Fly Plaid Tattoo OK?

[kiltedsawyer]

I do not have tattoos, nor do I want any, but I would not be against anyone who wanted one getting one.....................here it comes.............BUT it's my understanding that they are not cheap and I can well imagine that what you are describing will not be inexpensive. I would have to ask myself if it would really be worth the money vs. a new sporran, kilt, or almost anything that wasn't a tattoo or some other form of personal adornment. This is based in part on my belief that tattoos have fallen out of fashion in the past and may well again. Just my $.02 worth.

Cheers,

David

[Mpfox1733]

I think it's a cool idea. A guy I work with has a lion rampant filled with his family tartan, Campbell, on his shoulder that I really like. I wouldn't mind adding some tartan to fill space on a sleeve or something too.

[Highland Logan]

I do not have tattoos, nor do I want any, but I would not be against anyone who wanted one getting one.....................here it comes.............BUT it's my understanding that they are not cheap and I can well imagine that what you are describing will not be inexpensive. I would have to ask myself if it would really be worth the money vs. a new sporran, kilt, or almost anything that wasn't a tattoo or some other form of personal adornment. This is based in part on my belief that tattoos have fallen out of fashion in the past and may well again. Just my $.02 worth.

Cheers,

David

Good points David, they really are, but allow me to counter.

For the record I have 2 tattoos. Clan crest on one shoulder, and rampant lion w/ motto of Scotland one the other. Unless I am shirtless, these can not be seen. I got these for me, and the placement, does not allow others to pre-judge me in public or business. And it's true, I could have spent this money on other things, I chose to spend it on these, which is the great thing about no living in 1984.

As to fashion, I do dress in the classic style of the current day, but do not follow fashion fads. So whether or not something is flavor of the day has no bearing on me. If said thing appeals to me, and I am confident in my ability to pull it off, then I go for it. Fads come and go, so don't concern yourself with them.

Frank

[tripleblessed]

If this is to be on your shoulder or chest as a reminder of other times & places (as mine are) who the heck is going to see them down the pub? - Go for it!

Prefacing with "I have no tattoos and don't understand the attraction/seduction/addiction/need.", the portion of
comment quoted above is very relevant to me. Why spend so much when you already know who you are and
those who might be enlightened will likely never see it? A very fine kilt or three could be purchased for what that
would cost around here, and much enjoyment gained. Not, of course, ignoring that much satisfaction might be
gained by knowing the tat is there. The fact that I don't understand it doesn't mean I ignore the experiences and
choices of others. As a rigger I was muchly in the minority not having ink, and I will attest to the fact that ink fades
and designs transmogrify with body shifts and trauma. I've known guys who lost a portion of a tat; tough to
impossible to repair. One friend needed a knee repair following a motorcycle wreck. Having arrived unconscious,
he awoke to find they had invented a new technique for the repair to avoid damaging his copious ink. I think it
unlikely every surgeon would be as considerate or skillful.

Another thought has been with me as well. OK, the decision is made, the ink chosen, shirt is off; before injection,
is there more appropriate design? Somewhere between many and most here would not choose to purchase a fly
plaid in any form, much less one which can't be shed easily. Only bring that up because your first post stated you
would rather avoid a faux pas. I, of course, am not the arbiter of of what is or isn't same; you asked for thoughts
and I'm musing. I do understand wanting to honor the grand lady, her memory, and your heritage. Is there
something she loved personally that would work for you as well? I didn't know her, or you, so I'll support whatever
decision you choose to wear.

[Me cousin Jack]

Prefacing with "I have no tattoos and don't understand the attraction/seduction/addiction/need.", the portion of
comment quoted above is very relevant to me. Why spend so much when you already know who you are and
those who might be enlightened will likely never see it? A very fine kilt or three could be purchased for what that
would cost around here, and much enjoyment gained. Not, of course, ignoring that much satisfaction might be
gained by knowing the tat is there. The fact that I don't understand it doesn't mean I ignore the experiences and
choices of others. As a rigger I was muchly in the minority not having ink, and I will attest to the fact that ink fades
and designs transmogrify with body shifts and trauma. I've known guys who lost a portion of a tat; tough to
impossible to repair. One friend needed a knee repair following a motorcycle wreck. Having arrived unconscious,
he awoke to find they had invented a new technique for the repair to avoid damaging his copious ink. I think it
unlikely every surgeon would be as considerate or skillful.

