30 Vintage Photographs of Badass Women Getting Tattooed

Although we are used to seeing girls with beautiful, striking tattoos, tattoos have been an extremely popular trend only for a few decades now. Or isn’t it so? Since the late 19th century, tattoos may not have been that popular, but they were a thing for show-women and bold, progressive ladies.

Check out these badass ladies who getting tattooed on their bodies, long before it was cool.

An artist creating skin motifs for evening wear on models at the Hair and Beauty Fair, Olympia, London. 20th September 1938.

A service woman has a tattoo done on her arm in Aldershot, England, in 1951.

A tattoo artist paints a permanent beauty spot on the cheek of a woman at his workshop in Copenhagen in 1956.

A tattooist paints a small rose on the thigh of a woman in 1961.

Tattooist Les Skuse works on a large Japanese scene across the back of a client in 1960.

Japanese tattoo artist Tokumitsu Uchida works over the outline of a design during the 1950s.

Deafy Grassman tattooing his wife, Stella, ca. 1930s.

A tattoo artist inks a client in 1960 with the name of her partner, Jim.

Famed tattoo artist George Burchett works on a client’s thigh in 1930.

A woman having an image of a snake tattooed onto her thigh by George Burchett, 1928.

A young woman shows off her chest tattoo of a horse and jockey in 1930.

Tattooist Les Skuse at work on tattooed beauty Pam Nash, ca. 1960s.

A film fan uses a mirror to admire the image of film star Gary Gooper she has had tattooed on her back by George Burchett a London tattooist, 1936.

A tattooist painting a bluebird on a woman’s breast, 1965.

A woman getting an interesting shoulder piece in 1928.

A tattooist works on a chest piece in 1964.

This woman seen being inked by legendary Bowery tattooist Charlie Wagner, ca. 1920s.

Beachcomber Bill’s wife; Brenda; smiles from table as he shows how he applies tattoo, 1975.

An American tattoo artist working on a client’s shoulder, 1973.

Al Schiefley and Les Skuse apply ink to a willing dish, 1955.

A woman getting tattooed by Charles Wagner.

Woman getting a traditional Japanese tattoo.

ca. 1930s

An unidentified Japanese tattoo artist works on a woman's backside, ca. 1930s.

Woman being tattooed, ca. 1940s.

An English woman wearing a pair of elegant crystal earrings is seen getting her first tattoo in 1930.

Janet “Rusty” Skuse was honored by the Guinness World Records as Britain's most tattooed woman for over 20 years.

Doris Sherrel getting her social security number tattooed by Jack Julian, 1942.

A woman lays her Kimono down as she gets a traditional Japanese tattoo, ca. 1930s.