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Whether it be a huge butterfly, a collection of hearts or anything in between, a certain image is sure to come to mind when you hear the words "tramp stamp."

The tattoo style of the late ’90s and early 2000s has become synonymous with low-rise jeans, visible G-strings and all things Y2K.

But during its heyday, lower back tattoos quickly became associated with implications of "promiscuity" and "trashiness," becoming the butt of many misogynistic jokes.

But as is the case with the ebbs and flows of most fashion trends of the early aughts, tramp stamps have made their way back into the zeitgeist.

This is largely thanks to the notably more progressive and increasingly nostalgic nature of Gen Z. Now, many past trends, previously wrought with sexist connotations, have been reclaimed as empowering statements rather than regrettable markings, say tattoo artists.

"People just don't care anymore," Carisa Fitoussi, a Toronto-based tattoo artist who has noticed a recent rise of lower back tattoo requests, tells Yahoo Life.

"In the last two, three years, a lot of people have been getting them. I've always loved them, regardless of the stereotype behind them. So l was always open to doing them. I think it's so cute," says Fitoussi, who specializes in early 2000s-era ink. "I lean more toward that since I grew up seeing my mom dressed a certain way so I love everything Y2K."

Most women who are getting lower back tattoos today are well aware of the connotations that may come with the ink, but don't find the opinions of naysayers to be a hindrance.

"A lot of my clients that come and get sexually liberating tattoos like that, they know people around them judge. But, it doesn't matter. Because regardless of what you do, you're gonna get judged. So if it's something that makes you feel good, makes you feel more sexy, you might as well just get it," says Fitoussi.

The location of tramp stamps plays a large role in the less-than-stellar associations the body art has earned over the years, but according to Fitoussi, the discreet placement makes it a perfect place for a "big" tattoo novice.

"When there's a person that wants a bigger tattoo, but they don't want it to be seen all the time because [of] work or something, I always encourage people to get tramp stamps because it is a perfect placement to do a big tattoo and not feel too much regret because it's not covering an important part of your body. But you could still appreciate it," says Fitoussi.

It can be nerve-racking to get any sort of "trendy" tattoo as you run the risk of having an "outdated" sign of the times permanently etched onto your body. But Fitoussi says that is all the more reason to make sure you pick a tattoo you genuinely want because you like it, not because it is popular.

"Tramp stamps are 'in' right now. But I bet you in like a year or two, it's gonna go back down to like, people not really liking it, and then pick back up again. But I always encourage, if you know that you're gonna like it, then that's all that matters. You don't really have to fit into the fads of what's going on or what's in and what's not," says Fitoussi.

For some, lower back tattoos are about more than just a risqué body marking.

"I have a disease called Graves disease, so basically, I had an overactive thyroid, and they removed it. And the thyroid gland is also referred to as a butterfly gland because it's shaped [like] a butterfly, Jassma'ray Johnson, a small business owner and senior at Iowa State University, tells Yahoo Life.

Johnson got her lower back butterfly in March 2022 to commemorate her battle with the illness. But even though she was sure of her decision to get the tattoo, she was admittedly nervous to see what her family would think.

"I was like, 'My mom was gonna kill me,' but it was just so cute," says Johnson.

She shared her experience getting the tattoo in a TikTok video that raked in more than 140,000 views.

The comments section of her post was filled with users expressing their admiration for the tattoo, with many saying Johnson's video was their sign to get a tramp stamp of their own.

"This just told me to JUST DO IT ! Yours is soooo[fire]," shared one user.

"This is my sign," shared another.

Even though she ranks the pain of getting tattooed a solid "32/10," she says she couldn't be happier with how the artwork turned out.

"There's a lot of different things that we're supposed to be afraid of or ashamed about, but I own my tramp stamp. I think it's really pretty so whatever history there may be behind it, I think it's cute and I definitely show it off in pictures and I'm taking that power back," says Johnson.

But what do the OGs of the trend think about the resurgence of lower back tattoos?

"I think it's cool because I always thought [they] looked nice. I love the location," says Kelly Cunningham, who got her tramp stamp as an 18th birthday gift in 2002 when the trend was in its initial heyday.

"It was actually a gift from my dad," says Cunningham, recalling the one-size-fits-all nostalgia of picking her tattoo out of a book of pre-drawn designs.

"This is how it used to be done. You go into the tattoo shop, they have these giant books that you would look through, you'd pick out the tattoo you like, and they do it. So with that, though, then you run into other people that have the same tattoo as you," Cunningham says, noting this bares a stark difference to the prevalence of custom artwork for tattoos today.

