It’s 2016 and we can say that by now, tattooing has become mainstream. It has been around for centuries and has been part of many different cultures all over the world. Yet it has been associated with outlaws, ruffians and persons on the fringe of society in the modern west for quite some time.

Then the west was liberalised. Marginalised groups become more and more accepted and judging a person for how he looks or what he is, is frowned upon. This becomes the case for tattoos as well. Footballers, popstars, actors and other half-gods have them. Now both your boss and your mom are getting some as well.

This is mostly good. It’s good that we have more freedom to express ourselves without having to suffer discrimination. Yet as with all fads, they get to a point where the quality and integrity of the concept starts to suffer. People cut corners and bad decisions are made. Enter the “wine” inspired tattoo. Creating a wine-inspired tattoo isn’t in itself a bad idea. Yet for me it comes with this notion of “I’m a risky, life loving person and I had a glass too many on vacation, and that tattoo-shop up the beach is really cheap, I should totally get a tattoo.” An hour later they’re browsing google images and deciding what’s going to be etched in their skin permanently.

Here are a couple of those bad decisions:

1

We’ll start with the worst in the bunch. I don’t know what this guy was thinking. Maybe he wasn’t.

2

Brass knuckles that are a bottle opener as well. This person is probably a member of a fight slash wine tasting club.

3

Nothing says fancy and rugged at the same time as a “Vintage Merlot” tattoo.

4

Sadness.

5

Yes Petrus is a distinguished wine, the tattoo isn’t.

6

It’s believed Caesar said Veni (I came), Vidi (I saw), Vici (I won) but we like this alternative take on history.

7

“Are you ready?”

“Yes, but one more thing, could you make the tattoo look like a disgusting rash?”

“Of course!”

[Article by Alexander Eeckhout]