Not long ago, tattoos were often seen as the mark of rebellion. They were a statement reserved for the young, the wild, and the defiant. But walk into a tattoo studio today, and you may be surprised to find something quietly radical happening: women in their 60s, 70s, and beyond sitting confidently in the chair, ready to mark their skin with stories, symbols, and strength.
More women over 60 are getting tattoos than ever before, and we’re not doing it for anyone else. We’re doing it for us.
For most of my life, I watched others get tattoos while telling myself it wasn’t for me and also being told that “nice” women didn’t have tattoos. I was too busy raising children, maintaining appearances, surviving relationships, and fitting into roles I never truly felt at home in. Tattoos? Those were for other people – younger people, bolder people. Or so I thought.
Then I turned 50, and something shifted.
Maybe it was the quiet realization that life is far too short to leave parts of yourself unexplored. Maybe it was the shedding of expectations that had weighed me down for decades. Or maybe, like many women, I simply decided it was finally time to do what I wanted unapologetically.
The Tiger That Started It All
The first tattoo came after one of the hardest decisions I ever made: leaving my marriage. It wasn’t easy. It took years of doubt, fear, and finally, courage. When I finally walked away, I wanted something to mark the moment. Not just a new chapter, a complete rebirth.
I always wanted a tiger for my arm, bold, fierce, and untamed. The tiger is everything I felt I had rediscovered in myself: independence, raw strength, and the refusal to be caged again. That ink wasn’t about the past. It was about my future and who I was becoming. Watch me roar into my new life.
People asked, “Why now?” My answer was simple: “Because I finally can and because I want to.”
A Rose That Bleeds
Not every tattoo is about empowerment. Some are about grief, betrayal, and learning painful lessons.
The bleeding rose on my back came after the loss of a close friend, not to death, but to deception. I trusted her deeply, only to be stabbed in the back when I least expected it. The rose bleeds because that betrayal left a permanent mark on me, just like the ink.
But it’s not just about pain. It’s a promise to myself: never again. I won’t ignore the warning signs. I won’t dim my light to keep others comfortable. The bleeding rose reminds me that pain can be beautiful when it becomes a lesson and I wear that lesson with pride.
Wonder Woman, from My Daughter
Not all tattoos come from heartbreak. Some are born from love, the kind that grounds you, heals you, and makes you feel seen. My colourful Wonder Woman tattoo sits proudly on my thigh. The design came from my daughter, out of the blue. She sent it to me and said, “Mum, this is you.” Ten minutes after getting her text and the picture, I walked into a tattoo studio and got it done.
To have your child reflect back to you the strength you weren’t sure anyone noticed, that’s the kind of love that changes everything. It’s not just a symbol of a comic book heroine. It’s a tribute to the woman I became, and the woman my daughter already believed I was.
A Scorpio with a Sting
And then there’s my big one. A Scorpio woman on my hip with a giant scorpion tail coming out of her lower body. I have always been spiritual and this is sultry, subtle, and undeniably powerful. That tattoo is for no one but me.
It’s a nod to my star sign, yes, but also to the parts of me that people often overlook. I may be warm, loyal, and open-hearted but there’s a sting in my tail. If you cross me, you’ll feel it.
That Scorpio is my reminder that strength doesn’t have to be loud. It can sit quietly under the surface, ready to rise when needed. And I won’t hesitate to lash out at those who deserve it.
Each of these tattoos tells a story of freedom, loss, strength, and rebirth. And I’m not alone.
A Growing Trend with Deep Roots
So why are more women over 60 getting tattoos today? It’s more than a trend, it’s a movement. We’re part of a generation of women who were raised to play by the rules. Many of us were taught to be quiet, agreeable, and self-sacrificing. We raised families, supported partners, built lives, often while putting ourselves last. But now? We’re rewriting the script.
There’s something beautifully liberating about this phase of life. The expectations fall away. The people-pleasing ends. You begin to see your body not as something to hide or perfect, but as a canvas. One worthy of art, of meaning, of your story and a body to be celebrated.
Getting a tattoo after 60 isn’t about chasing youth. It’s about honoring who you are, where you’ve been, and who you’re still becoming. For some women, the tattoo is a tribute to lost loved ones. For others, it’s a celebration of survival after cancer, divorce, abuse, or depression. And for many, it’s simply joy. A sunflower for happiness. A wave for calm. A bird for freedom.
Tattoos no longer belong to one generation or one stereotype. We’re proof of that.
It’s Not Too Late – It’s Right on Time
I sometimes hear women say, “I wish I could, but I’m too old now.” I smile and tell them the truth: There’s no such thing as too old. If anything, we’re the perfect age and you are right on time.
We’ve lived. We’ve loved. We’ve lost. We’ve learned. Our skin carries decades of stories and adding a tattoo is just one more chapter. One we get to write ourselves.
Each time I catch a glimpse of the tiger, or feel the rose beneath my shirt, or smile at Wonder Woman on my thigh, I remember: I am still becoming. Still growing. Still powerful. And I get so many compliments too. It feels kind of badass.
If you’re thinking about getting a tattoo, do it for you. Let it tell your truth. Let it mark your journey. And let it remind you and the world that you are not invisible. You are art. Living, breathing, evolving art. And you are just getting started.
Let’s Have a Conversation:
What’s the first tattoo you got? How old were you when you got it? Have you done any tattoos after 50? What are they a tribute to?
