert Water said:


> I've heard of the lower back tat on women referred to as a "tramp stamp".


Me too....humm, maybe that's why they were the ones I was working on in the bar during my single days????


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## SSmith (Nov 13, 2007)

What about this one?


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## Dark Knight (Nov 13, 2007)

^^^^^

:banhim:


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## Guest (Nov 13, 2007)

SSmith said:


> What about this one?


I don't even know where to begin with that one ... :blink:

JR


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## DVINNY (Nov 13, 2007)

BringItOn said:


> ^^^^^
> :signs051:


^^^^ WHAT?


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## Dark Knight (Nov 13, 2007)

What what?????


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## DVINNY (Nov 13, 2007)

You don't see it? Look at my quote.

oh I get it, you went back and edited your post, too late now, I quoted ya LOL


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## PE-ness (Nov 13, 2007)

^^I dig chicks with tatoos, although I rarely get to see them.


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## PEsoon2B (Nov 13, 2007)

too dark where your at?


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## PE-ness (Nov 13, 2007)

^^Almost always!


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## jfusilloPE (Nov 16, 2007)

I don't think my company has a policy, well at least not that I am aware of.

I have some art on my left forearm (from the wrist to the inner elbow) and it is visible most of the time. I also have a tazmanian devil on my right calf that I got while wrestling in high school, and one more on my chest with my wife's name in it.

I was working on/looking at some new art that I wanted to get...something like


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## Wolverine (Nov 16, 2007)

Gene Simmons of Kiss said the freakiest thing that ever happened to him was having, um... "relations" with a woman who had a tattoo of *HIM *centered around her nether regions. Kind of like giving himself ... ah, nevermind.

Jreg, get me a Gene Simmons smiley.


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## Jennifer Price (Nov 16, 2007)

jfusilloPE said:


> I don't think my company has a policy, well at least not that I am aware of.
> I have some art on my left forearm (from the wrist to the inner elbow) and it is visible most of the time. I also have a tazmanian devil on my right calf that I got while wrestling in high school, and one more on my chest with my wife's name in it.
> 
> I was working on/looking at some new art that I wanted to get...something like


You didn't strike me as the tattoo-ing type 

I love tattoo sleeves and am even toying with the idea of getting one from my shoulder/neck to my elbow (something with black flowers - maybe a little color - haven't really decided).

The above picture has some very nice work in it. If you wanted, you could even extend the design more down your back as well. It definitely has some flexibility in what you can do with it.


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## jfusilloPE (Nov 16, 2007)

jenevans said:


> If you wanted, you could even extend the design more down your back as well.


Wow, that is exactly what I was thinking...too bad my wife doesn't see it that way.


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## dkent (Dec 10, 2007)

I got a dragon tat on my left chest years ago. When the kids started coming I decided to get rid of it (having one kinda says it's OK for them to get one). I've been through about 5 (or 6) laser sessions. ...Talk about pain. The laser is much worse than getting the tat .....and getting the tat was very painful (especially when the needle got close to my nipple or collar bone). ...the worse part is that the dang lasers don't yet remove greens and blues very well, so I have like half a tat left. At $250 each session, I can't go all the time. I should have just left the dang thing. Now the kids are old enough to know what it is. Doh!!

DM


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## jfusilloPE (Dec 10, 2007)

^^^I guess I can appreciate that about the kids. My oldest daughter decided that she wanted to get one, so she comes to daddy and I take her to get her first one (I think she had just turned 17). After the wifey finds out, I get the "you are such an a$$hole" speech along with the two-day long silent treatment.

Anyway, my daughter likes he first tatoo so much, that she decides to go get another one to cover up the scar on her abdomen from hernia surgery...well dad likes 'em both, and would take/go with her again to get another.

P.S. - I kind of enjoyed the silent treatment!


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## Jennifer Price (Dec 10, 2007)

I figured that both me and my hubby got ours at such an early age, that we really can't say anything about our kids having them. Plus, my parents were really laid back with what I did to my body (after they sat me down and had the tattoos are permanent speech) so they have never said anything about any of them. Both me and my sister have tattoos and she has several piercings on top of that.

If all I have to worry about is my kids getting tattoos (or changing their hair color regularly as I do too), then I will be one happy mom.


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## Dexman1349 (Jun 30, 2009)

Ok, reviving an old thread here...

My wife just got another tatoo (her second) and has gotten me interested in getting another one for myself (I already have 3 - right chest, left back shoulder, right ankle). All three of my tat's are not visible unless I am not wearing a shirt or socks (which obvioulsy doesn't happen in an office environment).

THe current office policy states that "Visible tattoos and body piercings (nose, eye, tongue) are inappropriate" and can be grounds for termination. However, I would like one on my forearm. Nothing crazy, and definately nothing offensive. It would be a relatively "neat and clean" design that wouldn't make me look like some kinda gangster or convey any type of negativity. Do you guys think I should even attempt to discuss this with the office manager?

*quick background note on the office* I know a couple of my coworkers have tat's, but none of them are visible (regardless of typical office attire).


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## csb (Jun 30, 2009)

Dexman1349 said:


> All three of my tat's are not visible unless I am not wearing a shirt or socks (*which obvioulsy doesn't happen in an office environment*).


What kind of puritanical office are you working in?!


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## Dexman1349 (Jun 30, 2009)

Dexman1349 said:


> (I already have 3 - right chest, left back shoulder, right ankle). All three of my tat's are not visible unless I am not wearing a shirt or socks (which *usually* doesn't happen in an office environment).





csb said:


> What kind of puritanical office are you working in?!


Fixed my post.


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## Road Guy (Jun 30, 2009)

I still want to get one on either the calf or someplace, but I still cant figure out what the hell to put on it (which is maybe an indication that I dont need to rush out and get one)

The wife says she is going to get an iguana on her foot? I told her I will beleive it when I see it....


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## csb (Jun 30, 2009)

I know I've said it before, but I change my mind way too much to get something put on my body permanently. More power to the rest of you, though.


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## Santiagj (Jun 30, 2009)

I keep mine hidden. I think it is frowned upon at my work even though its not in writing.


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Jun 30, 2009)

csb said:


> I know I've said it before, but I change my mind way too much...


You're a woman, why does this surprise you?



(One good zing deserves another)


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## MonteBiker (Jul 1, 2009)

We have a pretty strict no visible tattoos policy. I think I am one of the few engineers here with one... Brooklyn Bridge on shoulder. Go figure.


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## csb (Jul 1, 2009)

VTEnviro said:


> You're a woman, why does this surprise you?
> 
> 
> (One good zing deserves another)


good one!


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## jeb6294 (Jul 1, 2009)

We have a guy here that has a full sleeve on one arm...not sure I even want to see what else he has...who always wears short sleeves. Of course, he is our surveyor/boat pilot so he really isn't in the office.

I'd say if you want it go ahead, but just be prepared to wear long sleeves from now on.


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## StructuralPoke (Jul 1, 2009)

the only one I've thought about was getting was my PE stamp...


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## RockyMtnHigh (Jul 1, 2009)

It's interesting, one of our PhD botanists has a delicate native plant tat of some sort on her wrist. She's a very professional and respected member of my work group and you hardly notice it. However, my company is pretty open minded about that sort of thing.


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