Famed ink artist Don Ed Hardy espoused, “A tattoo is an affirmation: that this body is yours to have and to enjoy while you’re here. Nobody else can control what you do with it.”
Here, here Ed.
For as long as humans have had bodies we’ve found ways to affirm ourselves through them.
In Ancient Egypt, tattoos, including tramp stamps which were allegedly used as maternal magic, were applied as far back as 1550 BCE.
In East Asia evidence of the art of tattooing reaches back to the sixth century CE and exists in the form of haniwa, clay funerary figurines placed in or around tombs that were commonly depicted with facial tattoos.
Today, tattoos are a ubiquitous art, an employment-hindering addiction to some, a meet-cute to others and a canary in the coal mine for a celebrity affair.
National Tattoo Day, celebrated on July 17th, observes the artistry and history of this most permanent souvenir. Read on to find out what ink aligns with your zodiac sign. Happy sticking and merry poking one and all!
ARIES (March 21 – April 19)
Branding
Aries breezes right by the bike lane of tattoos and into the decidedly more extreme dermal decoration of branding.
Pressing searing hot metal into flesh is absolutely “on brand” for a fire sign prone to following a moment’s impulse or a fool’s dare straight into lasting regret a la Pete Davidson’s permanent homage to Kim Kardashian.
TAURUS (April 20 – May 20)
Botanical
Taurus is ruled by Venus, planet of love, aesthetics and eternal spring.
Botanical tattoos, especially those featuring edible plants, suit the needs of this fixed earth sign whose power color is green and whose affliction is hunger.
Succulents aside, bulls dig in when it comes to dedication and roll hard for romance, as exemplified by double Taurus Dennis Rodman, who recently got a portrait of his girlfriend tattooed on his face.
GEMINI (May 21 – June 20)
Quote tattoo
Gemini is ruled by Mercury, the trickster planet of the mind and the mouth.
In kind, Geminis are lovers of language, salacious gossip, literature, and clever quips, making a quote tattoo attributed to themselves or others, a natural extension of their communicable spirit.
Gemini loves a conversation starter, and quotes are a streamlined way to introduce exchange. Case in point, the gem of a man I met on a beach in Goa who had “JESUS SAVES, I SPEND,” tattooed on his left knee.
Bless you and your disbursement, Nico.
CANCER (June 21 – July 22)
American traditional tattoo
Cancer rules the fourth house of antiquity and ancestry, and as the most nostalgia-drunk sign in the zodiac, crabs are defined by their strong ties to and longing for the past.
American traditional tattoos are an homage to old-school sailor ink and feature nautical and patriotic motifs, apropos of a water sign whose season includes Independence Day celebrations.
Add to the ink that Sailor Jerry, credited with popularizing and propagating the style, had himself a Cancer moon.
LEO (July 23 – August 22)
Sun tattoo
Leo loves to love and puts themselves at the tippity top of that pyramid of worship.
Ruled by the sun and represented by a big cat, they are inclined towards a solar tattoo that speaks to their right to shine, a lion that roars for their royal station, or a script that reminds them “to thine own self be true.”
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VIRGO (August 23 – September 22)
Geometric tattoo
Virgos love symmetry and order, and their discerning hearts flutter and loins flush at the sight of a flawless line, perfect circle, spotless kitchen sink, and/or a cleanly executed concept.
Enter the geometric tattoo. At once simple and intricate, the exacting application of this style contrasts beautifully with the body’s natural curves and wholly complements the sensibilities of the zodiac’s resident perfectionist.
LIBRA (September 23 – October 22)
Trash Polka tattoo
Libra is the sign of partnership, and Trash Polka is the result of the creative collaboration between artists Simone Plaff and Volko Merschky of Germany’s Buena Vista Tattoo Club.
Libras are chronically indecisive, and Trash Polka is defined by its collage-like aesthetic, which features printed materials, handwriting, paint splashes, and photorealism. In effect, it is a tattoo style that removes choice by encouraging all elements.
As a sign galvanized into action by external rather than internal forces, Libra is also more likely than most to get a matching tattoo.
SCORPIO (October 23 – November 21)
Skull
Scorpio rules the eighth house of sex, death, and intimacy and, as such, doesn’t shy away from the dark or the doomed.
In their solar trajectory, Scorpios serve as walking, walking memento mori, a call to the rest of the zodiac to respect and revere the transient nature of life.
Scorpios are also a prickly, hard-to-get-to-know a lot, and a skull gives off that “don’t f–k with me, I’m not afraid to die,” je ne sais quoi.
SAGITTARIUS (November 22 – December 21)
Stick and poke tattoo
Sagittarius loves any decision, good or bad, wise or reckless, that births a good story, and behind every crudely applied stick-and-poke tattoo is a tale waiting to be told.
The one on my middle finger, for instance, speaks to a sleepless night during which the needle was cured by candle flame, the skin surface was sanitized with warm Pinot Grigio, and the “artist” was working with one eye closed and both t—s out.
CAPRICORN (December 22 – January 19)
Numeral tattoo
Capricorn is ruled by Saturn, the planet of structure and definition that gives boundaries to time and meaning to matter.
Saturn reminds us of where we’ve been, and a Roman numeral tattoo encourages Capricorns to commemorate the day they met their spouse, buried their enemy, and/or leveled up into the next tax bracket.
AQUARIUS (January 20 – February 18)
Biomechanical tattoo
Aquarius artist and professional weirdo/sex dungeon set designer H.R. Giger is credited with developing the biomechanical style of tattoo, which merges man and machine, a theme close to the chrome heart of all water bearers.
Alternatively, Aquarians can prepare for abduction by marking their bodies with white ink and extraterrestrial markings a la Grimes so their alien comrades can identify them.
PISCES (February 19 – March 20)
Watercolor tattoo
Pisces folk are mutable water. These people go with the flow, follow their bliss, and fall in love with strangers on the street corner, especially if said stranger lives on the street corner.
They struggle with boundaries, and the colors of their dream worlds regularly bleed into their waking lives, for better or for worse.
For these and other reasons, a watercolor tattoo is just the sticking they need.
Astrology 101: Your guide to the star
- The 12 zodiac signs
- What are the astrology houses
- Here’s what each planet represents
- Sun, moon, and rising signs: Get to know your Big 3
Astrologer Reda Wigle researches and irreverently reports on planetary configurations and their effect on each zodiac sign. Her horoscopes integrate history, poetry, pop culture, and personal experience.
