The so-called ‘tramp stamp’, otherwise known as a lower back tattoo is fashionable again, and Gen Z are leading the revival.
Once upon a time, I was 17 – and easily influenced. Tattoos were all the rage, especially for girls on their backs. Thankfully I saw (some) sense and had a tiny one on my shoulder. However, other girls went the whole hog, experiencing what I would imagine was utter agony, with a lower back tattoo, designed to peek out over your low-rise jeans and tease the opposite sex.
Somehow, this particular style of tattoo got labelled ‘the tramp stamp’. Sounds a bit cruel to me.
So, when I saw that lower-back tattoos were back in fashion – riding on the wave of the ’90s low-rise jean revival – I shuddered. But in the eyes of ballsy GenZ-ers, these tats are “tasteful”, enjoying a comeback amongst 19 to 27-year-olds, who weren’t old enough to experience it the first time around. But the reinventions are softer, smaller and more intricate.
The latest designs are frequently handwritten with fine line wording – a part of a larger tattoo trend. Delicately written phrases with thinner needles look great and are becoming a tattoo classic of our time.
One Gen Z Tik Toker said “As a Y2K baby I’ve always loved how provocative the tramp stamp was. It was a fun accessory to accompany the low swung velour tracksuits and capris of the era. Fast forward to 2024, I’m finally old enough to rock one, and I’m here for lower-back-tramp-stamp-comeback. It’s cute, its dainty and its feminine and super flattering on the body. Mine reads ‘Angel’, which is my middle name in a gorgeous cursive. I see it as a permanent piece of jewellery that adds a bit of pizzazz to my outfits and gives me a bit of personality. I think the resurgence comes down to Gen Z’s fearless attitude toward self-expression. We don’t really care what anyone has to say. It’s my favourite thing I own now”.