"Recently I was in a tattoo shop for an old cover-up and they don't have the books anymore. I just thought that that was weird, I guess because that's what I was kind of used to," she says.

Shortly after Cunningham got her tramp stamp, however, she says the pendulum for the lower back art began swinging from trendy to "trashy."

"It kind of stunk, that not too long after I had got mine is when that sort of, like negative stigma behind them came in that if you had one, you were trashy," she says.

But this never faltered Cunningham's love for the piece. Now, she loves seeing the tattoo placement get the praise it deserves.

"I never went through a phase of being embarrassed by it or wanting to cover it up. I've always thought they look really nice in that spot and I still wouldn't change it," says Cunningham.

Lol tldr dumb sluts have never cared what people think of them and dumb sluts that get tattoos are the worst.

The tramp stamp is like a born on date for women.  You know they're 40 or close to it if they have one.

The correct term for that tattoo is “Pull Out Target”

Nasty inkies.  So proud to still be a pureskin.

This thread needs pics.

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Thots gonna thot. I love seeing them when older women bend over.

Lol I wonder if my ex-gf who I bought one for back in 2005 is now regretting getting it removed

Lol from the wedding crashers. Tattoo on the lower back, might as well be a target.

Lol! Old hoes passing the Kotex baton

Best warning sign ever - tells you all you need to know.

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It was a good time

Exactly - May as well put a bullseye so I can properly aim.

If women do it, ARFHoles hate it.  Honest to God, there are “men” here who don’t like blowjobs.  I didn’t know such creatures existed until I washed upin GD back in ‘08.

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It’s like a challenge to see if you can “wash it off”

The wife wanted one back in the day. She decided against it...I thought it would have been hot, but it only works on a few chicks, the rest just look shitty.

Tramp stamp or not, I miss that style. It was way sexier than women today wearing high-waisted mom pants all the way up to their tits.

Your wife wanted a blow job?

AKA the Alabama license plate

Yup my wife has one and she is 42. I still like em.

there can be only one

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Ass antlers

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Hag Tag

Agree 100%

I understand.  Most women are better off not drawing attention to themselves.  Same as most men.

Some people here are truly miserable.  Make a thread on any woman and they'll say she's ugly, a thread on any restaurant and they'll say it's the worst place they've ever eaten, etc.

Its all so tiresome.

These are the kids of the tramps who didn't know it was trashy.

the coming economic collapse and civil war will sort them out rightquick.

@Liberty_Tree

Did she have it removed or has her surface area increase so much it only appears to be removed?  Asking for our friend Midcap.

I wouldn't expect someone named "Jassma'ray" to make good choices.

Mmm mayo tanker with a tramp stamp

An entire fuckin wall of text and not one pic for evidentiary purposes?

Da faq, broseph?

Thread rated troll.

Agreed.

A true story as best I can remember...

In late 1997, I was just starting pilot training in Pensacola and Whiting, going through some ground instruction and water work known as API.  One of my classmates had gone to Annapolis with a fellow who was a bit over a year ahead of us in training.  Its early October and the day of his "Winging", a formal ceremony where the Naval Aviators get their pilot wings.  

We meet up and go to his afterparty... plenty of drunk college girls there.  Dude is ripped, in really good shape and showing off..  says "check this out!"

He pulls his shirt up and turns around.  There, across his the entirety of his lower back, was huge set of blue outline, gold fill naval aviator wings.  

Everyone was like...
"Hardcore!"
"Bad ass!"
"Wicked!"

Fast forward five months, MTV Spring Break in Panama City FL, and every chick is getting a tramp stamp.  Yep... the guy got a "tramp stamp" before they were colloquially known as tramp stamps!

To this day, every time I've considered a tattoo (like a tribal armband in the mid-2000s that I came close to getting) I have remembered that story.  To this day, I remain a pureskin.

Titty tattoos, face piercing,  groin tattoos, neck / large arm tattoos , or just large tattoos in general are big warning signs as the chicks a huge attention whore and makes bad decisions in general and not long term / marriage material.  Red flags big time.

Riley Reid?

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I miss the 90s.

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That's where you put the ashtray!

Tramp stamps are now associated with old women?

If fortyish is old to you then yes.  The fad kind of went away by the mid 2000s.

TLDR summary


“He won’t remember your name, but will always remember you tattoo, and that’s empowering”