Photo: Instagram
WANT!
By Rebecca Jane Stokes — Written on May 01, 2017
When I turned 18 the first thing I did was get a tattoo and lie about it to my parents.
I managed to keep the thing a secret until halfway through my senior year of college, and even then, I was vague about the details knowing that if my mom found out that some tattoo artist in my hometown had gotten his mitts on me and she had a shop name she would probably stop by and rip him a new one.
Being inducted into the tattoo club as early as possible, I've continued getting inked. I've got three and plans for three more tattoos.
Tattoos are a whole heck of a lot more socially acceptable now than back when tattoos first started popping up on sailors in the States. No longer does having tattoos mean you are some ne'er do well with a passion for stabbing strangers with the sharpest edge of a broken beer bottle.
I mean, every soccer mom in America probably has the name "Kevin" curling around her ankle surrounded by stars, you know?
Because I've been tattooed for so long, I reserve the right to indulge in some hipster grumbling whenever some new tattoo trend is announced.
To me, indulging in a tattoo trend usually means that you are a person who is easily influenced by the opinions of others and thus are probably exactly the opposite of the kind of person who SHOULD be getting tattoos.
But I gotta say, I don't even feel that a little bit when it comes to the newest tattooing trend that's all over Instagram:
Helix tattoos.
Helix tattoos are delicate outer ear lobe tattoos, more common among women than men.
They are usually small and simple, with floral designs or basic geometric shapes being some of the more popular choices.
If you love wearing jewelry but you're fidgety and/or lazy like me (for the record where I am concerned it is an "and"), helix tattoos are like getting permanent earrings that go with every last thing.
If you have always wanted a tattoo but worried about what to pick or where to place it, then a helix tattoo with its low impact location and easy simple designs might be the perfect fit for you.
I have rounded up some my favorite helix tattoos from Instagram and shared them below! Hopefully, they will inspire you on your journey to joining me in the land of tattoos!
Come on in, the water is just fine.
Delicate lines
Photo: Instagram
These usually simple, small tattoos are only limited by the power of the imagination. They are taking the web by storm and photos like this give you a pretty good idea why!
Purple power
Photo: Instagram
There is something so inherently girly and sweet about these little tattoos! They don't need to be basic and geometric (although that's definitely a cool look, to be sure). Take for example this lovely little purple floral helix tattoo.
Draw the line
Photo: Instagram
There is something so totally captivating about these sleek little lines. They are guaranteed to bring any look altogether. These little lines go with everything.
In bloom
Photo: Instagram
This lovely little helix tattoo is a burst of cherry blossoms! I love the way this tattoo shows off the subject's stunning bright red/pinkish hair! It's charmingly punk-rock, like, if punk had a baby with the ghost of Monet. That's right, you heard me.
50 Shades
Photo: Instagram
The subtle gradation of the color on this helix tattoo looks fierce as hell paired with this woman's undercut. If you've always wanted to design your own tattoo, but aren't an artist, the helix tattoo is an easy place to design your own!
Doodle do
Photo: Instagram
The abstract pattern of this helix tattoo reminds me a lot of the elegant doodles girls in my high school would do on their books during class. You know, those cool girls who had college boyfriends? You know the ones I mean.
Forget me? Nope!
Photo: Instagram
Helix tattoos don't have to specifically along the outer ridge of the lobe either. The term also applies to small tattoos located just inside the ear, like this pretty flower.
Bejeweled
Photo: Instagram
While these tattoos can give a person an awesome (and totally valid) reason not to wear jewelry, this woman uses her earrings to accentuate the sweet little helix tattoo that slips down her ear.
The dotted line
Photo: Instagram
I'm totally smitten with helix tattoos, and if I were to get one I think this is the route I'd take. There's something about those lines and those dots, there simplicity, the basic black, all of it just screams a classic tattoo look to me.