Another thought has been with me as well. OK, the decision is made, the ink chosen, shirt is off; before injection,
is there more appropriate design? Somewhere between many and most here would not choose to purchase a fly
plaid in any form, much less one which can't be shed easily. Only bring that up because your first post stated you
would rather avoid a faux pas. I, of course, am not the arbiter of of what is or isn't same; you asked for thoughts
and I'm musing. I do understand wanting to honor the grand lady, her memory, and your heritage. Is there
something she loved personally that would work for you as well? I didn't know her, or you, so I'll support whatever
decision you choose to wear.

I can honestly say I’ve never heard this word before, (Transmogify) thanks.

[tripleblessed]

I can honestly say I’ve never heard this word before, (Transmogify) thanks.

Glad you liked it. Have no idea where I found it, don't get to use it often, but I've always loved it.

https://www.wordnik.com/words/transmogrify

[CameronCat]

Have no idea where I found it,...

Many of us found it in the "Calvin and Hobbes" comic strip.

[Katia]

My late Grandma was McCausland and she was one of three sisters so effectively that family name line passed with her. We were close and I want to do something to honor her memory.

I want to do a fly plaid tattoo with the family tartan and brooch, looking to have it start on my left pec with a brooch and then go over my left shoulder and have it look like it was torn off on my left shoulder blade.

I've seen numerous tartan tattoos before and asked a couple of my friends who are from Scotland and everyone seems to think it's cool.

I just want to make sure I'm not committing some fau paux or massive offence I'm unaware of before I do something permanant.

Any cultural or other reason why I shouldn't go forward with this?

Does it matter? How often do you plan to go shirtless in public that a large number of people will see the tattoo to be offended by it? I don't know many men who would have to worry about offending anyone besides their significant other or doctor, or perhaps fellow locker-room users (but I'm told there's a strong unwritten rule of not looking at others in the locker room, so you're probably safe there, or at the very least, no one's going to admit to looking by confronting you about your tattoos).

I do not have tattoos, nor do I want any, but I would not be against anyone who wanted one getting one.....................here it comes.............BUT it's my understanding that they are not cheap and I can well imagine that what you are describing will not be inexpensive. I would have to ask myself if it would really be worth the money vs. a new sporran, kilt, or almost anything that wasn't a tattoo or some other form of personal adornment. This is based in part on my belief that tattoos have fallen out of fashion in the past and may well again. Just my $.02 worth.

Cheers,

David

Kilts and sporrans are "personal adornment"-- just saying. Also, kilts are outgrown, wear out, are damaged, etc. Body modifications are with you forever.

People choose what to spend their money on. Mine tends to go to things like dance lessons and musical instruments and the climbing gym, which some would find silly. I know people who spend a bundle on tickets to sporting events, which *I* find silly. I know people who spend an awful lot of money on having kids, which I can't understand. A friend recently made fun of my Honda Civic, but I can't imagine what he spent on his fancy car so he can drive slow in rush-hour traffic on his mile-long commute to work. Other people travel, which is great and I envy them, and I probably could too if I wanted to scrimp and save for two weeks of fun every couple of years but I'd rather enjoy myself with smaller things (like dance lessons and the climbing gym) all of the time instead. Etc. Why people like to criticize others for the cost of body mods when they spend $6-8 going out for lunch every day I can't fathom, but whatever. As long as someone isn't spending all of their money on stupid things and then wanting to borrow from me or complain to me about not having money, I really don't worry about it. OP never said he couldn't afford a tattoo, so what does it matter? (For all we know he could finance it with the money he digs out of his couch.)

It also depends on whether someone is getting a tattoo because it's "in fashion." OP wants it because it's personal to him, regarding his grandmother. That doesn't sound like a fad to me.

