So, you’ve decided that you want to getinked. And now you need to filter through the countless tattoo ideas to find a design you love enough to make permanent. Whether it's your first time or fifteenth, deciding on a tattoo design can be a lengthy process.
The permanency alone is a daunting prospect (top tip: a tattoo is a bad medium for declarations of love), and then there's the difficulty of choosing something that will remain timeless and immune to ever-evolving trends. Oh, and throw in the fact that you need to decide on tattoo placement and it’s no wonder the process can be a lengthy one.
Here to help, we've rounded up the best tattoo ideas for women – from dainty designs and upliftingquotes, to bold illustrations and graphic symbols. Sometimes, even a single dot will do (anyone remember Phoebe's tattoo of the Earth "from a great, great distance", inFriends?)
Where to get a tattoo? Here are the prettiest placement ideas
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By Elle Turner
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What are the best tattoo styles?
The answer to this is, of course, subjective. There are myriad tattoo styles out there and what one person likes, another may dislike. But generally speaking, there are a few styles that continue to be popular. Cursive styles, for instance, always look cool – choose a word, phrase or single initial and find a size/font you like.
Flower tattoos are also in-demand and have various meanings, depending on the bloom you pick. For instance, rose tattoos represent love and passion. Other tattoo styles include line art tattoos (where it looks as though the design is drawn in one continuous line) and watercolour tattoo ideas.
Whichever tattoo style you go for, make sure to do your research first to find a reputable parlour and tattoo artist with experience in this style. Plus, find out everything you need to know abouttattoo aftercare.
How do I find a meaningful tattoo?
When searching for tattoo ideas, it’s important to find a design that’s true to you. Consider what makes you happy – the lyrics in your favourite song, or maybe a symbol that reminds you of a loved one - person or pet. If you’re not sure where to start, look for visual inspo (Pinterest and Instagram are great for this) and consult a tattoo artist who can help dream up a few ideas based on what you tell them.
