Girls Alound fall silent, but you could be as loud as Cheryl with your brightly tattooed legs. (Or should you mute them under a pair of tights?)

(Phew!  That must be my longest post title ever!) OMG! so many !!

Girls Aloud have split up, following the last night of their "Ten" reunion tour. During the tour Cheryl Cole showed off her latest piece of body art.  She has described how painful her rose tattoo was, and explained she spent 15 hours under the needle to achieve the look

"So what?" you may ask.  This is "Joy of Tights" not "Joy of Tattoos".  However alert readers of this blog will have noticed that Ms Cole was also wearing fishnet tights which were covering some other tattoos.

Cheryl's ninth tattoo, barbed wire around her leg during the music video for Call My Name.

I'm all in favour of tattoos, reclaiming our bodeies as vehicles of self-expression.  But Ms Cole begs the question: if you have tattoos why cover them up with tights?  Maybe you are feeling cold.

And there are some tattoos that would normally be covered up by other clothes, so wearing tights won't obscure them any more.

The classic "tramp stamp" won't be seen whether you are wearing tights or not, unless you are being a tramp when the tights will come off anyway

This tattoo would be hidden by boots

If your tattoos are in a place that would usually be visible, you may be wearing tights over your tattoos to hide them in a particular setting such as a family gathering or the workplace.  However this needs not only dark tights, but very thick tights.  You may not want to cover up that much flesh or it may be too warm for 100 denier opaques.

Not black enough

Not thick enough.  (The tights that is, not the man in her life)

It may be better to use make-up to cover-up your tattoo.  Here's how according to eHow:

1. Test different concealers or foundations on the tattoo to be covered. The make-up must match perfectly with skin tone. It might take a combination of several colours to get the right match.

2.Prepare the skin by shaving off any hair covering the tattoo. Make up will stick to the hair possibly drawing more attention to the area than the tattoo would.
   
3. Apply one thin coat of the matched concealer to the tattoo. The makeup should extend over the edges of the tattoo and blend with the skin so there is no defined line between the makeup and the skin. Blend with fingers, a foam wedge or a flat makeup brush. Allow the layer to dry completely.

4. Repeat step three. Apply one very thin coat of concealer, blend and allow it to dry completely. Once it is dry, apply one more coat, blend and allow it to dry.

5. Use the powder brush to reduce shininess by dusting a translucent powder over the tattoo. The powder should be slightly lighter than your natural skin tone. Not only will this tone down the shininess, it will help to set the make up underneath making for a longer lasting finish.

There are also various products designed especially to conceal tattoos.  Isn't capitalism wonderful, it provides you with products to hide your anti-capitalist tattoo at a job interview.

Myself I would still put on a pair of tights to add that extra level of camouflage.  Perhaps the tights will hold the make-up in place.  (Careful how you put them on).  Or if the make-up defence fails, perhaps the tights will continue to confuse prying eyes looking for tattoos.

Left leg tattoo quite well hidden even without make-up

Of course you may have other reasons for wearing tights over your tattoo.  While you want your tattoo still to be visible (sheer tights), other features like cellulite you might want to tone down.  (not so sheer tights).

Who's hiding what?

But enough of these "practical" reasons; I'd like to suggest that tights and tattoos together are a fashion statement.  A strap-line of this blog might be "Showing less is showing more" or "Conceal to reveal".  (Fashion meets 1984.  Bondage is freedom and all that).

Whoops, sorry that bit of bondage just slipped out with all that bondage is freedom stuff.  Look, its not totally off topic she has got a tattoo

Real bondage too strong, go for bondage tights like Cheryl

 Where was I?  Oh yes, tattoos under tights as a fashion statement.  By obscuring your tattoos under tights you might actually draw more attention to them.    Perhaps guys will want to get your tights off to get a closer look at your tattoos.  (Although in reality I suspect that they will want to get your tights off to get a closer look at something else ;)

Also by matching your tattoos with different shades and deniers of tights you can create a different effect.  Make your tattoos even darker with some sheer black tights.

Add to your Goth or rock chic image combining tattoos with fishnets.

 

Or you could wear tan or nude tights to give that tattoo on tanned skin effect.

Very light tan