One of the hardest things for a college girl to do is to accept her physical flaws. No matter how on-point your brows are, how flat your abs are, or how poreless your skin is; we all have something that we can’t stand about the way that we look. Now don’t get me wrong, some people have lists that are longer than ever but there are ways to make you feel better about yourself. Sure, it starts from the inside yet most girls can say that a little bit of makeup goes a long way. Makeup, hair, nails, and of course, clothes are all ways that we can alter our appearances to disguise or alter the physical imperfections without straying from the person that we are on the inside.
But what about more permanent ways of changing the way that you look at the person in the mirror? For a lot of women, a contour may make us feel good on a night out but it comes off with a makeup wipe. Plastic surgery has long been seen as a permanent form of body altering and I do believe that those who have the means and the levelheaded desire should have the right to do go under the knife. Yet most twentysomethings aren’t jumping at the chance for plastic surgery, as it is risky and extremely expensive. We all want a way to feel good in a pair of shorts or a bikini and don’t want to have to pile on the mascara or wear a super push up bra in order to achieve confidence in ourselves. What about a tattoo?
Tattoos are an incredible form of self-expression that combines the natural beauty of human skin and the innovative skill of modernized art. Tattoos can curve around the body, lie flat against the bone, and even cover a person in a completely new tone of identity. But did you ever think about how a tattoo can boost your confidence?
I’ve always been thin but I am by no means perfect. I spent years stressing about the way my body looked, analyzing every flab of skin or stretch mark that appeared out of nowhere. People couldn’t see it on the surface but I was uncomfortable facing my own body in the mirror, much less exposing my vulnerability to someone else. However during January of 2014, I got my very first tattoo. It had been something I had been thinking about for a very long time and after a lot of research I chose to place it on my thigh.
My thighs aren’t big, but you could say that they are the biggest part about me. I had the nasty habit of measuring my self worth off of what size jeans I wore and letting my skinniest jeggings dictate how I saw myself. But then during my freshman year, I started working out and I noticed a change in my body. Then I got my first and favorite tattoo, and I wanted to show off my thighs at any chance that I got. I think that even if I hadn’t slimmed down a few pounds I would have been stoked to show off my tattoo, because I was so in love with having art on my body. People were constantly complimenting me on the art of my ink and it felt amazing. I became hooked on using ink as a way to put positivity back in the way I saw my body.
I’m not the only girl (or boy!) who fuses the bond between tattoos and body positivity. Tattoo modeling is one of the only industries to fully accept all body types, skin types, and sexual orientations; as any person whether they’re a size 2 or a size 22 can look and feel like a badass with tattoos. Tattoos are a way for you to control the way you look to the world, while also expressing your personal style and passions, which only helps someone to exude confidence.
Getting tattoos may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but for those who do dare to don their bodies in tattoos, it is an amazing way to feel good about even your least favorite body types. Because when it comes down to it, all skin is the same no matter where it’s on your body. But a tattoo is a way to make your body special and unique, and having a tattoo makes you realize that being an individual is awesome. That you don’t need to have a body like everyone else because being special is a gift. And why not treat your body, your mind, and self-esteem to a little ink therapy?