Celebrity Debate: Are we ever too old for tattoos?
As David Beckham shows off his inkings, Woman looks at why body art is popular for so many, no matter what their age
Never one to shy away from the camera, David Beckham has always been comfortable in his own skin. The football legend, 46, has been testing his sunglasses line’s newest Instagram filter while out in Miami, posing shirtless with his vast tattoo collection on show.
David proudly baring his body art won’t come as a shock to fans, who will know he has at least 67 tattoos all over his body. In fact, some experts estimate he has close to 80 designs.
However, while David might have little space left for new ink work, he has been careful to map the tattoos on each side of his body, with sleeves, pecs and ribs covered equally.
Many of the designs are a sign of allegiance to his wife Victoria and four children, Brooklyn, 22, Romeo, 18, Cruz, 16, and nine-year-old Harper. Recent additions have included a medium-sized religious cross on his chest and a tiny black heart on his earlobe, thought to be a tribute to Victoria, 47.
Negative opinions
Despite his obvious passion, there are some fans who claim David shouldn’t be getting inked – both as a father of four and a man at his life stage – with some going even further and sharing their view that he is too old for body art. Arguably it’s a draconian view, but it’s one that, nonetheless, he often has levelled at him. One such commentator, Johnno, said, ‘Those tattoos just look ridiculous,’ while another wrote, ‘He’s the perfect example of how badly designed tattoos [will] look terrible when you get older.’
Regardless of the negativity, David remains confident in his passion for new ink and hasn’t shown any signs of stopping the visits to go-to celebrity
tattooist Mark Mahoney at his Los Angeles studio.
David’s defiance mirrors that of other famous faces, such as 52-yearold Jennifer Aniston, who last year revealed a new tattoo on her inner wrist that reads ‘11 11’, and Brad Pitt, 57, who had a black silhouette of a man etched into his bicep in 2019. Both actors still enjoy picking out new, meaningful body art designs.
On this side of the Atlantic, Kerry Katona also recently opted to take to the tattooist’s chair, which was her way of paying tribute to her aunt Angela, who passed away in March. Kerry opted to have a guardian angel inked onto her arm – and she says that nobody should be allowed to judge others for their appearance.
Telling a story
The former Atomic Kitten singer, 40, insists she pays no attention to those who have negative opinions about tattoos, whether on her or anyone else. Speaking to Woman, Kerry says, ‘It took me a long time to realise that other people’s opinions do not matter. This is my body and it’s my choice. Tattoos are, in my opinion, very artistic and beautiful, and for me it’s about the stories behind the tattoos.
‘On my back I have a huge phoenix. I got it 12 years ago, and it represents me rising from the ashes and my new beginnings.
‘All of my tattoos have a meaning. I have an angel wing because I’m very spiritual, I have “Molly” on my left wrist and “Lilly” on the right. I grew up watching my mum self-harm, and having my daughters’ names there means if I ever get to the point where I feel like I want to take my own life, I’d have to cut through my children’s names. All of my tattoos mean something to me.’
While some may see tattoos as reckless, others see them as true works of art and a way to express themselves. And, in 2021, people of all ages are proving that getting inked really doesn’t – and shouldn’t – have an age limit.
On other people’s attitudes, Kerry adds, ‘I’ve got about 14 tattoos – I’m covered in them – but that doesn’t mean I’m not a nice person or that I’m not intelligent or that I’m not educated or that I’m a bad mother. You should never judge anybody by their appearance.’
And we couldn’t agree more!