It’s hard to forget your first tattoo. In this week’s My First Time, Mei takes her tattoo journey all the way to its roots. On the day of her eighteenth birthday, she eagerly got her first tattoo inked: a chrysanthemum. The floral tattoo is in honor of her parents, who she fondly remembers would always give each other flowers to celebrate their anniversary. Although her parents have since divorced, Mei carries her chrysanthemum forever as a symbol of their love. Ironically enough, her parents didn’t even know she had tattoos until she turned 21!
Before even getting her first tattoo, Mei had already envisioned herself with numerous tattoos in the future. With that in mind, she wanted her first piece to be one of many within the same theme of balance and symmetry. Every tattoo she has on one side of her body is symmetrical to a counterpart on the other side. This is why she chose to get the chrysanthemum on her stomach, in the center of her body. Looking back at her first tattoo experience, she wishes she had spoken to more people that had tattoos before moving ahead with her first. She also wishes she was more familiar with the language and pricing associated with tattoos so she could’ve been more prepared for her first time.
Thinking about getting your first tattoo? Make sure you read up on these 13 key things-to-know so that you feel confident when deciding to commit. If you’re still wavering on your exact design choice or placement, consider test driving the tattoo with Inkbox. Browse Inkbox’s2,500+ catalog designs created by artists around the world or use the custom platform to create any fresh design you have in mind. All of Inkbox’s tattoos look like permanent tattoos, but only last for one to two weeks, so they give you a chance to live with your prospective tattoo and placement of choice to see if it’s the right fit for you. Just a heads up, Inside Out is powered by the folks at Inkbox. It’s all part of our shared mission to empower you to tell your unique story, be it for now or forever.
This is killer! Loved hearing Mei’s story; its inspiring stuff for whenever I make my next tattoo decision.