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 some badass ladies of the Western world -from artists to ordinary women, who used to walk around with tattoos on their bodies, long before it was cool.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYHL-8YnRZbyiRDAsyBqUyWfmvl5HRBhnJWHnjTbSRPeVTMJftxviA37uxfLn9So_tLei1D0lyDaxLTZyRBXBf7t-Ivtw_pjXuVWiefGPUPnBTq1iJ7yZ77uNgYocBsMjqqHK5L1jRsenh/s1600-rw/Old+Photos+of+Women+Rocking+Tattoos+(1).jpg) |
A naked lady riding a bird tattoo, 1928. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdHwEvu1OIhiMO9gMhsEGGkUQyyanD9_NzRN1GLDHuXYL6BrMmm9tyM6gRnW2dyIxV2f3an6g0hpGn7QxIds_x_IX5u8plOcy-z6QQiPwVEI5ymLZblxdgT4BFiqqg2tL3tG30aST7R1B-/s1600-rw/Old+Photos+of+Women+Rocking+Tattoos+(2).jpg) |
Your man always has your back when his face is tattooed on it, 1936. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga1QAHgYo87uPeTLv80DJCyFyEUgX3npPx3vKjKY4xaIrp7iquM9NY7YIq5P0GheskDLxiwW8I2hlYzdcwROPA803r_3aPMUGRk2x2zhMnmPxJwHmkUtx5p4C0wFFpEUWapPy7f2tqwkvK/s1600-rw/Old+Photos+of+Women+Rocking+Tattoos+(3).jpg) |
Betty Broadbent, 1930s. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPRajQ22n1QlvvCPK2SMYPGj9nwc5rwObgUx8c6IGq1_ZwB-jSFlnQEpvxwF5ZAfp4JcXr_slbYJ0xwiSZlHqN5lxunxEgrdGg3qgVJ3RpKdkfIlH5biq-rzy06rkXm11Od5q1EtGUaIfq/s1600-rw/Old+Photos+of+Women+Rocking+Tattoos+(4).jpg) |
Emma de Burgh, another famous tattooed lady, and her bangin’ Last Supper tattoo, 1897. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6VZmFVs5ya61HbTDyV_4Qv4JafIa0zPx-9wMm8Rfw2MYRxxfrZZYzmeFfkIk-ZsIQU8SQ1CAaBYIyDCiInhoN7StQgh769cLHptwr24bibMAeCEO-R0hWgH1xriOUuD4apt577ON7R3oX/s1600-rw/Old+Photos+of+Women+Rocking+Tattoos+(5).jpg) |
Miss Stella Grassman, BAMF and tattoo artist, 1930s. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr9YEhIQyiHgRVB8DtkoMI2vfwVlxeX04Edwt39OtOv4GPYniiY066d3apMZUbKojpvKKpCLu-g_X_9y3GNynkt1knIcyNU-yhNCNrryGDs5nWTdle9NCbiOxWjhMZFBNTlk332R79Fmut/s1600-rw/Old+Photos+of+Women+Rocking+Tattoos+(6).jpg) |
A simple horse and jockey tattoo, 1930s. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoXgqhmX8OwIIpsyBAUZEzLjnF8Dl19yjRo-kcCGVxaXexLUbQXsk-oLNlsbAMiTm5_rqIW6INd6oAPL0SW1O1zjHr4Fu3Yks_AOwEco3Ax8ji9mDR-Lxs-i11CJxZme28DcTiV1XMRjNk/s1600-rw/Old+Photos+of+Women+Rocking+Tattoos+(7).jpg) |
Mrs. Williams, 1897. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmGJuz0FRRdsn8M8W-knirWSWUP3c8aWByB5pkgOfmNgndiD7JdId-B6wzEScDwUOvJPRNoWaNMx_0aA0PBePhWoh8kphOIuDXsBitY9HX8MwsHTaLpOwvJxnO3IcivvMEC2HJWLeeBJnG/s1600-rw/Old+Photos+of+Women+Rocking+Tattoos+(8).jpg) |
Betty Broadbent, a well-known tattooed lady, at the New York World’s Fair, 1930s. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZjSUhjDUGO8Ute6DLz8euMUtL0uX494_OkZsYhdVoR-CHX0b7BHa7VwN1209EVJi5xEOjT4yNlPSJBCLcnerHP1vegmJSCId0MOKyi7HW4HYyHA23nYdYg6QQEnS5iVLSkFC1LXabujmM/s1600-rw/Old+Photos+of+Women+Rocking+Tattoos+(9).jpg) |
