The Classic '90s Lower Back Tattoos Are Back But Not How You Remember Them

While the 1990s and Y2K were rife with questionable style, there's one thing in particular that makes people of a certain age groan and shudder: the lower back tattoo. Born from the ultra-low waistlines of jeans and excessively high thong straps of the time, lower back tattoos didn't just become a trend, but fodder for social commentary as to what type of woman would rock, as it was called, the "tramp stamp." It was the type of tattoo that eventually resulted in loads of people having them removed, including Nicole Richie who said of her tramp stamp in 2013, "It just means a certain thing, and I don't want to be part of that group."

Fast forward some 20 years or so, and guess what? The tramp stamp is back. "I always thought the lower back was such a great spot for a tattoo, and you can really design it to fit your body, and it can be super flattering," tattoo artist Erin O'Dea told Teen Vogue. "It's a shame that the 'tramp stamp' moniker given to this tattoo hindered it for so long... It's great that Gen Z doesn't care about these kinds of labels and don't take it so seriously."

Like all the tattoo trends we've been seeing, the tramp stamp has gotten a makeover. It's no longer six inches of barbed wire or some appropriative signifier thing that you'll wish you never got. Instead, 2024's tramp stamp is intricate, meaningful, fine-line, and straight-up gorgeous. In other words, it's a timeless lower back tattoo that's going to be super coveted this year and every year that follows.

To say that words, phrases, lyrics, and even excerpts from books are all over the place when it comes to tattoos, is a major understatement. Pretty much everyone and their mother are hopping on the word tattoo trend and for a good reason: it's meaningful and beautiful. It's also really easy to break away from the conventional tramp stamp look when you choose words over images and symbols. Just make sure you do your due diligence when getting words tattooed on you, especially regarding spelling and font. "The color of the ink, the length of the word(s), the style of design, and the lettering all determine how it will ultimately look," tattoo artist Dillon Forte told Byrdie. "You may have a phrase you are totally psyched on, but sketched out as a tattoo [it] may be underwhelming." 

If you look at the tramp stamps of the 1990s and Y2K, you'll likely find that the majority of them are horizontal. Not only was it the trend, but thanks to the low-rise jeans of the time more of it could be seen this way, which was probably the point. But since we're breathing new life into the tramp stamp, vertical is the way to go. Although less of it can be seen with this placement, it still has that "ooh la la" appeal because not all of it is visible to the casual eye.

For the tramp stamp of the past to pull off its "I'm such a rebel and will mess you up" vibe, it had to be pretty much entirely black. With negative space, of course, too. It needed to be bold, fierce, and without a hint of softness. Because color softens things right up, a modern-day lower back tattoo that doesn't have hardened energy should feature colors. The more shades, the better. 

In addition to the black color scheme and horizontal alignment, the tramp stamp of 20 years ago was more often than not centered. (Or it should have been, but there's a very good chance that not every one was exactly in the middle down to the millimeter.) While that was cool for then, off-center is a more interesting option for today's world. It's all far more fitting, because things, like life in general, haven't been centered in a long time. Might as well fit in with the vibe!

As mentioned, tramp stamps were meant to be sexy and/or rebellious. There really was no in-between or room for other interpretations, hence the reason they got the reputation that they did. But today, in the modern era, what's provocative, daring, and cutting-edge is up to us — we get to decide. In some cases, the result is going to be bunnies, puppies, squirrels, or Bambi chasing a butterfly right across our lower back.

Are you someone who likes the tribal look of the days of yore? Have you been rocking Y2K fashion boldly and secretly hoping it stays en vogue forever? Did you click on this article because you've been fantasizing about getting a tramp stamp that both honors and embraces a time that you wish never ended? Then the only choice for you is the modern tribal lower back tattoo. It's just like what was rocked in the 1990s but with minimalistic fine lines. It's the ultimate ode to a trend that, while forever questionable, is also forever iconic.