[chapstic2001]

I work in a face to face sales environment with both business professionals and government officials on a daily basis, so I can appreciate keeping the personal tats and piercings under cover. Everything I have had done is covered by, on very casual days, slacks and a polo. Which I did for this very reason. I have good friends that have tats all up thier necks and on thier hands and I wonder what sort of professional careers they will turned away from because of them. On the other hand, it is thier choice and they are not "suit and tie guys," so it works well. They are defiantly not for every one, it is a lifestyle, just like driving a Porsche or wearing a pink tie. Granted, the car can be sold and the tie can be taken off and tats are somewhat permanent but is still what makes you an individual.

A Porsche can make you appear "professional" or "pompous." A pink tie can make you appear "a sharp dresser" or "gay". A tattoo can make one appear a "thug" or "progressive." At the end of the day it is their choice. However they need to understand that that choice will, consciously or unconsciously, have external affect on their life.

As a side note, I am not taking offence to anything anyone has said nor am I trying to tick anyone off, I just like to get on the soap box every once and a while......I digress.