Prefacing with "I have no tattoos and don't understand the attraction/seduction/addiction/need.", the portion of
comment quoted above is very relevant to me. Why spend so much when you already know who you are and
those who might be enlightened will likely never see it? A very fine kilt or three could be purchased for what that
would cost around here, and much enjoyment gained. Not, of course, ignoring that much satisfaction might be
gained by knowing the tat is there. The fact that I don't understand it doesn't mean I ignore the experiences and
choices of others. As a rigger I was muchly in the minority not having ink, and I will attest to the fact that ink fades
and designs transmogrify with body shifts and trauma. I've known guys who lost a portion of a tat; tough to
impossible to repair. One friend needed a knee repair following a motorcycle wreck. Having arrived unconscious,
he awoke to find they had invented a new technique for the repair to avoid damaging his copious ink. I think it
unlikely every surgeon would be as considerate or skillful.

Another thought has been with me as well. OK, the decision is made, the ink chosen, shirt is off; before injection,
is there more appropriate design? Somewhere between many and most here would not choose to purchase a fly
plaid in any form, much less one which can't be shed easily. Only bring that up because your first post stated you
would rather avoid a faux pas. I, of course, am not the arbiter of of what is or isn't same; you asked for thoughts
and I'm musing. I do understand wanting to honor the grand lady, her memory, and your heritage. Is there
something she loved personally that would work for you as well? I didn't know her, or you, so I'll support whatever
decision you choose to wear.

Not everyone does or wears things for other people. If you choose your clothing based on how other people will view it... well... I suppose that's your choice. I don't, nor do many people. If I choose to wear a piece of clothing, or have a body modification, or wear makeup, or do my hair a certain way, or shave my legs even if I'll be wearing trousers and no one will know except me, it's because I want to and enjoy it. Too often people assume that what someone else does/wears is about them, rather than that person...

As far as trauma goes, if something happens to me whereby I lose a significant amount of flesh, thus damaging a tattoo or other body modification, I would think the state of my body art would be far down on my list of priorities.

[tpa]

I'm no great fan of tattoos, but I guess if you are going to do it you might as well do it in style. Just don't show both off ant the same time if the tattoos are going to compete with the kilt.

[thatguyoverthere]

WOW! Thanks so much for everyone's input. As is often the case when I travel I forget how regional certian cultural elemnts are. I already have tattoos but this would easily be the largest. Up here in the Northwest of the US it's more common for people 18-40ish to have tattoos than not. I have many friends that have at least one full sleeve and are looking to do more, and they are a commercial realestate agent, Director of IT, Middle School teacher etc.

Personally I've been thinking about this tattoo for over two years and talked to and gotten feedback on a number of artistis. I've had my first session schedled for almost six months, and yeah, it should cost roughly $1200 and take a combined 8 hours. (I'm a single VP of a software company so this isn't taking away from anything significant, I do appreciate the concern there.)

Back to the regional cutlure, I guess it could negativly impact an individual who relocated from here to a more conservative area of the world. To that end that is exactly why this piece, as many have stated, would be covered. I actually know a two different clean cut doctors who have full back pieces and none of their coworks or patients would ever know.

As many have pointed out I don't plann on ever sitting in a Scottish pub shirtless, but if tattoos come up in conversation almost every time people ask to see. I wanted to avoid a faux paux similar to what @me_cousin_jack; pointed out with a Chief's Coat of Arms or anything along those lines.

To that end I would appreciate it if this could be elaborated on by anyone:

Another thought has been with me as well. OK, the decision is made, the ink chosen, shirt is off; before injection,
is there more appropriate design? Somewhere between many and most here would not choose to purchase a fly
plaid in any form, much less one which can't be shed easily. Only bring that up because your first post stated you
would rather avoid a faux pas. I, of course, am not the arbiter of of what is or isn't same; you asked for thoughts
and I'm musing. I do understand wanting to honor the grand lady, her memory, and your heritage. Is there
something she loved personally that would work for you as well? I didn't know her, or you, so I'll support whatever
decision you choose to wear.

Thanks again and it's been great hearing everyone's opinions!