Stealing away Sandra Bullock’s man has suddenly made Michelle “Bombshell” McGee the poster child for inked-up vixens everywhere. But Jen, the co-owner of East Side Ink who goes only by her first name, says stars such as Angelina Jolie, Kat Von D and Rihanna — who recently got an umbrella tattoo at her Avenue B shop — have made tattoos more acceptable for ordinary New York women in the last couple of years.
We’re not talking about tiny roses or butterflies hidden beneath T-shirts and pants anymore.
The new lady tats are being proudly displayed for all to see — including behind the ear or on the knuckles.
SEE PHOTOS OF CELEBS WITH TATTOOS
“We’ve seen an increase in women wanting tattoos on the backs of their necks, especially since celebrities are doing it,” Jen says.
Ethan Morgan, a tattoo artist at East Side Ink, says half of his customers are women. Morgan’s been doing tats for 20 years, yet he says he’s noticed more women getting inked in the past four years.
“Usually it was people who were tied into the (tattoo) business or musicians,” says Morgan, who estimates he tattoos three to five women each week. “But now it’s the girl who works at the clothing store . . . They [women] are getting large tattoos, and they’re really picky about their work. It’s cool.”
Women are having major work done on backs, necks and rib cages.
“I probably have about 60 percent of my body done,” says Seventy Arniotis, a 31-year-old hairstylist/model from Williamsburg who plans to have her entire body covered in tattoos.
“But I’m such a shy person that it’s become hard . . . People are always coming up to me wanting to touch or see them and show me theirs.” Arniotis was about 19 when she got her first tat, an elaborate piece featuring doves and a banner. But she says it’s the markings on her hands and legs that get the most attention because they are never covered.
“I guess because people in New York City always look down when they walk, they see my legs first,” she says.
Lawyer Marisa Kakoulas is the author of several books on tattooing as an art and runs needlesandsins.com, a popular tattoo blog.
“Within the past 10 years or so, people are seeing tattooing as more of an art and less of an act of rebellion,” says Kakoulas. “In fact, I’d argue that that level of artistry has risen to such heights that you could refer to it as fine art.”
Unless, of course, you’re talking about “White Power” tattoos.