Dear Sasha, I’m 16, and my mom won’t let me get a tattoo. I’m responsible, and I’ve thought about it for a very long time! I really want to get one, plus it’s a short French quote that means a lot to me. I want to get it on the back of my neck, it’ll only be visible if I want it to be. I could find a random place and do it behind her back, but the only trustworthy place I know requires parental consent for people under 18. I know I’ll have it forever, and my friends say I may get tired of it when I get older, but I really doubt it and really badly want to get one. Please help me talk her into this! J

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It only took me few minutes to gather a list of my friends’ teen tats and J, here is a sampler:  bulldog with flag boxer shorts holding a hockey stick, a sperm swimming up a leg, Bart Simpson dancing, and oh my god countless astrology signs, frogs, butterflies and dolphins. Oh and of course from yours truly…..a tramp stamp of my Chinese name.

Wait, I know you think I’m rolling with the tackiest people on earth, but I’m telling you these were the COOLEST things to get back in the day. Like, for real, I thought my tattoo was the dopest most original sh-t ever, but the sad reality I’m faced with now is that I’m one barbed wire away from Pamela Anderson’s embarrassing arm band.   

So what’s cool now, J? Script tattoos. See: Rihanna, Hayden Panettiere, Demi Lovato, Lea Michele, Miley, the teen list goes on...

Listen, I’m not saying this French quote of yours sucks, I just think you should sit on it to make sure this isn’t just a fad or a phase. And seriously, if it means so much to you now then trust me, it will still be that awesome when you’re 18. 

Look J, I’m really trying not to sound like an old hag here, but honestly, I do think you need to wait it out a bit longer. What’s two years? Nothing. So keep having fun, keep finding things that inspire you, and how’s this for a deal: if you still want it when you’re 18, I’ll pay for it.   

Thanks for writing in and keep all your LIFE + STYLE questions coming my way at [email protected]