Pin-up girls can make attractive, colorful tattoos.
Pin-up tattoos show a picture of a "pin-up girl," a term that has been used since the 1940s to describe images of attractive women that men like to pin up on their walls. The pin-up girl is a sex symbol, and makes a very popular tattoo. The arm or leg is the best place for a pin-up girl tattoo, as it is the right size to take a human figure. Inspiration for pin-up girl tattoos might come from movie stars, dancers or other well known female figures.
Classic Pin-Up Girl Tattoos
The classic pin-up girls from the 1940s and 1950s were generally actresses. Betty Grable is known to many as the first pin-up girl. She was one of the best known movie stars of the 1940s. Marilyn Monroe is another pin-up girl with iconic status. Known as "the blond bombshell," she was one of the biggest stars of the 1950s. Being so well known and so revered by many, Monroe's image would make a good pin-up girl tattoo for anyone seeking a classic look.
Alternative Pin-Up Girl Tattoos
In modern times, there has been a trend toward pin-up girls who belong to alternative, rather than mainstream culture. Often, they are heavily tattooed themselves, so make great pin-up girl tattoos. Miss Tayva is a tattooed model and pin-up girl who has an alternative look. Kat Von D is a very well known alternative pin-up girl. She is a tattooist who was the star of a TV show LA Ink, and has many tattoos herself -- Von D projects a strong, alternative look.
Burlesque Pin-Up Girl Tattoos
Burlesque dancers make great pin-up girl tattoos. Burlesque dancers generally wear stockings, suspenders and corsets, and set out to titillate their audiences. A modern day burlesque pin-up girl, Dita Von Teese would make an excellent pin-up tattoo. Her acts often incorporate elaborate props and costumes, so there are plenty of Von Teese photographs to choose from. For a more vintage look, you could get a tattoo of Gypsy Rose Lee, a well known burlesque dancer and actress born in Seattle in 1911.
Generic Pin-Up Girl Tattoos
Pin-up girl tattoos do not have to be illustrations of a real-life pin-up girl. Many pin-up girl tattoos are stylized pictures of pin-up girls. If you have a particular interest or hobby, you could consider a pin-up girl tattoo to fit it. If you are good at art and design, then you could design your own pin-up girl tattoo. Alternatively, you could ask your tattoo artist to design it for you to your specifications, or choose a pre-drawn flash design.
