You wouldn’t know it — probably because they’re hiding inside people’s pants — but butt tattoos are becoming super popular.
“Personally, I had a surge of small booty tats right after lockdown,” says Kenzie Shepherd, a tattoo artist with Crow's Nest Tattoo in Royal Oak, Michigan. “I think the isolation took a toll on people, and when the shop sign was open there was an air of ‘to hell with it!’ and the cheeks started appearing.” Shepherd refers to summer 2021 as the “summer of @ss” because of how many butt tattoos she did — and, according to her, 2023 is no different.
“Ever since then, they've been a bit more requested,” she tells Bustle, especially now that bathing suit season is right around the corner. Celebs are in on the trend, too: Olivia Wilde recently showed off her butt tattoo at the beach, Kylie Jenner and Hailey Bieber have each flaunted their outer butt/thigh tattoos (Jenner has the words “Before Sanity” written in script, Bieber has the word Portuguese word “Gente”), Rihanna has a butt tat, Lizzo has her brand Yitty stamped on her bum, and countless influencers have dropped their drawers to show off inked cheeks.
The best part about butt tattoos? “They’re never taken seriously, so it’s an opportunity to get something goofy, sexy, or a bit of both,” says Shepherd. Some examples of designs she has inked: the phrase “bite me”, a slice of cheddar cheese, a rubber ducky, hand-drawn hearts, yin-yang symbols, smiley faces, chili peppers, ’70s-style daisies, and handwritten notes.
The world is more open about tattoos in general — regardless of placement — so there’s no reason to overthink your @ss tat. Here are 15 butt tattoo ideas to use as inspo.
1
Words & Sayings
Opt for a word or phrase that’s special to you, then show it off in a cheeky bikini on the first day of summer.
2
Cheeky Cherries
Fruit tattoos look cute anywhere, but especially on the butt. If you want something colorful, red cherries are sure to pop.
3
Rihanna’s “Lover” Script
5
Bold Florals
For an extra bold look, choose a design that covers your entire butt — and then some. If you’re looking for a statement art piece but don’t want it to show every day, the derriere is an ideal location.
6
A Partner’s Signature
Looking for a cheeky way to commit to your partner? Slap their name on your booty. Getting signatures tattooed on the big day could become a fun and sexy tradition for couples.
7
Cardi B’s Peacock
Cardi B has quite the tat collection, but you can’t deny that one of the standouts is the peacock that runs from her butt and down her thigh.
9
Flaming Hearts
Sketchy ignorant-style tattoos can be applied anywhere, whether it’s your arms, thighs, or the side of your butt. This fine line tat of a flaming heart is understated but cool.
10
Halsey’s “Hopeless”
Stamp a word you love onto the top of your derriere — a la Halsey’s “hopeless” butt tat.
12
A Play On Words
Get a tat of a honeybun, a hot cross bun, or a hamburger bun on your cheeks. Because it’s funny.
13
Your Fave Food
Not sure where to put a cute little drawing of a taco? Now’s your chance to ink it onto your butt.
14
Olivia Wilde’s Dragon
Olivia Wilde has a dragon butt tat that she lovingly refers to as a tramp stamp.
15
Lucky You
Let the people know that if they’re seeing your butt tattoo, they’re extra lucky.
