Not all matching tattoos are for couples. (Although they are adorable and I geek out at the sight of them.) Between lovers, best friends, sisters, brothers, mothers and daughters, etc, a matching tattoo can symbolize a promising bond that both parties cherish eternally. Some tattoos may not match completely, but they can share the same theme, placement and style. But just like tattoos themselves, a taboo lingers over the concept of “matchy-matchy”. Whatever, haters. I’ve found some pretty righteous arguments for matching tattoos. Let’s hold hands and take a look at them after the jump!
(May this post serve as a “hint hint, nudge nudge” to my sister. Listen, Melanie – I know we’re pretty different. You’re opposed to tattoos and I’m practically doing laps in my inked ideas pool all day. Let’s put our differences aside for a nanosecond and get matching tattoos. It doesn’t really hurt that much, I swear. And it can be small and well hidden enough to your liking. Come on, Smelly Mel. Please?! IF YOU LOVE ME, YOU’LL DO IT I TOTALLY RESPECT YOUR DECISION.)
I love every matching tattoo I see. This statement is seeping with bias since I was bitten by the tattoo bug early on and can’t scratch the itch enough. But tattoos are constantly evolving and improving in color, depth, style and as a bold, artistic expression overall. There are people in my life who I will and could never stop loving (oh hey, Melanie.) There are friendships and phases in my life that I reminisce on with humble comfort. We can experience the highest highs and lowest lows, and throughout everything we have loved ones alongside. Would you commemorate these deep bonds? Ink on the surface is indeed just an inkling of what the tattoo itself represents.
I know several pairs of sisters that have chosen to get matching tattoos and they are ridiculously cute. Even Lovelyish writer Katie has a matching tattoo with her childhood friend. Years ago, my boyfriend suggested we get matching tattoos – he’ll get Frankenstein and I’ll get the Bride. What do you think?
Do you have a matching tattoo? If so, with who? Would you ever get one?
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guest
My husband would never do this. Sometimes he seems like the anti-Erika. However, I could have seen doing this with some of the guys in my past. It’s a little to cutesy for my tastes now.
guest
I know three sisters whose fathers died when they were young. The all got his signature tattooed and its one of the best tattoos i’ve ever seen. One of them has it on her arm, one on her shoulder and one on her ribcage.
guest
Yeah, with siblings or other family members, sure.
guest
I wonder howmany of these couples are still together and for how long, and how many had to go get these covered up?? Adam Levine had to get ANNA covered up on his knuckles right? How long did that last? All of a year? someone correct me.
orchid / 217 posts
I got a matching tattoo with an ex-best friend.We were friends all through high school & in our first year of college, we decided to get a star on our right shoulder. I’d get the letter ‘A’ in mine for her name & she’d get the letter ‘K’ in hers for my name..
A couple weeks ago I talked to her asking to hang out for Halloween. She informed me that she had other plans even though her & I had been planning this for a year now. She also told me that I was too dramatic & that she doesn’t want to be friends anymore..
I’m going to be REALLY dramatic & get the damn thing covered up >.>\
So, no. Don’t get a matching tattoo with anyone unless you know for damn sure they’re going to stick around forever.
orchid / 106 posts
@noPrinceCharming@datingish - There is definitely a gamble when it comes to some relationships. People can end up changing, but past friendships are always valued and can teach you a thing or two. Hopefully you two can find a common ground. I just now started talking to my ex-best friend after years of no communication because we simply grew up to be different people (and were both very stubborn about it, too, ha!).
What would you get to cover up your “A”?
rose / 802 posts
I have “matching” tattoos with a few friends from high school, red stars with “10:47″ next to them in memory of a friend who committed suicide in 2005.
guest
Matching tattoos are pretty cool, but one thing I will never do is have another persons name tattooed on me unless it is my own child.
hydrangea / 76 posts
I have matching tattoos with my old best friend. Even though we’re no longer friends and we ended things in a bad way, I’ll never regret getting them done. He was a huge part of my life for a very long time and I learned more from our friendship than any other relationship I’ve ever had. I always think of the good memories we had and the way my life has shaped because of him when I look at them.
It’s definitely not something just anyone should jump into. You have to consider how you’d feel having this permanent ink long after the worst possible scenario occurred. If you are still sure about it, then I say go for it.
guest
Once we’re married, my fiancee and I are getting wrist tattoos with lyrics from a Thrice song “The Weight.” His right wrist will say “As long as I live…” and my left will have “…I swear I’ll see this through.”
guest
@April_Disaster@xanga - I always said this. I now have my grandmother’s name tattooed on my back. Her name is Lenore, she was named after the poem, The Raven, so I have a huge raven & the poetry lines, “For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels named Lenore.” in her memory since she raised me.
Kinda along the lines of children/family members, but regardless, I’d never get anyone who wasn’t family tattooed on me.
guest
I have a matching tattoo with a friend of mine. We decided to get tattoos together and she decided to get the same tattoo as me, but with different coloring. Also, mine is on my ankle and she got hers on her chest.
orchid / 174 posts
I do have a matching tattoo on my left ankle with my very best friend in the whole world. I love it and so does she and we got them to remind each other that no matter how far from each other we might get physically, emotionally we are always as close as we want to be. She and I have been best friends, forever, and we’re determined to stay that way for (here comes the corny-ness) life. Plus, the tattoo is super cool, and she designed it. Totally worth getting and I don’t regret it for a second.
orchid / 217 posts
@leslie - I don’t know yet.. I’m probably just going to keep the star but color it in & put a design around it or something.. Less pricey that way.. & she’s made it clear that she doesn’t want to talk to me. I have stuff at her house that I said I want back, nothing major, just halloween stuff. She won’t even reply back to a text when I ask her to drop it off..or when she’s going to be home so I can go get it. She got a new bf and got rid of me..even though I’d been there for her through all the crappy ones.
guest
My best friend and I got matching tattoos this summer, we both have love/hope, mine is on my left inner ankle (Achilles tendon), and hers is on her left wrist. We’ve been friends for over 22 years, so I highly doubt it’ll be ending soon.
guest
both of my tattoos are matching with other people. One with my ex (we got them after we parted ways, as a tribute to the 7 years we were together), and the other was on a whim with a girl I worked with, since we both love our cats.
guest
My boyfriend and I are getting matching infinity tattoos on our wrists. I already got mine done, he’s saving up money for it. We’ll have been together for five years next month.
A girl on my facebook got matching heart tattoos with her boyfriend. http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/651/46723466431168783613091.jpg/
They both drew each other’s hearts before getting them tattooed on.
guest
I wouldn’t get a matching tattoo, because then we wouldn’t be able to go to the onsen.
guest
the different color theory one is an awesome idea :O