Who would have thought this one would come back

Dit may look as if Y2K (The year 2000) continues to infiltrate the fashion scene, and now it has gone even further.

Navel piercings and low rise jeans are among the trends that are back, and now old tattoo trends are also coming full circle.

For now, tattoos at the bottom of the lower back, often called tramp stamp, and so-called tribal tattoos, are also back.

One of Norway’s largest tattoo studios, Masterpiece Tattoo Family, is among those who have made several tribals and tramp stamps recently. Managing director Daniel Engen confirms this to Dagbladet.

– It is probably part of the Y2K trend that is in the wind. Rave party, glow sticks and tramp stamps. Who could have dreamed of that?

The trend was big in the early 2000s, and icons such as Britney Spears and Christina Ricci were leading figures for such tattoos at the time, writes Melk og Honning.

Now “everyone” wants this one

The tramp stamp tattoo sits at the bottom of the lower back, and the design in the past was often in the tribal category. The tribal style is inspired across tribes in New Zealand, Japan and Great Britain, among others, according to Celebrity Ink.

Artist Cheryl Cole apparently has both.

In Melk og Honning’s case about tramp stamps, Attitude Tattoo Studio can say that the tattoos have now undergone a slight change since then:

– The Tramp stomps are more minimalist, and in a gothic style, in contrast to the classic ones with thick and clean lines, explains managing director Aleksander Stubberud Aas.

He believes the trend is a kind of resurrection from the harsh old tribal style, and a form of reuse.

Why the name?

Criticism of the phenomenon and the name “tramp stamp” began towards the end of the 2000s, partly as a misogynistic reaction to the excessively sexualized culture of the time, writes Teen Vogue.

Much of the negative focus around such tattoos came from pop culture. Especially after an infamous line from the movie “Wedding Crashers”, where they branded girls with such tattoos as “easy prey”.

– Then it’s fine to say “no gifts”

“Saturday Night Live” also joked about the tattoo, and so did Amy Schumer in the book “The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo”.

But, thanks to a new generation, stomp stomp can seem to get rid of its negative reputation. Young trendsetters are taking it back, writes Highsnobiety.

– A warning

Although the demand for both tribal and tramp stamps has increased, there are still several people who regret jumping on the trend last time.

– We do far more cover-ups on old tramp stamps and tribals than we make new ones these days, says the Masterpiece manager, and adds:

– So it can stand both as a warning to all young people, and as information to all old people out there who fell for the trend 20 years ago.

It is still nice to know that you can always cover up an old tattoo with a new and beautiful work of art.

However, Daniel Engen will not do that:

– I actually have tramp stamp myself, but mine will stay forever.