Originally Posted by
Claymore
That's really what it boils down to, I think. I think a lot of girls get the lower-back tattoo *because* of the term 'tramp-stamp', but I do think it's a good location, just like the arm is a good location on a guy (or gal). The deciding factor is what the tattoo actually is, and if it's well done, though. If a girl just goes to the first tattoo shop next to a bar, picks something randomly out of a magazine, and it's it plastered-on by some guy that just got hired a week ago, yeah, it's probably going to show in the workmanship, design, and people will probably be left with a less-than-wholesome impression.
I think tattoos can be absolutely beautiful and say a lot about a person -- it's just most people are too lazy to invest that kind of thought and emotion into it. A lot of designs that I've seen on Hawaiian-natives, for example, are done as symbols of their tribe's heritage, and as such, lend a sense of gravitas to them. And a woman who gets a tattoo to celebrate a lost loved-one is certainly respectable, regardless of location.
I think the issue arises, though, when a girl gets a tattoo "because it's cute", or a guy gets one "because he's tough". When you get them for shallow reasons, then you usually wind up with a shallow design, and everyone knows it. When you really take your time, though, in both selecting or designing the design itself, and go to a tattoo-artist who really takes pride in their work, that also resonates with people.
Still, if we're talking extremely broad definitions of "attractive", I'd still say sans tattoos are probably a bit more attractive. But, like laugh-lines, tasteful tattoos can really give you much more presence. In contrast, like a botched boobjob, a thoughtless, contemporary tattoo is going to leave people with a negative first impression.