Fairy Tattoos

Whimsical yet nostalgic in their appeal, fairy tattoos are a relatively new design idea in the world of tattooing.

The History

At one time, fairies were known for being mischievous, or even malicious.

In medieval times, fairies were mystical creatures to be feared, as legend told tales of fairies stealing infant babies and replacing them with one of their own, or of fairies secretly poisoning entire herds of livestock.

Simply put, fairies were usually blamed for occurrences that had no other plausible explanation.

Legend also says that fairies were little people driven underground in fear by weapon wielding invaders. And while they may generously bestow gifts upon people they are attracted to, such as wealth or beauty, they also are known for their mischievous nature as well as playing harmful tricks on those people they didn’t like.

The Gaelic people used the term sidhe, pronounced shee, to describe fairies, including the leprechauns and banshees of Ireland.

Types of Fairy Tattoos

These tattoos are very versatile and may range from the single, small fairy to an intricate design complete with many other decorative elements.

The colors commonly used in fairy tattoos include varying shades of blues, purples, greens, pinks, yellows, and oranges.

Fairies are often incorporated into tribal or Celtic designs, combining different cultures into one very personalized tattoo. Fairies may also often appear in tattoos as a part of a garden scenes complete with colorful flora.

While all fairies aren’t cute or childlike, there is the most famous one of all, Disney’s Tinkerbell, which invokes feelings of nostalgia and childhood, as well as magic and fantasy.

One of the most popular areas of the body to have a fairy is the lower or upper back, followed by the shoulder and the ankle.

Fairy tattoos can also be incorporated into a leg or armband, and are commonly seen in varying poses such as sitting, flying or as a part of an elaborate scene.