Pam Nash, a champion tattooed lady, with a Japanese garden scene across her back, 1960s. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSNyc2_lv6frxBoAwtgqWd3vF_0T0hvlcR3AAZLkbbw1krPr9CesYklhyphenhypheng7X6AewpahoBda8uSgiur37ayvmSP4xIUsYPHyguRF1tJ_kL9Z0uIeaE5xL3FgqLmIpPWccOutbj02_l5bYDD/s1600-rw/Old+Photos+of+Women+Rocking+Tattoos+(10).jpg) |
The original girl with the dragon tattoo, 1930s. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid2F1-4p56NU-LV7PFjnDOwiY0Z98B0yM9j44ObGBw0B7ImssS1oBMoruwh_jvyXCr48QbdDAVz_fdDCZqDsetMISEImMNeUYNuBRgz3OkYNpGCTHSGfw75oxKckyIFreQxYpjPL5xkCCe/s1600-rw/Old+Photos+of+Women+Rocking+Tattoos+(11).jpg) |
Maud Wagner, the first well-known female tattoo artist/badass in the United States, 1907. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVc0PECEH7E2yc4EfVJV_sR3js4UvSFth1iUFecgmDMkeAyecIOPAG9ZZOEjms8fp7ftwksaMVj1bdayptrfYhEntHiV7iasvpxfnpgHFZ6QZF4mOHdVqsxwkaA3LEhZJKCNxArbex8zk2/s1600-rw/Old+Photos+of+Women+Rocking+Tattoos+(12).jpg) |
Pam Nash FTW, 1960s. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfrvLgHT1ys-4tYfC1lNaZKRQMyhy-iMW_b9SzIbJCeKn-s45mQyyd6SBFK3Rz_DcpX6sJ48jwlAs1ILkKzrt5FNhcvzHmalBIInFaFOhhrPKH7QriPDbeBb08LStLdST0bJEMk3-F723p/s1600-rw/Old+Photos+of+Women+Rocking+Tattoos+(13).jpg) |
Think your swallow tats are cool? This woman got them before you were even born, 1965. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie-8yUzsAkq7BazYwuTLIzDny1LXZB0IFSmlH7JNu23Ob7rNovWfFHLyAm3j9qNFe-Qai_3qE7UuuhMzeUS1qG1G_1nvFR4TfpJIV05Ggyj9gjW5tbqOyvPDiUIrUMrL980ycnrBJdgGF3/s1600-rw/Old+Photos+of+Women+Rocking+Tattoos+(14).jpg) |
Kickass snake tat, 1928. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfv5MXxSjl_ThaIXTHcgjOGRRcjhTzFkzQZLnaCg7iNHbZAeZYgUEHKRhnZNSfgSbmYoK5ZJH1GAvM8KsVdltJ6OZixGxtOd67t5nuwCYV_jF2NkR1Ul_vT5J3c27qIgGFkT-rb08ix6zU/s1600-rw/Old+Photos+of+Women+Rocking+Tattoos+(15).jpg) |
A tattooed butterfly garter belt will never fall down when you’re doing the Charleston, 1930s. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipaRMLPwVrXaSlRaBtZZsy40I698naVdMGdZuIJOUqlLIpPP7grYPh59ptN5D33bTnc83W1q-zMcRyVZNPZ-lr83fJjRp6I37KegAjzk9UAScWqtoNCXf2IV2GcB4JbSpS8BgljW1YVjzP/s1600-rw/Old+Photos+of+Women+Rocking+Tattoos+(16).jpg) |
Just getting another tat, NBD, 1964. |
I love the idea of putting a vintage items on my wedding reception. It's just so classy and elegant.
ReplyDeleteIrene (Rogue River Salmon Fishing)
My grandmother was a tattooed lady and worked in the Barnum Bailey Circus. I do have some pictures of her, does anyone know of her?
ReplyDelete