Mermaid Tattoo - Making a Retro Comeback at Last

 Back in the day, almost every sailor that had been abroad had mermaid tattoos, proudly etched on their forearm or chest. No doubt they had got it after a drunken night in some exotic port, spent smoking with their arm out stretched in a dodgy back street tattoo parlor. When they woke the next morning, it wasn't just the hangover they had as a souvenir of the previous night's fun.

Actually, a lot of the mermaid tattoos are going through a sort of revival. There's something a little art-deco about them that attract many people nowadays. The hula-girl on the bicep or pectoral muscle is another blast from the past that is getting a lot of attention now as well.

The best thing about mermaids is that depending on where you place it, you can make the mermaid move. I remember watching those old retro movies and seeing the sailors with the mermaid as they flexed their muscles the tail would move. I love the fun aspect of body art, its not all serious and low brow. Much of it can be enjoyed by everyone that cares to view.

Now of course, you don't need to join the navy and sail abroad to get your own mermaid tattoos. There are some brilliant designs that can be "interactive" and then you have the highly detailed more static designs. Whichever you choose, you can be sure that they will get a lot of attention, especially from retro fans.

It's interesting to see the trends that exist in tattoos in general and in particular a design like mermaid tattoos. One of the wonderful things now, of course, is that they are a design that can be worn by both men and women. Back in the day there wouldn't have been many women donning mermaid tattoos, so its great that they're getting a revival but with wider appeal.